Hunter Water

What Hunter Water does

Hunter Water Corporation is a NSW Government-owned regulated monopoly water utility operating under the Hunter Water Act 1991, headquartered at 36 Honeysuckle Drive, Newcastle, NSW. It provides drinking water supply, wastewater (sewer) services, stormwater drainage management, and recycled water to more than 500,000 customers across the Lower Hunter region, including the local government areas of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock, Port Stephens, Dungog, and Maitland. Pricing is set every five years by IPART (Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of NSW), with new tariffs effective 1 July 2025 that progressively raise water usage from $2.89 to $4.40 per kilolitre and average household bills from A$1,241 to approximately A$1,540 by 2029-30. Core customer segments are residential households and business/industrial customers, with secondary services in dual reticulation recycled water in Gillieston Heights and Thornton North.

The utility operates an extensive physical asset base spanning dams (Grahamstown, Tomago, Chichester, Anna Bay), water and wastewater treatment plants, reservoirs, reticulation networks, and stormwater drains, and has achieved a 33% reduction in water leaks over nine years. Underlying technology is built around Itron's Temetra cloud-based meter data management platform, used for over five years, and a Digital Metering Pilot Program deploying 2,000 Itron Intelis wSource NB-IoT ultrasonic water meters with deployment beginning in Q3 2026 to enable near real-time consumption monitoring and leak detection.

Revenue is generated through a mix of fixed subscription charges (water service, sewer service, stormwater drainage) and usage-based charges (water per kilolitre, trade waste), with separate tiered schedules for residential and business customers based on meter size. Customer-facing digital channels include the My Account portal (https://myaccount.hunterwater.com.au/) for billing and account management and the Property Self Service Portal (https://selfservice.hunterwater.com.au/) for builders, developers, and property owners. As a NSW Government-owned corporation, Hunter Water is ultimately accountable to the state government of New South Wales, and financial details are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Hunter Water

Legal name

Hunter Water Corporation

Website

https://hunterwater.com.au

Company type

Public

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Hunter Water Corporation is a NSW Government-owned regulated monopoly providing drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and recycled water services to over 500,000 customers across the Lower Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Wastewater Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIACAG

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

SECONDARYEUANAEAA

Stormwater Collection & Conveyance (Inlets, Catch Basins, Pipes, Channels)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Water & Wastewater Utilities/Stormwater & Floodwater Management (Drainage, CSO, Flood Control)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Wastewater management
• Drinking water supply
• Stormwater drainage
• Recycled water

Headquarters

HQ city

Newcastle

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Water Service Charges: Fixed annual charges for water infrastructure operation and maintenance based on meter size and property type. Charged in advance and spread across billing cycles.
2. Water Usage Charges: Usage-based charges calculated per kilolitre (kL) of water consumed. Measured via water meters and charged in arrears.
3. Sewer Service Charges: Fixed annual sewer service charges covering wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure operation and maintenance.
4. Stormwater Drainage Charges: Annual charges for properties within stormwater drainage areas in parts of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Cessnock local government areas.
5. Trade Waste Charges: Charges for non-residential properties discharging trade wastewater to recover costs of managing the additional load on the sewerage system.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hunter Water provides drinking water supply, wastewater/sewer collection and treatment, and stormwater drainage services to more than 500,000 residential and commercial customers across the Lower Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia. As a government-regulated monopoly utility, it manages water from catchment to tap through physical infrastructure including pipes, treatment plants, and reservoirs, complemented by digital metering and customer-facing online portals for billing and service management.

