More costly water for the old?

A sharp rise in water rates would deal a vicious blow to pensioners already struggling to cope with rapidly rising electricity prices, says a lobby group for the elderly in late January.  Australians will be paying hundreds of dollars more for water because state governments are heavily investing in desalination plants, The Australian newspaper had reported the previous weekend.

But Frances Nord, Queensland president of the Australian Pensioners and Superannuants League (APSL), said last September's pension rise had already been gobbled up by sharp increases in rates and electricity prices.

"It's terrible," Ms Nord told AAP.  "We are not going to be able to keep up with it."

Water Services Association of Australia, representing most of the urban water utilities nationally, estimated water providers would use up to four times as much electricity as they moved from dams to desalination.  "The cost of building desalination plants will be reflected in water prices across Australia," executive director Ross Young told The Australian.  "Electricity prices are only going to go upwards, so operational costs are probably going to climb steadily.  In places like Melbourne in the next four years (water) prices are going to double."

They could always increase the pensioner subsidy, I guess, something their water billing software should handle with ease.