3 January 2011

Canberra water bills

| welkin31
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Yesterdays Canberra Times carried articles critical of ACTEW – and questioned the buying of water from Tantangara Dam.

This article highlights how cheap water is in the Riverina and central NSW downstream from the ACT.

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Even Cobar residents have lower water bills than the ACT.
http://www.warwickhughes.com/blog/?p=758
Surely, somewhere across this brown dry land somebody pays higher water bills than Canberra people.

@Chop71 – It would be fair to point out that the new building on Bunda street is leased – they sold the old ActewAGL building on London cct.

Felix, agreed, I am fully expecting the same issues we experienced during the last drought to arise again when the next one comes.

It would have been smart if they had actually built the dams that were supposed to have been built years ago, in time for the drought. Instead they forced the public into a lose-lose situation (make water scarce, which ‘justifies’ ramping up the price) while maximising a profit for the corporation. This is why public utilities should never be privatised. Some things are just NOT about profit.

The Tennent should be being built as soon as the Cotter expansion is finished, instead of stealing water from others via pipelines.

Felix the Cat10:22 am 04 Jan 11

So ACTEW is protecting our future by building new dams and buying and pumping water in from other areas. How dare they. It would be much better to just do nothing and bump the water restrictions up another few levels.

It was only a few short months ago that Canberra (and a good part of the rest of the country too) was in a bad drought and had been for a number of years. Just because we are ok now and most of the dams around the area are full what’s to say another drought isn’t just around the corner?

They advertise more than a little bit……

…and I would say their market share still dictates they are a monopoly (or that close it doesn’t matter)

They have the nice new offices in Civic, no expenses spared …. oh yeah we paid for that with our utility bills (while they told us to save water). Actew doesn’t do too much saving of their own.

You will have something to complain about if ACTEW decide to charge ACT residents the power prices NSW people are paying. Even more so if they decide to price ACT as rural.

So all the effort and sacrifice Canberrans made during the drought to “save” water just resulted in a subsidy to some agricultural business in the Riverina.
Of course those noble sons of the soil always have a kind word in praise of the ACT.

Yes that is what I am saying. Been the case for a number of years. Have you not had door knockers asking you to change?

Anyway have a look at the website below for an idea of who is around.

http://www.electricityproviders.com.au/electricity-providers-act/

JC – are you saying we can choose another electricity supplier ? If so can you please let us know how this can be done – is there a website we can use to check what other elec suppliers would charge us ? Thanks.

Chop, agree with your sentiment, though you do realise that whilst it is true that ACTEW(AGL) has an monopoly on the water front, when it comes to power and gas they are in a very competitive market and are competing with others, so some advertising would seem to be in order.

@miz – +1.

It’s about bloody time that governments realised that the business of government is government, not business.

…oh and they sponsor everything trying to be a good corporate citizen ….grrr
Everytime you see them advertised remember, your paying for that in increased fees.

Why should a utility company (which has a monopoly) even need to advertise, just shut up and provide the service.

I believe ACTEW has become a corporate milch cow instead of an organisation whose sole raison d’etre should be to facilitate essential services to Canberra for the public good.

This makes me angry, as I feel that the ACT Government (chief shareholder of ACTEW – even that there are ‘shareholders’ makes me want to spit) is exploiting Canberrans’ genuine willingness to be ‘green’.

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