Seqwater and Sunwater irrigation pricing
The Queensland Government sets the price of irrigation water supplied by Seqwater in South-East Queensland and Sunwater elsewhere in Queensland.
In setting irrigation prices, the government seeks to strike a balance between:
- cost recovery for the services provided
- impacts on customers
- keeping prices as simple and transparent as possible.
This content provides information on current irrigation prices and explains how prices are set.
Irrigation prices for 2021–22 to 2024–25
The following discounts apply to irrigation prices for water supply schemes owned by Sunwater and Seqwater:
- 15% discount for all irrigation from 2021-22 to 2024-25
- 35% additional discount for irrigation of horticultural crops from 2021-22 to 2023-24.
Irrigators automatically receive the 15% discount through the prices used by Sunwater and Seqwater to calculate your bills.
Horticultural growers can apply for an additional 35%r cent rebate (resulting in a total 50% discount) on the proportion of water charges related to associated with irrigating horticultural crops. The Horticulture Irrigation Pricing Rebate Scheme is being administered and assessed by the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA).
You can apply for the Horticulture Irrigation Pricing Rebate Scheme until 31 December 2024.
Learn more about the irrigation pricing discount for 2021–24.
Irrigation prices for 2023–25
View details of the prices for 2023–24 and 2024–25 in the Queensland Government Gazette that was published on 31 March 2023. The Gazette lists the price and the 15% discount to be applied.
Sunwater customers
View Sunwater's full schedule of fees and charges for each water scheme.
Seqwater customers
View Seqwater's full schedule of fees and charges for each water scheme (PDF, 461KB).
How irrigation prices are set
Prices are set following a review process involving the state's independent regulator, the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA). Reviews generally cover a 4–5 year period.
For its reviews, the QCA undertakes comprehensive analysis and consults widely to provide advice on key issues and the amount of prudent (i.e. necessary) and efficient costs to be recovered in prices.
The QCA then recommends prices to the government, which makes the final decision on prices. The recommendations must be consistent with pricing policies specified by the government.
Read details of the QCAs recommendations for Seqwater and Sunwater irrigation prices for 2020–21 to 2023–24. This review was finalised in January 2020.
The response to each of the QCAs recommendations can be found in the Queensland Government Gazette from 5 May 2020.
On 10 March 2023 the government asked the QCA to undertake a review to recommend irrigation prices for Sunwater and Seqwater to apply from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2029. To allow the QCA time to undertake its review, 2024-25 prices were set by rolling over 2023-24 in accordance with the irrigation price path.
Details of the QCA’s current price review and how to get involved, can be found on the QCA’s website.
Pricing policies
The government's key policy, known as 'lower bound' pricing, is generally for prices to move towards recovering the irrigation share of the scheme's operating, maintenance and refurbishment costs, but not any share of the initial costs of building any assets constructed before 2000 or any share of dam safety upgrade costs.
The government provides a subsidy known as a community service obligation (CSO) payment to Seqwater and Sunwater from the Queensland budget when prices are set below the level necessary for Seqwater and Sunwater to meet the operating, maintenance and refurbishment costs to supply water for irrigation.
Read about CSOs in the 2023–24 Budget Paper 2 – Budget strategy and outlook, Appendix A – Concessions statement (PDF, 316KB).
Your water bill
Your water bill from Seqwater or Sunwater for irrigation water includes 2 types of prices:
- fixed prices – Part A and Part C (if applicable) based on the amount of allocation you hold
- volumetric prices – Part B and Part D (if applicable) based on the amount of water you use.
Also consider...
- Find out more about Seqwater water supply schemes and Sunwater water supply schemes.
- View a map showing the location of Queensland's irrigation scheme areas (PDF, 94KB) managed by Seqwater and Sunwater.