❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks clarification on the Water Corporation's application of non-standard water service agreements to properties connected to the Werribee Road pipeline, including reasons, conditions, compensation, notification, and consistency with Ombudsman findings. The Water Corporation provides answers detailing the rationale, conditions, lack of compensation, notification processes, and clarification regarding a specific property and the Ombudsman's finding.
AnsweredQoN 293Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) What specific changes in water supply infrastructure or conditions prompted the Water Corporation to begin applying non-standard water service (NSWS) agreements to properties serviced by the Werribee Road pipeline from 2010 onwards? (2) What NSWS conditions are currently applied to the 35 properties now recorded as having a non-standard service agreement? (3) What compensation or financial assistance has been provided to residents following the retrospective application of NSWS agreements to their properties? (4) On what date did the Water Corporation lodge the NSWS agreement with Landgate for each affected property, and were the respective property owners formally notified of the registration of these agreements on their titles? (5) How does the Water Corporation reconcile its position that the Werribee Road service has always been non-standard, with the Ombudsman’s finding that a valid NSWS agreement did not exist for at least one property until November 2021?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 August 2025
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Water
Response time
6 days
(1) The Non Standard Water Service (NSWS), previously known as a Service By Agreement, was introduced to enable operational flexibility where customers were connected to a trunk main and planned and unplanned maintenance on the trunk main would impact their supply.
(2) Water pressure and continuity of supply.
(3) No compensation is normally given to customers who are on a NSWS.
(4) Water Corporation does not have a legal obligation to lodge Section 70A notifications on titles for non-standard water service (NSWS) notifications. That responsibility typically rests with the property owner. However, Water Corporation does have a legal obligation to remove a Section 70A if it is no longer applicable, and a process is in place to manage such removals.
Historically, customers were advised to lodge Section 70As themselves, but many failed to do so resulting in properties being sold without disclosing the associated conditions. In response, Water Corporation improved its processes several years ago to mitigate this risk.
Under the current approach, a Section 70A must be registered on the property title before a non-standard water service is installed. Water Corporation now lodges the Section 70A with Landgate on behalf of the property owner, with their formal consent. An administrative fee and Landgate fee are charged to the customer as part of this process.
Customers are informed of this requirement during the NSWS application process and must sign and return the documentation before a meter is installed. Water Corporation cannot lodge them on behalf of a customer without their consent and signature on the forms. As such, not all NSWS properties have a Section 70A registered – but those that have been processed under this updated procedure will have.
(5) In 2010 a water quality condition was placed on the property of 6380 Werribee Rd Wooroloo. The conditions applied at the time related to Water Quality and Continuity of Service. At the time, a letter would have been sent to the customer advising them of this however the customer has refuted this on a number of occasions. In 2016 the customer was advised of this Service by Agreement (as it was called then) condition being applied to his property once again, as part of a review of all customers with a NSWS. In 2021 the Water Quality condition was removed from the property and a new agreement sent to the customer informing them of this. The customer took this to the Energy and Water Ombudsman who found Water Corporation had acted in accordance with its governing legislation.
(2) Water pressure and continuity of supply.
(3) No compensation is normally given to customers who are on a NSWS.
(4) Water Corporation does not have a legal obligation to lodge Section 70A notifications on titles for non-standard water service (NSWS) notifications. That responsibility typically rests with the property owner. However, Water Corporation does have a legal obligation to remove a Section 70A if it is no longer applicable, and a process is in place to manage such removals.
Historically, customers were advised to lodge Section 70As themselves, but many failed to do so resulting in properties being sold without disclosing the associated conditions. In response, Water Corporation improved its processes several years ago to mitigate this risk.
Under the current approach, a Section 70A must be registered on the property title before a non-standard water service is installed. Water Corporation now lodges the Section 70A with Landgate on behalf of the property owner, with their formal consent. An administrative fee and Landgate fee are charged to the customer as part of this process.
Customers are informed of this requirement during the NSWS application process and must sign and return the documentation before a meter is installed. Water Corporation cannot lodge them on behalf of a customer without their consent and signature on the forms. As such, not all NSWS properties have a Section 70A registered – but those that have been processed under this updated procedure will have.
(5) In 2010 a water quality condition was placed on the property of 6380 Werribee Rd Wooroloo. The conditions applied at the time related to Water Quality and Continuity of Service. At the time, a letter would have been sent to the customer advising them of this however the customer has refuted this on a number of occasions. In 2016 the customer was advised of this Service by Agreement (as it was called then) condition being applied to his property once again, as part of a review of all customers with a NSWS. In 2021 the Water Quality condition was removed from the property and a new agreement sent to the customer informing them of this. The customer took this to the Energy and Water Ombudsman who found Water Corporation had acted in accordance with its governing legislation.
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