SEQ urban water retail price monitoring 2011–12

We provided a draft report to the government on 31 January 2012.

We developed information requirements to assist the SEQ distributor-retailer entities to provide information to us for the purposes of the price monitoring investigation. The document is available below.

The government referred the monopoly distribution and retail water and wastewater activities of Queensland Urban Utilities, Allconnex Water and Unitywater to the QCA for a price monitoring investigation covering the period from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012.

Under the referral, we were to:

1. provide timely and transparent information to customers about the costs and other factors underlying the provision of water and wastewater services
2. monitor the change in prices of distribution and retail water and wastewater services for households and small business customers having regard to the CPI price limit as described in the South East Queensland Water (Distribution and Reform) Act 2009
3. monitor the change in prices for water and wastewater services not included in the CPI price limit as described in the South East Queensland Water (Distribution and Reform) Act 2009, having regard to the change in revenue from these services compared to the change in the total prudent and efficient cost of carrying on the relevant activity
4. monitor the maximum allowable revenue based on the total prudent and efficient costs of carrying on the activity.