THE Liberals have criticised the Weatherill government for ignoring the advice of its own independent pricing regulator, ESCOSA, and adopting a robust third-party access scheme for SA Water's infrastructure, which would provide relief for SA Water customers.
"Competition in the provision of water would drive down the price of water but for that to happen companies selling water need access to SA Water's pipe network at a fair price," said opposition water spokesperson Michelle Lensink.
"The Weatherill Government's Water Industry (Third Party Access) Amendment Bill effectively leaves it up to SA Water to decide how much other parties should pay for access to its pipe network.
"SA Water delivers some of the most expensive water in Australia yet the Weatherill government is letting SA Water determine how much it can charge competitors.
"Many primary producers across SA are struggling with high water prices.
"Barossa Infrastructure Limited's scheme is the envy of many food producers, with their shareholder irrigators paying less than one third of the price of SA Water's commercial rate of $3.32 a kilolitre.
"This type of benefit could be delivered across regional SA if the Weatherill Government put in place genuine third party access."
