Water Services

Upper Hunter  Shire Council operates four water supply schemes for servicing the townships of Scone, Aberdeen, Merriwa and Murrurundi. 

The Lake Glenbawn to Scone water augmentation scheme completed in 2012 ensures the delivery of water from Glenbawn Dam to Scone and feed through to Aberdeen. The project consisted of a pipeline, balance tank, high level reservoir and pump station construction.  The $14.5 million project was funded, after 10 years of lobbying, by the State Government under the Country Town Water Supply and Sewerage Program in the amount of $5.5 million.

With the proposed Water Treatment Plant and Aberdeen back feed to be completed in the future, there is additional work to be carried out on our water infrastructure, in particular in Murrurundi. 

Council is working toward ensuring a sustainable and robust water supply system for Murrurundi through a $14 million pipeline and pumping stations to transfer potable water from Scone to Murrurundi.

The pipeline is being funded with $11.5 million Restart NSW funding through the Water Security for Regions program, $1.5 million from the NSW Government Country Towns Water Supply and Sewage Program and $1 million from Upper Hunter Shire Council through borrowed funds.

The 40km pipeline could be completed as early as 2020 and it is estimated the asset should have an actual life of over 100 years. 

Water Charges

Council has adopted a 30 year Capital Works and Asset Replacement Program which includes some big projects in the area of water provision, one of which is the Scone to Murrurundi Pipeline.

The NSW Office of Water provides funding for major capital projects such as pipelines and treatment plants in partnership with Council. Funding awarded to Council in recent years from NSW Office of Water equates to over $15 million. To be eligible for future funding from the NSW Office of Water, Council must comply with the Best Practice Management of Water Supply and Sewerage Guidelines 2007.

These guidelines require Council to raise at least 75% of residential revenue from water usage charges and the remaining 25% from annual access charges. Council is moving to the 75:25 split over a three year period that commenced in 2014/2015.

These changes will encourage water conservation, as the access charge decreases and the consumption charge increases. It will give residents some choice over their water charges, allowing them to reduce their water bill by choosing to use less water.
Water is charged to residents in two ways:

1. An annual access charge on their rate notice.
2. A usage charge four times a year based on the consumption of water through the meter on the resident’s property.
   

The changes made by Council (excluding normal CPI increase) mean that a resident who uses an average amount of water would see the access charge decrease and their usage charge increase by approximately the same amount. If you are a low water user you should save money. Those who use more water will pay more.
 
Water usage is invoiced quarterly on the water accounts.  A pro-rata charge will be calculated for water consumption when a water meter ceases to function, based on previous water consumption.  Council’s water pricing policy has been reviewed in line with NSW Office of Water’s water pricing guidelines.

 Further Information

Water Asset Management Plan
Drought Management & Emergency Response Plan (PDF-742KB)
Maps

Contact Details

Upper Hunter Shire Council
Phone:  02 6540 1100
Fax:  02 6545 2671
council@upperhunter.nsw.gov.au