New customer contribution

New customer contributions (NCCs), also known as developer charges, are levied by water corporations when a new connection is made to their water or sewerage networks. New customer contributions can be either standard or negotiated.

NCCs support the provision of incremental infrastructure and associated costs and share the costs for growth between new and existing customers.

Generally, developers who are subdividing land or redeveloping sites pay the NCC. In some cases, the property owner will pay the NCC to connect to a service for the first time.

New customer contribution charges

The Essential Services Commission (ESC) reviews and approves our standard NCC charges on 1 July each year. For more information, see New customer contributions guiding resources on the ESC website.

Standard charge

Standard NCC charges apply to new connections in areas where infrastructure requirements and growth rates are relatively well known.

Some non-subdivisional developments have a higher water usage than an average residential lot and are charged based on an equivalent lot calculations. These are referred to as specialised non-subdivisional developments and include:

• caravan parks
• commercial or industrial developments
• hospitals or private hospitals
• nursing homes
• reserves or public open space
• schools or other non-rateable properties
• sporting grounds and complexes.

NCC charges for 2024-25

Non-standard charge

In situations where Standard NCCs are not fair and reasonable or where a new connection is outside the areas designated as eligible for Standard NCCs, the NCC framework allows water businesses and developers to negotiate site-specific arrangements that reflect the NCC pricing principles.

A non-standard NCC is also called a negotiated NCC.

Non-standard NCCs are applied following our approved NCC Negotiating Framework. To find out if you have to pay a non-standard NCC charge for your proposed development, contact us.

Exemptions

You do not have to pay an NCC for:

• lots defined on a subdivision plan as staged or super lots, but not yet developed or connected to services
• land set aside for reserves, retarding basins or main road widening that does not need a water supply or sewerage service at the time of subdivision.

If you request a water supply or sewer connection at a later date due to development, we charge the NCC at the current rate.