Reporting requirements for service providers
The key performance indicators (KPIs) are designed to monitor and benchmark performance on these common industry metrics:
- water supply security
- service delivery
- financial stability
- infrastructure investment and maintenance
- demand management
- customer service and affordability
- cyber security.
The number of KPIs reported on will vary according to the size of the provider and the type of services provided (as stated in the report requirement notice).
Content of performance reports
The annual performance report will include performance data against the KPIs you are required to report against.
The performance report may also include:
- a summary of any findings or recommendations in a performance audit report for the financial year
- a report on the implementation of an improvement plan
- a report about any action taken as directed by the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water.
Audit of performance report data
Periodically and when directed by the regulator, by notice, service providers will need to engage a third party to audit the accuracy of KPI data provided. A copy of the audit report must be provided to the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water.
A notice issued to a service provider, by the regulator, which requires an audit of performance data still state the notified year and the date by which the audit report must be given to the regulator.
Exceptions
Service providers that only supply water for non-drinking purposes will not be required to prepare a performance report, but must maintain their registration as a service provider.
Report requirement notices
The department issues a report requirement notice to service providers, which lists the KPIs they must report on in their annual performance report.
New notices will only be issued if there is a change to the KPIs or other reporting requirements.
Use the definitions guide for details of the KPIs.
Definitions guide
For the 2023-24 financial year reporting period where the data submission deadline is 1 October 2024 use the definitions guide version 2 (PDF, 1.38MB).
For the 2024-25 financial year reporting period where the data submission deadline is 1 October 2025 use the updated Key performance indicators for annual performance reporting for Queensland urban water service providers – Definitions Guide version 3 (PDF, 1.2MB).
A new version of the definitions guide is an outcome of a review of the Bureau of Meteorology’s National Performance Reporting (NPR) framework. That review has resulted in some changes to the Queensland Government Key Performance Indicators (QG KPIs) from the 2024/25 financial year.
Most changes made to the QG KPI definitions are to align with the NPR framework. The amended indicators typically draw on information that is already available to you, but some will require you to collect new information as detailed in the NPR and QG KPI guides.
You will continue to report all your information to the Queensland Water Supply Regulator (regulator) in October each year. You can use the Statewide Water Information Management (SWIM) System or the department’s performance reporting template,
The Queensland Water Directorate (Qldwater) will continue to support service providers with training and updates to the SWIM system.
Details of updates in Version 3
There is one new KPI that requires information on the number of full-time equivalent employees in operator roles (QG 1.20a).
There has been a revision in the wording of the definition (QC 1.11), changing ‘produced’ to ‘supplied’ with no underlying data modification.
For QG 1.13-1.16, there is a modification in the units of measurement, where whole number counts are now required instead of counts divided by a thousand.
Thirteen indicators mandated by the NPR have been incorporated, where the majority use information that is already available.
There is one new KPI that requires information on the months of water supply excluding any contingency (QG 2.12a). No further changes.
Five KPIs have been retired and replaced with four NPR aligned indicators that use information already available.
Of the existing KPIs, two have been retired. Their replacements are included in the 10 NPR aligned indicators that detail counts of customer complaints and service interruptions as whole numbers.
A definition modification has been made to QG4.5-4.7, and their plain count equivalents (QG 4.18-4.20), which excludes breaks or interruptions caused by third parties.
No alterations to indicators.
Submitting performance reports
Service providers have until 1 October each year to submit their performance reports for the previous financial year.
Reports can be submitted:
- via the Statewide Water Information Management (SWIM) database
or - by completing the department's performance reporting template (provided on request by emailing drinkingwater.reporting@rdmw.qld.gov.au).
The completed performance report must be published on the service provider's website as soon as possible after it is accepted by the regulator.
KPI data for all service providers is compiled in a spreadsheet which contains data from the 2014-15 financial year to the latest financial year available:
- anomalous data has been removed from the dataset, as indicated by RD
- missing data, as reported by the service provider, is shown as MD
- data that is not relevant, as reported by the service provider is shown as NR
- indicators with a CPI suffix show that the data has been adjusted for inflation.
View the Water and sewerage service provider key performance indicator data.
Public access to water and sewerage service provider performance data
Performance data reported to the department is made publicly available for Queenslanders to view, explore and compare via:
- Queensland's Urban Water Explorer.
- the key performance indicator data on our Open Data portal.