Gravity Irrigation Customer Newsletter

Table of contents

Preparing for the start of the irrigation season

Understanding your water entitlements will help you get the right mix for your irrigation business today and into the future.

Your delivery share is an entitlement to have water delivered to your land through the delivery system (channels or pipelines) in an irrigation area.

Delivery shares can be used to share access to the delivery system during periods when total customer orders exceed the system’s available capacity.

This ensures all customers receive a fair supply in line with delivery share rights, as GMW manages any congestion.

During peak times, it is important to manage your water use to avoid using more water than your entitlement of allocation.

Here are a few tips to assist:

• Make sure you have enough water available in your Allocation Bank Account (ABA) and allow enough time for allocation trades to be processed.
• Place your irrigation orders through WaterLINE.
• Read your locally read meters regularly and closely monitor your use against entitlement.
• Check your current usage and entitlement figures regularly. They’re available on WaterLINE at any time or on request from your local GMW office during business hours for regulated water users.

If you are in any doubt, phone the GMW Customer Experience team on 1800 013 357.

Back to top

Ordering water

Good storage levels and high allocations could lead to strong demand for water when the season opens, so it’s important to submit your water orders ahead of time.

Climatic conditions, storage inflows and high demands influence the volume of water held in storage throughout the year. Given the uncertainty surrounding each of these factors, we recommend customers be proactive in ordering water.

To ensure your water is debited against the correct allocation account, please make sure you place your orders on GMW’s ordering system WaterLINE from 10 August in preparation for the start of season on 15 August. It allows you to place irrigation orders, communicate with us and monitor your water use based on the allocation and entitlement you hold.

For assistance using WaterLINE online, phone GMW on 1800 013 357 during office hours 8.30am – 4.30pm Monday to Friday. You can also download our WaterLINE online manual for step-by-step instructions from www.gmwater.com.au/customer-services/waterline

 Back to top

Seasonal determination update for northern Victoria systems

On 1 August 2024, the seasonal determinations announcement included:

Rain in recent weeks was the main contributor to the seasonal determination increases announced.

Upcoming Resource Manager Announcements

• The risk of spill in the Murray, Goulburn and Campaspe systems will be updated on Monday, 12 August 2024.

• The next 2024/25 seasonal determination announcement, including an updated outlook, will be released on Thursday, 15 August 2024.

For more information, or to subscribe to email updates, please visit the Northen Victoria Resources Manager website: https://nvrm.net.au/

 Back to top

Price Submission 2024-28

The Essential Services Commission (ESC) has provided its final determination on GMW’s Price Submission 2024-28, stating it found it to be a high-quality proposal that demonstrated “prudency and efficiency”.

This means that GMW customer bills will generally change by less than inflation from 1 July 2024.

Our focus remains on key priority areas including:

• Efficient operations
• Fair pricing
• Reliable Supply
• Responsive services
• Credible business
• Socially responsible

Combining these efforts we have been able to reduce our forecasted operational expenditure and ensure our critical delivery infrastructure is appropriately upgraded and maintained over the new regulatory cycle.

View our approved Price Submission (2024-2028) and the ESC’s decision.

 Back to top

Price List 2024/25

Our 2024/25 Price List is now available to view at our website.

You can also access our dedicated pricing simulators to help you understand how your fees and charges are changing this year.

 Back to top

Fixed charges accounts to hit mailboxes soon

GMW customers with fixed charges will soon receive their bills after the 2024/25 Price List came into effect on 1 July 2024.

New changes to fixed charges accounts

• Our Service Point fees have been simplified, with the new cost structure treating all service points the same way across all customer groups
• Local Read and Remote Read Service Point Fees have now transitioned to a single price, now known as Local Operate.
• In determining our pricing for the 2024-28 price period we have worked to absorb cost increases above inflation wherever we can. From 1 July 2024 we have removed the two per cent early payment discount. We understand this is a significant change for some customers. This decision has been balanced with the opportunity to minimise price increases and pass savings to all our customers.

Need help with your account?

GMW continues to have a number of flexible payment options available to help customers manage their bills. More information can be found at www.gmwater.com.au/payment-assistance  

For information about your account, please visit our website or phone the GMW Customer Experience team on 1800 013 357.

 Back to top

Commonwealth Government's Restoring our Rivers tender

The Commonwealth Government’s Restoring Our Rivers 2024 - Selected Catchments Open Tender is now open, with Victorian Murray zones 6 and 7 and Ovens zone 9a and King zone 9b in scope for the first round of buybacks.

Victorian Murray zones 6 and 7 are in the GMW irrigation footprint. GMW is concerned indiscriminate buybacks could see irrigation reduced inconsistently across several districts. This could lead to higher operational and infrastructure maintenance costs resulting in increased prices.

We also advise gravity customers who are considering selling all or part of their entitlements that Infrastructure Access Fees still apply unless they pay the termination fee, which is 10 x IAF (see our Price List linked above).

GMW will continue to collaborate with the Victorian Government and other agencies to explore opportunities to achieve the best possible environmental outcomes from any further water recovery while pro-actively dealing with socio-economic impacts from reduced water use and a changing irrigation footprint.

 Back to top

Maintaining your on-farm infrastructure

GMW has an extensive channel, pipeline and drainage system – we recognise we must work together with our customers to ensure the system is operating the best it can.

