Operating Licence

Hunter Water delivers services under an Operating Licence granted by the NSW Government. The licence protects consumers by prescribing minimum standards of service that Hunter Water must meet in relation to:

• drinking water quality - supplying customers with safe drinking water
• water continuity - providing customers with a reliable supply of water
• water pressure - providing customers with water at acceptable pressure for everyday use
• wastewater transport - providing the reliable transport of sewage.

The Operating Licence also sets out conditions relating to:

• community consultation
• customer and consumer rights - revised provisions relating to code of practice and procedures on debt and disconnection will apply from 1 July 2011 (see the amendments in Operating Licence)
• customer complaint and dispute handling
• managing water demand and supply
• environmental management
• publication of environmental and ESD indicators
• annual independent auditing of operational performance.

Hunter Water’s current Operating Licence came into operation on 1 July 2007. The NSW Government amended the licence in 2008 to include Dungog Shire in Hunter Water's area of operations. Further amendments are being made to update the performance standards for water continuity, water pressure and the wastewater transport system. These new standards applied from July 2010.

Each year, an independent audit of Hunter Water’s operations is conducted to assess our compliance with the Operating Licence. The audit assesses our performance in meeting the service standards and other conditions of the licence.

IPART is responsible for the annual operational audit and periodic reviews of our Operating Licence. View the results our 2010-11 Operational Audit.

The 2011-12 audit will be undertaken in September, and IPART will make the results of this audit available to the community once it is complete.

Review of our Operating Licence 2007-2012

On 31 March 2011 IPART commenced a review of Hunter Water's Operating Licence to set conditions for a new licence to apply from 1 July 2012. 

IPART welcomes submissions from the community to this review. Public submissions close on 31 May 2011.

Further information and a copy of the background Issues Paper, visit IPART.

Wastewater Systems

The Office Environment and Heritage (OEH)  issues licences under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 for Hunter Water's wastewater pipe network, pumping stations and treatment systems.

The licences stipulate both quality and quantity conditions for discharge from each wastewater treatment works and are reviewed every three years under the legislation.

The licences also specify operational controls and performance reporting for the wastewater pipe network and pumping stations.

Access to Water

Hunter Water extracts water from the Williams, Paterson and Allyn Rivers as well as groundwater sources under stringent conditions set out in licences issued by the NSW Office of Water (NOW) under the Water Act 1912 and Water Management Act 2000. NOW can direct Hunter Water to carry out remedial work should water extraction activities be determined by NOW to have caused any adverse environmental impacts. Penalties of up to $500,000 can be imposed for failing to comply with remedial directions or licence conditions.