THE regulation that supports Hunter Water to provide water and wastewater services to more than 630,000 people across the region is up for renewal, and now is the time to have your say.

The regulation helps Hunter Water to deliver drinking water, sewerage, recycled water, drainage and stormwater services across more than 6,600 square kilometres in the Lower Hunter, including the local government area of Port Stephens.

Advertise with News of The Area today.
It’s worth it for your business.
Message us.
Phone us – (02) 4981 8882.
Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au

It enables Hunter Water to protect water quality in drinking water catchment areas, protect its assets, implement water restrictions during drought, and fine people or corporations when they don’t comply with rules relating to ‘special areas’, plumbing and drainage works and water restrictions.

“We have drafted a revised regulation with minor changes and updates to streamline it, make it fairer, and clarify its intent,” a spokesperson from the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) told NOTA.

“The proposed changes include clarifying definitions, updating references, increasing some penalties for breaching water restrictions to bring them in-line with other similar fines, and updating language to reflect online administration.

“Based on our Regulatory Impact Statement, we do not expect the proposed changes to have major impacts on residents, businesses or other stakeholders, and they do not affect water rates or charges.”

Hunter Water customers, residents, councils, Aboriginal people, environmental and industry groups to make a submission on the proposed changes before 11.59pm on 14 July.

If approved, it will commence on or before 1 September and remain in effect until at least 2029.

NSW DCCEEW Executive Director of Operations Resilience, Ashraf El-Sherbini, said, “Hunter Water is NSW’s second-largest water utility supporting one of the fastest growing regions, currently servicing one in thirteen people in our state.

“Remaking the regulation is essential so Hunter Water can continue to deliver world-class services to hundreds of thousands of households and businesses across the region, while safeguarding water quality and protecting waterways and the environment.

“We want to hear your views on the proposed changes, and we invite everyone to make a submission before 14 July.”

For more information and to lodge a submission, visit https://water.nsw.gov.au/hunter-water-regulation-remake.