Seqwater and Sunwater irrigation pricing

The Queensland Government currently sets prices for the supply water for irrigation by Seqwater in South East Queensland and Sunwater elsewhere in Queensland.

In setting irrigation prices, we seek to strike a balance between:

  • cost recovery for the services provided
  • impacts on customers
  • keeping prices as simple and transparent as possible.

This content provides information on current irrigation prices and explains how prices are set.

Irrigation prices for 2025–27

The Queensland Government accepted the independent Queensland Competition Authority's (QCA) recommended prices for 2025–26 and 2026–27 and will continue the 15% discount for eligible irrigators.

Irrigation Pricing Rebate Scheme (the Scheme)

The 15% discount is available through the Scheme:

  • The rebate is only available to owner-operated businesses who use water for irrigation.
  • The Scheme is administered by the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA).
  • You must pay your bill from Seqwater or Sunwater (including Burnett Water) first. After that, you can apply to QRIDA to get the discount as a rebate.
  • Continue to claim your rebate after paying each quarterly bill.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the rebate under the Scheme:

  • you, or at least one owner of your business, provides labour to your business
  • your business, or at least one owner of your business, declares primary production income for tax purposes
  • your business uses water for irrigation from time to time
  • your business is not wholly or partly operated or owned by:
    • a public company
    • a managed investment scheme
    • a foreign company
    • a superannuation entity other than a self-managed superannuation fund.

Apply

  • You must be an owner of the business to apply.
  • Apply online via the QRIDA portal or submit a paper form—phone QRIDA on 1800 623 946 (toll free) to receive the application form by post.
  • You can apply with each bill or consolidate your bills in one application at any time before 31 December 2027. Proof of payment is required.

Irrigation prices beyond 2026–27

From 1 July 2027, irrigation pricing eligibility is changing.

Phased in over time, the pricing set by the Queensland Government will only apply to eligible owner-operated businesses who use water for irrigation.

Eligible businesses will need to be certified.

To be ready for this change, irrigators should apply for the current 15% irrigation pricing discount. Once your first application to QRIDA is approved, it confirms your eligibility for government-set irrigation pricing in the future.

If your business is not an owner-operated business which irrigates, the government will no longer set the prices for your business.

The QCA will complete a targeted review to provide advice on the potential use of a regulated asset base (RAB) approach to pricing. This advice will be considered before the government sets prices to apply from 1 July 2027

How irrigation prices are set

Prices are set following a review process involving the QCA. Reviews generally cover a 4 to 5-year period.

For its reviews, the QCA undertakes comprehensive analysis and consults widely. It provides advice on key issues and the amount of prudent (i.e. necessary) and efficient costs to be recovered in prices.

The QCA then recommends prices to the government, which makes the final decision on prices. The recommendations must be consistent with pricing policies specified by the government.

Pricing policies

The government's key policy, known as 'lower bound' pricing, is generally for prices for eligible Seqwater and Sunwater customers to move towards recovering the irrigation share of the Scheme's operating, maintenance and refurbishment costs, but not any share of the initial costs of building any assets constructed before 2000 or any share of dam safety upgrade costs.

The government provides a subsidy known as a community service obligation (CSO) payment to Seqwater and Sunwater from the Queensland budget when prices for eligible Seqwater and Sunwater customers are set below the level necessary for Seqwater and Sunwater to meet the operating, maintenance and refurbishment costs to supply water for irrigation.

Read about CSOs in the Budget Strategy and Outlook, Budget Paper No. 2 (Appendix A) (PDF, 3.8MB) which lists all government concessions. Details of the irrigation concessions are on pages 142 and 143.

Your water bill

Your water bill from Seqwater or Sunwater for irrigation water includes 2 types of prices:

  • fixed prices – Part A and Part C (if applicable) based on the amount of allocation you hold
  • volumetric prices – Part B and Part D (if applicable) based on the amount of water you use.

Contact QRIDA

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