Shoalhaven Water

What Shoalhaven Water does

Shoalhaven Water is the water and sewerage operating division of Shoalhaven City Council, a local government authority in New South Wales, Australia. It supplies approximately 45 million litres of drinking water per day and manages over 3,000 km of water mains across the Shoalhaven local government area, serving both residential property owners and commercial/industrial customers in communities including Nowra and Ulladulla. Core operations comprise water supply, sewerage collection and treatment, pressure sewer systems, reclaimed water management, and 24/7 emergency response, supported by water quality monitoring and an interactive outage tracking system.

The business operates under a regulated municipal monopoly framework established by the Local Government Act 1993. Revenue is generated through two streams: recurring water and sewer availability charges billed quarterly and tiered by meter size (ranging from $176/year for a 20mm water meter to $4,785/year for a 50mm sewer meter), and usage-based water charges at $3.03 per kilolitre. All accounts are GST-free with 28-day payment terms and 10.5% per annum interest on overdue balances. Distribution is exclusively direct via owned reticulation infrastructure, with no competing licensed operators within the service area.

Supporting service modules include an online account management portal, meter connection and leak-checking services, water bottle refill stations, commercial trade waste and backflow prevention services, and building/renovation connection services for developers. Community engagement is delivered through social media, the Tapstar school education program, and a podcast series. As a government-owned essential service, the entity has no external shareholders, no venture or private equity backing, and operates on a cost-recovery basis under council oversight.

Name

Shoalhaven Water

Legal name

Shoalhaven City Council

Website

https://shoalwater.nsw.gov.au

Company type

Public

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Shoalhaven Water is the water and sewerage division of Shoalhaven City Council, a municipal utility supplying 45 million litres of drinking water daily and managing 3,000+ km of mains across the Shoalhaven region in New South Wales, Australia. It serves residential and commercial customers under a regulated monopoly framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Water and Sewerage Utility

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) Utilities (Aquifer/Reservoir Augmentation) (EUANAGAB)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Wastewater management
• Sewerage services
• Municipal water supply
• Drinking water treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Nowra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Water and Sewer Availability Charges: Fixed quarterly charges based on property water meter size, applied to all property owners connected or within range of connection to reticulation systems. Water accounts issued four times per year (quarterly).
2. Water Usage Charges: Charges based on water consumption measured by meters, billed per kilolitre of water used. Pro-rata usage charges applied for bills spanning two financial years.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shoalhaven Water is the water and sewerage utility division of Shoalhaven City Council, providing municipal drinking water supply and wastewater collection/treatment services to residential and commercial properties across the Shoalhaven region of New South Wales. The utility supplies approximately 45 million litres of drinking water daily through more than 3,000 km of water mains, supplemented by digital customer services, water quality monitoring, trade waste management, and standpipe hire for commercial customers.

Product overview

Shoalhaven Water operates as a utility service providing water supply and sewerage management to the Shoalhaven region of New South Wales, Australia. The core offering consists of water supply services (delivering approximately 45 million litres daily across over 3,000 km of mains) and sewer services. These are supported by digital service modules including online account management, an outage tracking system with interactive mapping, water quality monitoring, and commercial/industrial services. Additional offerings include water bottle refill stations, community education programs, and building/renovation services for developers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Supply Services Municipal drinking water supply service delivering approximately 45 million litres of water daily to homes and businesses throughout the Shoalhaven region, distributed through more than 3,000 km of water mains.
• Sewer Services Municipal sewerage service including collection, treatment, and disposal of wastewater, as well as management of sewer blockages, pressure sewer systems, and effluent pumpout systems for connected properties.
• Commercial and Industrial Services Specialized water and wastewater services for commercial and industrial properties including liquid trade waste management, backflow prevention, and metered standpipe hire.
• Building and Renovating Services Water and sewer connection services, development notices, and construction-related services for builders and developers undertaking projects in the Shoalhaven region.
• Water Bottle Refill Stations Public water refill stations installed throughout the Shoalhaven region providing residents and visitors with free access to drinking water.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supplies approximately 45 million litres of drinking water per day to homes and businesses
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Icon Water: ACT-based water and wastewater utility. Comparable as a government-owned metropolitan/regional water utility with similar tariff structures and combined water/sewer service model.
• South East Water: Victorian water and wastewater utility with similar fixed availability and usage-based tariffs. Comparable as a regional-scale integrated water utility operating under an economic regulator.
• SA Water: South Australian government-owned water and wastewater utility. Comparable as a state-owned integrated water utility with similar availability-charge-plus-usage tariff structure.
• Hunter Water: NSW regional water and wastewater utility serving the Hunter region. Most directly comparable peer by regional monopoly structure, customer mix, and service offering alignment with Shoalhaven Water.
• Unitywater: Queensland government-owned water and wastewater utility serving the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay regions. Comparable as a regional-scale Australian water utility with similar service mix and pricing model.
• Queensland Urban Utilities: Queensland water and wastewater service provider serving south-east Queensland. Comparable as an Australian government-linked regional water utility with similar customer and infrastructure profile.
• Yarra Valley Water: Victorian water utility providing water and sewerage services to a defined service area. Comparable by full-stack water and wastewater utility model, even though operating in a different state.

Broad incumbents

• Sydney Water: State-owned water and wastewater utility serving Greater Sydney. Closest comparable by business model and regulatory framework (NSW), though materially larger in customer base and infrastructure scale.
• WaterNSW: NSW state-owned water infrastructure operator managing dams, weirs, and bulk water supply. Comparable as a NSW-government-owned water entity, though focused on bulk supply rather than retail distribution.
• Melbourne Water: Victorian bulk water and waterways authority. Adjacent comparable in the water utility value chain, with overlapping water-resource-management responsibilities relative to Shoalhaven Water's catchment and treatment functions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shoalhavencc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ShoalhavenCity
• Facebookfacebook.com/shoalhavencitycouncil
• Instagraminstagram.com/shoalhavencitycouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Shoalhaven Water