Product overview

Hunter Water is a water utility providing essential water supply, wastewater, and stormwater services to the Lower Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia. The company offers a portfolio of customer-facing digital services including the My Account portal for residential and business account management, the Property Self Service Portal for development applications, and the Easy Pay billing plan option. Hunter Water is undergoing a digital transformation through its expanded Digital Metering Pilot Program with Itron, deploying smart ultrasonic water meters with cloud-based management for near real-time monitoring and leak detection. Core infrastructure services include trade waste management for commercial customers and dual reticulation recycled water schemes in select areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Supply Services Provides drinking water supply services to residential and business customers across the Lower Hunter region, including water treatment, distribution, and storage management.
• Wastewater/Sewer Services Collects, treats, and manages wastewater and sewage from residential and commercial properties, including trade waste management for businesses.
• Stormwater Management Maintains stormwater networks in parts of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Cessnock local government areas to help prevent flooding in high-impact areas.
• My Account Online customer portal enabling account holders to view and pay bills, check balances, set up direct debit and Easy Pay payment plans, request payment extensions, and manage account details.
• Property Self Service Portal Online portal for builders, developers, and property owners to submit applications, track development status, access property information, and manage building and development related requests.
• Easy Pay Payment plan option allowing customers to split their water bill into weekly, fortnightly or monthly direct debit instalments, with no late fees or interest.
• Trade Waste Management Services for commercial and industrial businesses to properly manage and discharge trade wastewater into the sewer system, including applications, compliance audits, and pre-treatment requirements.
• Digital Metering Solutions Advanced smart water metering technology using Itron Intelis ultrasonic meters with NB-IoT connectivity and Temetra cloud platform for real-time monitoring, leak detection, and non-revenue water reduction.
• Recycled Water (Dual Reticulation) Provides recycled water through dual reticulation systems to properties in Gillieston Heights and Thornton North (Chisholm), reducing drinking water consumption for non-potable uses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 33% reduction in water leaks achieved over nine years
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Itron, Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 26 May 2026Strategic collaboration to deploy a Digital Metering Pilot Program in New South Wales, Australia. Hunter Water is deploying 2,000 Itron Intelis wSource NB-IoT ultrasonic water meters managed through Itron's Temetra cloud-based meter data management solution. The program aims to provide near real-time water consumption monitoring, faster leak detection, reduce non-revenue water loss, and empower customers with insights into their water usage. Hunter Water has used Itron's Temetra platform for over five years.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Yarra Valley Water: Yarra Valley Water is a Victorian state-owned water utility serving the northern and eastern suburbs of Melbourne with water, sewerage and recycled water services. Highly comparable in product offering, recurring tariff structure and customer base profile to Hunter Water, with similar digital transformation initiatives.
• South East Water (Melbourne): South East Water provides water, sewerage and recycled water services to Melbourne's south-east growth corridors. Comparable as a regulated Australian urban water utility offering the same core services (drinking water, wastewater, trade waste, stormwater) and similar residential and commercial pricing schedules to Hunter Water.
• TasWater: TasWater is the Tasmanian government-owned water and wastewater utility providing reticulated services across the state. Comparable as a regulated monopoly water utility, though smaller and more regional than Hunter Water, making it a useful smaller-scale peer for benchmarking.
• Urban Utilities (Queensland): Urban Utilities is the Queensland state-owned water utility serving Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Somerset councils. Comparable in customer base scale and service offering to Hunter Water, providing a useful benchmark for digital customer engagement and smart meter deployment.
• Melbourne Water: Melbourne Water manages water supply, sewerage and waterways across the greater Melbourne region as a Victorian state-owned entity. Closely comparable business model and service mix (bulk water, wastewater, stormwater) to Hunter Water, providing a strong same-industry benchmark even though it operates under a different state regulator (ESC).
• Unitywater: Unitywater is a Queensland state-owned water utility serving the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay regions with drinking water, wastewater and recycled water services. Closely comparable in scale, regional focus, regulated tariff structure and digital customer-service model to Hunter Water.
• Water Corporation (Western Australia): Water Corporation is the WA government-owned integrated water utility providing water supply, wastewater, drainage and irrigation services across Western Australia. Comparable as a large-scale state-owned utility with the same essential-service mandate, regulated tariffs and significant capex programs as Hunter Water.
• SA Water: SA Water is the South Australian government-owned water utility providing potable water, wastewater and recycled water services across metropolitan and regional SA. Comparable business model, regulatory oversight and drought exposure, making it a relevant peer for Hunter Water's operational and pricing benchmarking.
• Sydney Water: Sydney Water is the largest water and wastewater utility in NSW, serving greater Sydney under a similar state-owned corporation model regulated by IPART. Directly comparable in regulatory structure, service offering (water, sewer, stormwater, trade waste) and customer-facing digital channels, though at significantly larger scale than Hunter Water.

Regional players

• Central Coast Council Water: Central Coast Council operates water and wastewater services for the Central Coast region immediately south of the Hunter in NSW. Comparable as a neighbouring NSW regional water service provider with similar climate, demand and regulatory environment, but not a direct competitor as it serves a different geographic territory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hunterwater
• Facebookfacebook.com/OurHunterWater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hunter Water