The typical Yarra Valley Water residential bill rose to A$1,176 for 2026-27, up A$62 or 5.6% from A$1,114, under maximum prices the Essential Services Commission approved on 30 June 2026. The Commission put the rise down mainly to inflation.
Two explanations
Yarra Valley Water's own price page gives an average rise of 5.7% from 1 July 2026, citing inflation and the cost of ordering 150 billion litres of desalinated water. That 150 GL order for 2026-27 is a Victorian Government decision, and Melbourne Water's wholesale prices include recovery of its cost.
A path set in 2023
The 2023-28 determination, issued on 23 June 2023, approved a typical bill rising 2.1% to A$1,049 in 2023-24, then falling by an average of 0.4% a year to 2028 before inflation. In nominal terms bills have risen. For 2024-25 the Commission's outcomes summary gives Yarra Valley Water the largest metropolitan increase, at 7.5%, while Yarra Valley Water's questionnaire gives a typical bill of A$1,079, up A$30.
Upstream pressure
Melbourne's storages were at 69.6% of capacity on 1 March 2026 after inflows 36% below the 30-year average in 2024-25. The Victorian Desalination Plant can supply up to one-third of Melbourne's annual demand.
The next five years
Yarra Valley Water is preparing its 2028-33 price submission, due to the Commission in September 2027, with a final decision in June 2028. A Citizens' Jury of 40 customers is meeting from August to December 2026 on the balance between prices and services. The Victorian election on 28 November 2026 falls in the middle of that engagement.
The report explains which institutions set Yarra Valley Water's prices, supply and obligations, how its service results compare with their limits, and what the 2028-33 review will decide. The full report, Water Systems Overview: Yarra Valley Water, is available for USD 499. For a free overview, read the Yarra Valley Water Utility Snapshot.