The NSW State Government has passed the Water Management Amendment (Central Coast Council) Act 2024 and repealed The Central Coast Water Corporation Act 2006.
It means Central Coast Council’s water and sewer business is no longer regulated by two different, and at times, conflicting pieces of legislation.
Additionally, it will help resolve some of the complexity that contributed to Council being placed in administration in October 2020.
The Labor Government said the changes have ensured Central Coast Council has a clearer, simpler and less costly regulatory framework for its water supply and sewerage services.
And it protects against privatisation by removing the Water Corporation Act.
Council was the only local body in NSW providing water services under two legislative Acts.
The passing of a Bill through Parliament on Thursday, August 8, ends that anomaly.
The legislative changes provide a streamlined framework for incoming councillors following next month’s local government elections.
The changes are expected to reduce costs.
In a statement on Friday, the State Government said the legislation freed up Council to perform its core role of providing essential services for the Central Coast.
“Additionally, it will help resolve some of the complexity that contributed to Central Coast Council being placed in administration in October 2020,” the Government said.
Central Coast is the third largest water utility in the state after Sydney Water and Hunter Water.
The changes will bring Council’s water supply and sewerage services in-line with all other local governments across regional NSW.
The changes will not have any impact on customers, other than benefits that should flow from a better governed water and sewerage utility.
The Bill comes off the back of a 2022 Public Inquiry into Council and a Departmental review in 2023 into the Council’s water utility legislative and regulatory framework.
IPART remains the regulator of Council’s water supply and sewerage service prices as well as regulating the rates cap.
