FAQs

Q. What is a Water Plan?

A Water Plan is a five-year plan prepared by each water utility (such as Yarra Valley Water) that details its operations. It includes:

• An estimate of the costs associated with running the business (including maintenance and operational costs)
• Forecasts for water demand
• The benchmarks set for service standards to be delivered, and
• A list of vital capital expenditure that not only ensures the existing network caters for future growth, but that it facilitates the efficient use of water resources through investment in alternative water projects.

Q. How did you obtain customer input when developing your Water Plan?

We conducted a broad range of consultation and engagement activities utilising extensive market research (both qualitative and quantitative), key stakeholder briefings and ongoing review and input from our Customer Advisory Group. This included:

• focus groups to refine the proposals within the draft Water Plan prior to it being released for public consultation.
• a three-hour qualitative focus group session to test the key materials to be used in a deliberative forum.
• a six-hour deliberative forum with residential customers where a wide range of topics are considered , discussed and then participants vote on their preference.
• a two-hour roundtable forum with over 100 business customers.
• an on-line quantitative survey conducted with 800 customers, representing a cross-section of our customer base.
• two focus groups conducted to assess future price path options.
• an on-line quantitative survey conducted jointly with City West Water and South East Water to gauge customer preferences regarding tariff structures across Melbourne.
• a workshop held with the metropolitan water authorities, consumer peak bodies and social service organisations.
• an on-line portal for customers to access all relevant information, ask questions and provide feedback on our proposals.

Q. What happens after you submit your Water Plan?

The Essential Services Commission will review and assess our plan and formally begin its period of public consultation on our service and pricing proposals – as welll as that of the rest of the water industry - starting with public forums in December 2012.

In March 2013, the ESC will release a draft decision on prices for further consultation, ahead of a final decision before 1 July 2013.

Q. How do I provide input/feedback to the ESC?

The Essential Services Commission will formally begin its period of public consultation on our service and pricing proposals – as well as that of the rest of the water industry - starting with public forums in December 2012. Customers will be invited to participate in these forums via advertisements in metropolitan and local newspapers in late October. Further details on how to provide comments will be available on the ESC website:  esc.vic.gov.au

Q. Why do I provide feedback to the ESC and not Yarra Valley Water?

We have already conducted several rounds of consultation with customers and stakeholders - when initially developing our draft Water Plan and again before finalising our plan. The Essential Services Commission, the independent regulatory umpire, will now formally begin its period of public consultation on our service and pricing proposals – as well as that of the rest of the water industry - starting with public forums in December 2012.

Q. What are the next steps in the timeline?

 The next steps in the timeline are as follows:

Q. Why do water utilities develop a Water Plan?

The Water Plan is the process by which water prices are determined through an independent regulator – the Essential Services Commission (ESC). The ESC scrutinises our costs, our demand forecasts, our major projects and our proposed service standards to ensure that our proposal is financially sound and efficient. Prices are determined through a formula which takes account of costs, the value of our assets and forecast demand.

Q. Is this the first time a Water Plan has been developed?

No, this is the third time the water utilities have developed Water Plans. The previous Water Plan periods went from 2005-2009 and 2009-2013. The draft plan just submitted to the ESC for review covers 2013-18.