Generally, all water service providers must have a financial hardship policy unless they only supply water services:
- to non-residential customers;
- to their members (e.g. an irrigation co-operative); or
- that are non-potable; however, a financial hardship policy is required by water service providers who supply water on the basis that the customer is responsible for treating it to make it fit for humans to drink.
Water financial hardship policies must be approved by the ERA.
The ERA has published Financial Hardship Policy Guidelines which provide guidance to water service providers regarding the content of and good practice in the development and implementation of financial hardship policies.
Financial hardship policies that have been approved by the ERA can be accessed from the table below.
