[Gail Johnston]

Hi All,

Does anyone have any information about Council’s being able to apply for an additional rate peg of 0.5% if the Council area has a dam?

[Jason Symons]

Hi Gail,

I found this in the following workpaper https://www.ipart.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/cm9_documents/Presentation-Ratepayer-workshop-25-August-2025.PDF

What is the dam safety levy?
• The NSW Government has introduced a dam safety levy to
help fund the safety regulator, Dams Safety NSW (DSNSW)
• Applicable from 1 July 2025
• The levy applies to ‘declared’ dams
• Declared dams include water supply as well flood
mitigation dams such as retention basins
What costs would be included in the rate peg?
• Only council-owned non-water supply dams
• Water supply dams could be recovered from water charges
We are proposing to introduce this for the 2026-27 rate peg
• They are additional, new costs
• Councils have no control over them
• The likely impact is small (less than 0.1% to 0.5%, around 30
councils)

I couldn’t find anything else when doing a Google search.

Cheers

Jason

[Gail Johnston]

Thanks Jason

I also found this from the Council Reference Group (CRG) meeting 12 August 2025

• Dam safety levy: An update on the Dam Safety Levy was presented following discussion at CRG meeting 2. CRG members discussed the Dam Safety Levy and its impact.
o Preliminary estimates show that 27 councils are affected, with the potential adjustment factor to the rate peg ranging from 0.01% to 0.52% (only 2 councils more than 0.1%, 18 councils were less than 0.1%).
o The estimates have been isolated so that dams which provide drinking water are not targeted as the costs for these dams can be recovered through water charges. Dams which are for other purposes, such as retention basins are included. LGNSW noted that they will provide oversight to confirm that IPART has correctly classified dams.

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