The amalgamations would reduce the number of GMW community surface drainage entities by six, and the number of primary surface drainage entities by three – an overall reduction from 13 to four.

This change would see the following amalgamations:

• Shepparton and Murray Valley areas will become East Surface Drainage
• Central Goulburn and Rochester areas will become Central Surface Drainage
• Loddon Valley and Torrumbarry areas will become West Surface Drainage.

Tyntynder will remain as a standalone area for drainage as water is primarily drained via pumps in this region, rather than gravity based. It will be further reviewed during the next pricing regulatory period.

The alignments of East, Central and West are based on similarities in location, customer enterprises and current local drainage circumstances and needs.

Amalgamating the areas will help simplify our drainage tariff for customers.

This change will impact all customers in the GMID that pay surface drainage fees, with the exception of Tyntynder.

There are currently six GMW community surface drainage pricing entities – the main purpose for which is to recognise the different funding arrangements for the initial construction of these drains.

GMW’s Community and Primary surface drains are designed and managed for the same level of service based on catchment area. Amalgamating the two services will simplify the drainage tariff calculations for customers and reflect the cost for the overall service.

In order to preserve appropriate cost sharing, review and adjustment to their Primary Surface Drainage drain division will be required for GMW Community Surface Drainage properties.

The adjustments will be made so that the original rationale for separate pricing entities is taken into account.

If you would like to discuss how these proposed changes will affect you, please phone GMW on 1800 013 357.

We are asking our customers for feedback on this proposal.

As a GMW customer, do you support combining primary and GMW community surface drainage, and amalgamating the areas into East, Central and West?

This will be a reduction in costs for drain diversion customers and reflect the lower costs in providing this service (customers in Murray Valley, Shepparton, Central Goulburn and Rochester) and continuation of existing arrangements for customers in Loddon Valley, Torrumbarry and Tyntynder.

We are asking our customers for feedback on this proposal.

As a GMW drain diversion customer, do you support the removal of the low flow and high flow site fees in favour of a $55 Site Fee? Do you support removal of the Agreement Volume Fee?

The Water Use Fee will be gradually phased out over a period of time.

Water use is no longer a clear cost driver or relevant way to calculate drainage charges. The cost drivers to maintain the drainage system is no longer related to the amount of irrigation water being used.

As on farm development and farming practices have evolved, there is much less distinction between the drain inflows from irrigated and non-irrigated land.

Farming practices have evolved and water reuse has reduced the impact on drains from farms still being irrigated during lower intensity rain events.

For properties not being irrigated, low intensity rainfall is absorbed by the soil.

Runoff from both irrigated and unirrigated properties in higher intensity events is now the overwhelming source of runoff into drains and in both cases the amount of runoff is proportional to the property area.

We want to hear from customers about how we should implement the phase out of the Water Use Fee.

The change and price impact can take place over the next regulatory period (2024-28) or over two regulatory periods (2024-28 and 2028-32).

Doing so over two regulatory periods would lessen the impact for those who bills will increase. Those whose bills will decrease will not see this occur as quickly.

As a GMW customer, would you prefer the Water Use Fee be phased out over one regulatory period (2024-28) or over two regulatory periods (2024-28 and 2028-32)?