Seeking feedback on guidance to assist businesses with water price submissions

The Essential Services Commission is inviting feedback on proposed guidance to assist 16 Victorian water businesses in preparing their upcoming price submissions.

The draft guidance outlines the commission’s approach to the 2028 Water Price Review and the information water businesses must provide in their submissions.

The price submissions must:

• include the maximum price a business proposes to charge its customers for water and sewerage services over the next five years from 1 July 2028
• demonstrate how the business has engaged with its customers to understand the services they want
• show how the business intends to deliver on its commitments to its customers.

The commission will use these submissions to assess and determine the maximum prices the water businesses can charge their customers.

The draft guidance includes updates on:

• streamlined price reviews, including the potential to fast-track high-quality submissions
• customer engagement, including additional requirements for engagement with First Nations people, including Traditional Owner groups
• long-term planning to support infrastructure investment
• the New Customer Contributions Framework, issued in January 2026
• large and/or complex connections
• transparency, accountability and reporting of financial performance against approved benchmarks
• a financial incentive scheme for operating expenditure.

Water businesses and other interested parties can provide feedback by visiting Engage Victoria by Friday 14 August 2026. We expect to release the final guidance in September 2026.