Irrigation pricing discounts

The following discounts apply to irrigation prices for water supply schemes owned by Sunwater and Seqwater:

• 15% discount for all irrigation from 2021-22 to 2024-25
• 35% additional discount for irrigation of horticulture crops from 2021-22 to 2023-24

Prices being discounted

The discounts will apply to all components of each tariff group. This includes:

• allocation charges (Part A and Part C),
• usage charges (Part B and Part D)
• access charges.

For 2021-22 to 2024-25, a 15% discount is applied to the prices that Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) recommended for 2020-21 to 2023-24. As part of COVID-19 relief measures, prices were frozen in 2020-21. The discounts have been applied to QCA recommended prices with a one-year lag.

Learn more about the QCA recommended price path.

Discounts for all irrigators

Irrigators supplied by Sunwater and Seqwater-owned schemes will automatically receive the 15% discount through the prices used to calculate their bills.

Prices that are charged by entities other than Sunwater and Seqwater, such as those by Local Management Arrangement (LMA) entities, are a matter for those entities and not the Queensland Government.

LMA irrigators will automatically have the 15% discount applied to the Part A and Part B prices charged by Sunwater.

Discounts for horticultural growers

Irrigators can apply to receive their additional 35% rebate on charges associated with horticultural crops. The Horticulture Irrigation Pricing Rebate Scheme is being administered and assessed by the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA).

Any water charges incurred by a horticulture enterprise in relation to 1 July 2021 until 30 June 2024 are eligible for the rebate, including:

• allocation charges (Part A and Part C),
• usage charges (Part B and Part D)
• access charges.

The rebate program will remain open until 31 December 2024. Customers can make an application in relation to any charges related to horticulture for the 3 years from 2021-22 to 2023-24.

Applying for the additional 35% rebate

Types of evidence to demonstrate your horticulture production may include:

• profit and loss, or management accounts showing the income received from the sale of horticultural crops
• sale dockets relating to the sale of horticultural crops
• your federal government Horticulture Levy statement obtainable from Levies Online
• farm plan/map outlining the area under production of horticultural crops
• aerial, satellite or drone photography outlining the area under production of horticultural crops
• on-the-ground photographic evidence (for example with mobile phone) showing the production and/or processing of horticultural crops
• any additional evidence on how your metered water take has been used.

No additional measurement equipment needs to be installed to support a rebate application.

For more information and to make your application, visit QRIDA’s website.

Crops eligible for the additional 35% rebate

The 35% rebate applies to all horticultural crops.

Water charges related to broadacre crops such as grains, cotton, sugar cane and legumes are not eligible for the rebate.

The definition of horticulture crops will be based on the following Australian and New Zealand Standard Industry Classification (ANZSIC) codes:

• 011 – Nursery and Floriculture Production
• 012 – Mushroom and Vegetable Growing
• 013 – Fruit and Tree Nut Growing.

Receiving the rebate where no water is available

The program accommodates all forms of eligible horticultural farm businesses across the State. This includes accommodating circumstances where water may not be currently available but has historically been used to produce horticultural crops.

Horticulture rebate results

View the results of the scheme to 30 June 2023 (PDF, 150.8KB).

More information

Learn more about Seqwater and Sunwater irrigation pricing.

Contact

If you have any questions about the 2021-25 irrigation pricing discounts, please contact irrigationenquiries@rdmw.qld.gov.au.