Key Points:
If governments commit to the recommendations and roadmap
set by the Productivity Commission, expect a significant urban
water sector reform program to commence at all levels of government
during 2012.
There have been state-based reviews of the urban water sector in
the past, for example, IPART's 2005 report on water and
wastewater service provision in the greater Sydney metropolitan
area.
The Productivity Commission has now produced a comprehensive
review of the urban water sector nationally and has made a
substantial number of recommendations which involve reform at the
Commonwealth, State and local government levels.
While those recommended reforms, if adopted, would be
implemented by different governments, they are to be underpinned by
a common overarching objective of delivering water, waste water and
stormwater services in an economically efficient manner, which
should guide policy development and regulation relating to public
health and the
