The price of fresh water is set to rise next year, with Central Tablelands Water (CTW) releasing its draft budget for public comment.
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The $6 million budget includes several capital projects and water users are to be asked to pay more to access and use water.
An increase to the cost of a standard 20 millimetre water connection will rise by $7.50 quarterly.
It will mean homes in Blayney and Weddin shires and part of Cabonne Council will pay $239 for water every year, up from last year’s $200.
The per kilolitre charge for water will rise 20 cents to $2.75, an increase of eight per cent, one litre currently costs less than a quarter of a cent.
CTW chairman David Somervaille said prices were set to recover the cost of operations and the future cost of infrastructure replacement.
Councillor Somervaille said there was no stepped increase in prices, with all water users to pay $2.75 per kilolitre.
“Capital works include completion of construction of the emergency pipeline connecting the Central Tablelands Water system with Orange and the replacement of the trunk water main from Gooloogong to Grenfell,” Cr Somervaille said.
He said the pipeline joining the two systems was similar to the one which connected CTW to Cowra’s water system and designed to improve water security.
The first sod on link to Orange was turned in April and involves $21.2 million of state government money, $5 million from Orange City Council and $2.5 million from CTW.
“The budget also provides for a new storage reservoir at Carcoar and replacement of the pipeline from Lake Rowlands to the Carcoar filtration plant,” Cr Somervaille said.
“All of these projects are part of the regional approach to water security for the towns and villages in the Central West.”
Cr Somervaille said CTW was working with the state government on the second stage of its investigation into a new dam in the Lachlan valley and the future of Carcoar’s dam and a possible link to Lake Rowlands.
The full budget is on public exhibition until June 5.