Victorian water businesses report on their commitments to customers

The seventh annual water outcomes report shows most water businesses believe they are making good progress against their commitments to customers, despite challenges caused by varying climate conditions.

The report outlines how each water business self-assessed and self-reported on its 2024-25 performance. The Essential Services Commission is satisfied that most self-assessments continue to be reasonable, but sees clear differences in how businesses rate themselves and demonstrate accountability for their own performance.  

Ten water businesses reported they had met or delivered on all their commitments to customers in 2024-25, one more than last year. The remaining businesses reported they had mostly met their commitments.

Across the sector, 71 per cent of all outcomes targets were met, 15 per cent of targets mostly met, and 14 per cent of targets not met. The proportion of fully met targets ranged across businesses from 48 per cent to 89 per cent.

The number of deferred and delayed major projects increased from 51 (28 per cent) to 70 (36 per cent), after only the second year of the regulatory period for most businesses. However, businesses provided sound explanations for project deferrals and delays, noting many of these are only one or two years behind the scheduled timeline.

Most businesses reported drier and hotter than average weather throughout the year had affected performance against some measures. This included:

• the number and volume of sewage spills
• response times to sewer spills and blockages
• the duration of unplanned water supply interruptions
• level of CO2 emissions.

Businesses demonstrated accountability for performance against their stated targets, generally explaining the cause for any shortfall in performance against their commitment, and setting out how this would be addressed, or why they were anticipating a better result in future years.

All businesses have published their outcomes self-assessments on their websites for customers to read, however not all businesses have made this evident on their website homepages.  

The commission expects businesses will continue to follow-up on identified shortfalls in subsequent years, including closing the loop with customers by making the reports more prominent.