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Urban Water Supply Arrangements Report

The Queensland Water Commission’s Final Report to the Queensland Government: Urban water supply arrangements in South East Queensland (SEQ) was released in May 2007

The Final Report outlined a range of structural and regulatory reforms proposed for urban water supply arrangement in SEQ.

The key features of these proposed reforms include:

  • improved, simplified business structures to deliver water services in a coordinated manner;
  • clarification of the respective roles of State and Local Governments;
  • the establishment of a Water Grid Manager to ensure water is managed as a shared, regional resource;
  • improved transparency and accountability for bulk transport and distribution networks with a strong asset management regime; and
  • enhanced economic regulation and pricing.
The Commission’s report was prepared after considering technical information and analysis from PricewaterhouseCoopers. As discussed in the Commission’s report PricewaterhouseCoopers evaluated issues associated with a different structural option to that finally recommended by the Commission.

The Commission's Final Report follows initial consultation on the public draft advice to Government on institutional arrangements and a cost recovery and pricing framework for urban water supply in SEQ, released on 9 March 2007.

The Final Report incorporates the Commission’s response to the Government’s request that further advice be provided on alternate institutional models for urban water supply in SEQ, including the amalgamation of local government water and wastewater businesses into fewer entities to streamline current arrangements.