GMW maintenance obligations

Input from customers helps ensures we can address maintenance issues as soon as they arise. If a maintenance problem is reported by a customer, it will be assigned a priority rating and we will aim to have the problem rectified within the target timeframe.

Customer maintenance obligations

Customers are responsible for maintaining all private works from the point of connection to the GMW system.

If your on-farm infrastructure is not maintained correctly, it may mean you won’t receive water at the flow rate you ordered it.

Make sure your pumps, pipelines and other infrastructure are kept clear of debris and blockages for the best water delivery results.

 Back to top

Come talk with us at Elmore Field Days!

The Elmore Field Days is back this year, running from 1 to 3 October.

Our staff will be at site AP103, raising awareness about our services and providing our customers an opportunity to meet with us face–to-face.

Our team can help you with the latest information and updates on:

• water trading
• carryover and spillable water accounts
• your delivery shares, water shares and groundwater
• customer accounts
• other water management issues.

With more than 700 exhibitors, the annual event showcases agricultural services and innovation from across Victoria and interstate. The Elmore Field Days is a not-for-profit organisation with all profit going back into the community.

Find out more at www.elmorefielddays.com.au

 Back to top

Do the right thing this irrigation season

The start of the irrigation season is a timely reminder to take responsibility for your water use.

Please remember:

• it is illegal to take and use more water than allowed under your entitlement
• before you take and use water, make sure you:

• have the right authorisations
• have enough water available in your entitlement and allow enough time for temporary or permanent trades to be processed
• check your meter reading and water usage against your licenced volume; and
• check if restrictions and/or bans apply.

• it is your responsibility to ensure your ABA balance remains positive throughout the year.

GMW takes a zero-tolerance approach to water theft. To report an alleged offence you can call GMW on 1800 013 35, email compliance@gmwater.com.au or submit an online form.

 Back to top

Office and depot operations update

As part of our efforts to identify efficiencies to deliver reliable, affordable water for our customers, GMW is consolidating our offices and depots to have a Customer Service Centre in each area – East, West and Central.

In the West area, the Pyramid Hill office has closed with operations transferred to the Kerang Customer Service Centre, and the Swan Hill works depot has closed and operations have transferred to GMW’s Cussen St Tatura depot.

The Kerang customer service centre is located at 78 Kerang-Koondrook Rd, Kerang and is open from 8.30am to 4.30pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

In the Central area, GMW’s Kyabram Customer Service Centre closed in February 2024 and services transitioned to the Rochester Customer Service Centre.

The Rochester Customer Service Centre is located at 41 High Street, Rochester and is open from 8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

GMW is now investigating options for the East area.

Customers are welcome to drop into any of our Customer Service Centres, and booking an appointment is encouraged by:

• using the online booking system; or
• calling the GMW Customer Experience team on 1800 013 357 or emailing reception@gmwater.com.au to pre-book an appointment.

 Back to top

Winter Works nears completion

Our 2024 Winter Works program is now in its final weeks.

A huge amount has been achieved in just over over two months.

Works have included:

• Treatment of aquatic weeds
• Refurbishment and rock-armouring of channels
• Repair of pipelines and regulators
• Replacement of road and rail culverts.

In some places, there will still be changed traffic conditions and an increase in heavy vehicles on the road. We ask everyone to exercise extra care in these areas.

For more information about Winter Works, including an interactive map of where works are happening, visit the GMW website: www.gmwater.com.au/winter-works

 Back to top

Stock on channels

Remember to keep your stock off irrigation channel banks.

Allowing stock to drink from channels, rather than from a trough, can do significant damage to channel banks. This includes reduction in soil health and water quality, and the loss of instream habitats.

If stock damage on channel banks is identified, one of our Field Officers will speak to you to ensure damage does not reoccur.

Any stock damage that occurs after you have been contacted will be repaired by GMW, at your expense.

Repairing channel banks can be costly, which can impact on customer prices. All irrigators benefit from our channels being in good condition, and we all play a role in maintaining them.

We ask for your cooperation in this matter and avoid stock drinking directly from channels.

If you have any questions, please phone our Customer Experience team on 1800 013 357.

 Back to top

Information about salinity

GMW works closely with Catchment Management Authorities to monitor salinity levels across its regions.

GMW supplies raw (untreated) water for irrigation, stock and domestic purposes and for other bulk entitlement commitments. The quality of the water can vary due to various reasons, including salinity.

Salinity and waterlogging occur when watertables rise close to the ground surface. Several wetter-than-average years have led to the watertable rising, and salinity has increased as a result.

GMW is aware Kangaroo Lake has risen in salinity levels and is continuing to monitor the lake. Various factors could be contributing to the levels, including higher groundwater tables, and floodwater from recent rainfall events (October 2022 and January 2024) running into the lake.

 Back to top

Help stop vandalism and tampering

We have recently had several instances of people interfering with our assets.

This includes incidents such as tampering with regulators to redirect water, throwing large rocks on dam spillways, and ripping gates off 'no access' areas.

These actions can cause considerable expenses and can unfairly increase customer bills.

We are subsequently looking to prosecute people when they are found to be interfering with our assets.

You can help us by reporting any criminal behaviour at GMW storages and waterways by phoning GMW on 1800 013 357 or the local police.

 Back to top