00:03Tasmanian businesses and sporting clubs have been left shocked at their latest water bills.
00:08Usually our bills are about $2,500 a month and we received one this month for $5,800.
00:14In July, Tasmania's economic regulator approved a 5.7% hike to Taswater's fixed water and sewerage fees each year
00:22for the next four years.
00:24But for some, the changes have translated into a fee increase of 500%.
00:28I just very innocently thought there'd been some clerical error because a 500% increase is unsustainable.
00:35Taswater says the actual increase seen by individual customers will vary depending on the services they receive.
00:42And because of changes to the way sewerage charges are calculated, local sporting clubs are also feeling the pinch.
00:49$3,500 a year alone for the cricket club as an increase, not a full charge, it's just an increase,
00:55it's just not fair.
00:56It's leaving some wondering where they'll find the money.
00:59It really just affects everybody involved with the club because we are not for profit.
01:04We put every dollar, every profit we make back into the club and developing future generations to have fun playing
01:10sport.
01:11It means everybody faces the increase really.
01:13For many years, Taswater has been grappling with its aging infrastructure and openly admits its sewage network is in terrible
01:20shape.
01:20It needs more than a billion dollars to fund major upgrades over the next four years.
01:2690% of its system doesn't meet environmental requirements and in the year 2024 to 2025, half a billion litres
01:34of improperly treated sewage was released into Tasmanian waterways.
01:38But for some of those left to pay the bigger bills, the cost increases don't seem fair amid minimal usage.
01:44I've estimated that the water that we use only 5% goes into the sewage system.
01:51I've estimated that the water is now about 3,000 years later.
01:54But in the month, the water comes in the snow too, at least the sun.
01:57In this month and the sky, the rain comes off.
01:59But in this month, it means the water that fills up the summer and the sea.
01:59You
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