• Scotland Island's Emergency Water Supply: pricing
• Island Community Vehicle: call for drivers
• Black Tie Gala
• International Folk Dancing
• SIRA AGM & Island Café
• Play Meeting

Northern Beaches' quarterly water bill for Scotland Island's emergency water, 27 Feb - 27 May 2025

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Why you pay the price you pay for water

Boyd Attwell

If Sydney Water sells the water for $2.67 per kL, why do residents pay $6.43?
SIRA incurs many costs in providing a supply of water to island residents. As explained in my last article, the emergency water system consists of over 3 km of polyethylene pipe, around 140 standpipes, countless valves and connectors, a sophisticated water pump system, and a custom automated booking system. All of this had to be paid for and it all needs maintaining and occasionally updating or replacing.

In addition to those costs, SIRA charges a 20% management fee, as recommended by Council. This helps SIRA cover costs it doesn’t directly charge to the water activity, but which nevertheless relate to it, such as insurance, IT, communications and accounting.

Part of the pump system located above Bell Wharf, Scotland Island

Have SIRA’s charges kept up with inflation?
In short, no. While the price SIRA charges residents for water has increased since 2002 in simple dollar terms, the real price, adjusted for inflation, has decreased by 18% in the same period. So, while most expenses in your life have increased broadly in line with the CPI, Scotland Island residents enjoy water that is, in real terms, considerably cheaper now than it has ever been.
 
How has SIRA achieved a price reduction in real terms?
Firstly, the price initially charged by SIRA when it started selling water back in 2002 was probably an overshoot. As I explained in my last article, SIRA, with no history or expertise in the water business, charged residents what senior managers within Pittwater Council recommended. With hindsight, the price could have been set a little lower and SIRA would still have broken even.
 
All the same, it’s been the efforts of a number of key individuals that have helped lower prices. From the outset these residents created, maintained and continuously improved the water system. Many weren’t paid, or weren’t paid adequately, for doing so.

Among a host of other initiatives over the years, the development of an automated booking system saw a significant step up in efficiencies and cost reductions.
 
Does SIRA make a profit or a loss on the water it buys and sells?
Every year SIRA creates a budget for its forthcoming financial year. These are used to assist with setting the prices SIRA charges, such as water-related costs and the hire rates for our community buildings. The endeavour of each budget is to break even on SIRA’s activities for the year. If the organisation reports a gain for the year, it will probably be because more water was sold than expected (eg a dry summer). If it makes a loss, it’s probably because we sold less than expected.

There are, of course, other unexpected events from time to time. For instance, in the last financial year there was a metering error in SIRA’s favour that improved the results. The Sydney Water meter at Church Point has now been replaced and we expect that billing for the water SIRA buys this current financial year will be correct.
 

Solenoid vales controlling the emergency water system

What do residents think of SIRA’s performance?
The emergency water system is complex, involves many moving parts and many people. Sometimes a water delivery doesn’t go to plan.

SIRA periodically surveys its members as to its operations and did so in 2016 and 2024. In 2024, 80% of respondents rated the emergency water service as satisfactory to excellent. The comparable customer satisfaction rating for Sydney Water is 53%. SIRA appreciates and values the feedback it receives on emergency water and all its activities.
 
Who do we have to thank for all this?
The full roll call of people deserving thanks is far too long to record here, so what follows are just a few of those who have volunteered huge amounts of time and effort, some over many decades. They are also listed in no particular order:

Rod Smith, John Brogden (former MP and local state member), Cass Gye, Bill Gye, Nathalie Muir, Colin Haskell, Tim Turpin, Graeme Crayford, Phil Hebden, Mark Morgan, John Atkins, Hubert van Mierlo, Sharon Kinnison, Brian Rodgers, John Marshall, Greg Roberts, Shar Jones, Deryn Vokins, Guyren Smith, Robert Fox, Nikki Gibson, Ian Laughton-Smith, Nadine O’Mara, Marie Minslow, Matt Lakeman, Steve Valenti, Angus Stranack, Jaime Sala, David Armstrong and Rowena Dubberley.

There will be others I’ve omitted to mention. That doesn’t diminish the thanks we owe them. To find out more about the emergency water system, click here.

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Call for drivers

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To help defray expenses, the Recreation Club ask for $5 per person per attendance.

SIRA AGM & Island Café