Customer Service / Conduct of a Household Survey in the area served by Sydney Water Corporation - APD 1-2009

IPART is the independent economic regulator for NSW overseeing regulation in the electricity, gas and water industries. In regulating the prices of water, electricity and gas monopolies in NSW, IPART needs to assess the impacts of price changes on various customer groups, including pensioners and low-income households. To do this, it needs information on consumption and other household characteristics.  For example, to understand the impact of price changes on aged pensioners IPART requires an understanding of consumption patterns and income levels within this group.

With the support of the relevant utilities, IPART has previously commissioned household surveys in the Sydney metropolitan area in 2006, 2003, 1996 and 1993.  In 2008, IPART conducted a survey within the areas served by Hunter Water Corporation, Gosford Council and Wyong Council.

These surveys collected quantitative information such as household income, household size, concessions, appliance ownership and usage, and qualitative information such as attitudes to water restrictions and knowledge of contestability in retail energy markets.  In each survey respondents were also asked to provide IPART with permission to obtain access to their water, electricity and gas billing information.  This enabled IPART to match survey data with actual usage for each household.

IPART is proposing to undertake a survey in 2009-2010 in the area served by the Sydney Water Corporation.  This survey would be similar to the 2006 Sydney household survey and the 2008 Hunter/Central Coast household survey. The survey will cover water services, electricity and gas (not public transport) and will collect information on household characteristics, appliance ownership, usage, and views on contestability and marketing for gas and electricity.  Billing data is to be obtained from the utilities for each individual survey respondent.

IPART is particularly interested in assessing the impacts of price changes on low-income households, therefore it requires that the 2010 survey provide a representative sample of all households from all income groups.

Provide final data and methodology report  to IPART by 30 June 2010