Licensing
The Commission is responsible for administering the licensing of the water supply and sewerage services industries in the Territory under the Water Supply and Sewerage Services Act 2000.
Specific geographical areas may be declared by the minister, by way of a notice in the Gazette, to be a water supply or sewerage services licence area. A licence is required for the provision of water supply and sewerage services within an area gazetted under the Water Supply and Sewerage Services Act 2000.
For each water supply or sewerage service within a licence area, the Commission may only grant a single licence for each of the relevant services provided. The Commission is not empowered to issue licences for service provision that takes place outside a water or sewerage licence area.
Exemptions
The Commission may, with the approval of the minister, grant an exemption from licensing or specified provisions of licensing. The Commission will consider an exemption as part of the licence application process. Exemptions are limited and only considered where there is significant justification, and are assessed on an individual basis.
Potential participants in the water supply and sewerage services industries should seek their own legal advice as to whether an exemption may be applicable to their circumstances.
Licence fees
Licence application and annual licence fees are fixed from time to time by the Minister in accordance with the Water Supply and Sewerage Services Act 2000. The current water and sewerage licence fees schedule, which is fixed in terms of revenue units, was approved by the Treasurer with effect 1 July 2024. The licence fees in dollar terms are determined based on the current value of a revenue unit.