ACT Infrastructure Report Card 2010 by Engineers Australia

www.engineersaustralia.org.au/ircact

Australian Capital Territory Infrastructure Report Card 2010 ISBN 978-0858258679 ÂŠ Engineers Australia, July 2010 All rights reserved. Other than brief extracts, no part of this publication may be produced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. All Report Cards can be downloaded from www.engineersaustralia.org.au/irc. Acknowledgements This publication was only possible with the support of members of Engineers Australia, other building and infrastructure professionals, and representatives from government departments, industry and business and professional associations. ACT Infrastructure Report Card Committee Rolfe Hartley, FIEAust, CPEng EngExec FIPENZ (Chair) Tom Brimson, FIEAust CPEng Gordon Davidson, GradIEAust Bob Nairn, FIEAust, CPEng, EngExec Report Card contributors Jeffrey Bollard FIEAust CPEng Robin Eckerman John Gordon, FIEAust, CPEng Wayne Harris FIEAust CPEng John Neal FIEAust CPEng Patrick Paynter MIEAust CPEng Shukry Sahhar FIEAust CPEng Simon Webber MIEAust Canberra Division staff Vesna Strika, Director, Canberra Division, Engineers Australia National Project Director Project Director: Leanne Hardwicke, Director, National and International Policy, Engineers Australia

Consultant Principal Author: Athol Yates MIEAust, Australian Security Research Centre Project Team: Professor Priyan Mendis FIEAust, CPEng, Henry Pike, Trudy Southgate, Barbara Coe and Minh Duc Nguyen

Engineers Australia Canberra Division Engineering House 11 National Circuit Barton ACT 2600 Tel: 02 6270 6519 www.engineersaustralia.org.au/canberra

Australian Security Research Centre International Affairs House Level 1, 32 Thesiger Court Deakin ACT 2605 Tel: 02 6161 5143 Fax: 02 6161 5144 www.securityresearch.org.au

CONTENTS CommuniquĂŠ............................................................................................................... i Ratings summary ...................................................................................................... v Overview..................................................................................................................... 1 Rating process ..........................................................................................................................1 Territory-wide issues .................................................................................................................2 Cross sector challenges ............................................................................................................4

Transport .................................................................................................................... 7 1

Roads .................................................................................................................... 11 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5

Rail ......................................................................................................................... 25 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5

Summary .........................................................................................................................11 Infrastructure overview ....................................................................................................12 Performance ....................................................................................................................19 Future challenges ............................................................................................................23 Report Card rating ...........................................................................................................24 Summary .........................................................................................................................25 Infrastructure overview ....................................................................................................25 Performance ....................................................................................................................29 Future challenges ............................................................................................................30 Report Card rating ...........................................................................................................31

Airports ................................................................................................................. 33 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5

Summary .........................................................................................................................33 Infrastructure overview ....................................................................................................33 Performance ....................................................................................................................38 Future challenges ............................................................................................................41 Report Card rating ...........................................................................................................42

Water ........................................................................................................................ 43 4

Potable water ........................................................................................................ 47 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5

Wastewater............................................................................................................ 69 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5

Summary .........................................................................................................................47 Infrastructure overview ....................................................................................................48 Performance ....................................................................................................................62 Future challenges ............................................................................................................67 Report Card rating ...........................................................................................................67 Summary .........................................................................................................................69 Infrastructure overview ....................................................................................................69 Performance ....................................................................................................................78 Future challenges ............................................................................................................83 Report Card rating ...........................................................................................................84

Stormwater ............................................................................................................ 85 6.1 Summary .........................................................................................................................85 6.2 Infrastructure overview ....................................................................................................85

Contents 6.3 Performance ................................................................................................................... 93 6.4 Future challenges ........................................................................................................... 96 6.5 Report Card rating .......................................................................................................... 97

Energy ...................................................................................................................... 99 7

Electricity ............................................................................................................ 101 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5

Summary ...................................................................................................................... 101 Infrastructure overview ................................................................................................. 101 Performance ................................................................................................................. 113 Future challenges ......................................................................................................... 115 Report Card Rating ....................................................................................................... 116

Gas....................................................................................................................... 117 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5

Summary ...................................................................................................................... 117 Infrastructure overview ................................................................................................. 117 Performance ................................................................................................................. 126 Future challenges ......................................................................................................... 130 Report Card Rating ....................................................................................................... 131

Telecommunications ............................................................................................ 133 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5

Summary ...................................................................................................................... 133 Infrastructure overview ................................................................................................. 134 Performance ................................................................................................................. 141 Future challenges ......................................................................................................... 145 Report Card Rating ....................................................................................................... 146

Appendices............................................................................................................ 147 Appendix A: Rating methodology ............................................................................... 148 Appendix B: Acronyms ................................................................................................ 151 Appendix C: Glossary .................................................................................................. 152 Appendix D: References .............................................................................................. 155

COMMUNIQUÉ As the nation’s capital, the ACT’s infrastructure should be world-class. In 2005, Engineers Australia released its first ACT Infrastructure Report Card, which rated the overall fitness for purpose of certain types of the ACT’s economic infrastructure. That report found that the ACT’s infrastructure was generally sound. However, it was noted that infrastructure was aging, funding commitments were inadequate for future needs and concerns were raised about the adequacy of long-term planning. Five years on, this 2010 Infrastructure Report Card examines the current state of the ACT’s infrastructure to see whether it meets current and anticipated future needs. The ACT has benefited from high quality infrastructure that existed prior to self government, but as was stated in 2005, much of that is reaching the end of its life or has reached its capacity. The needs of an expanding population, and expected progressive economic growth that will increase demand by businesses and consumers for infrastructure services, must be met. Funding must be found for new capital projects to replace or refurbish aging assets and to maintain existing assets to an appropriate level. This 2010 report card recognises that there have been some improvements in road infrastructure such as further development of the parkway system, bus priority infrastructure including bus lanes and park and ride facilities, and enhanced on‐road and off‐road cycle paths. But this has been accompanied by an increase in road usage and congestion. As well, maintenance funding has not kept pace with infrastructure needs. Funding, reducing congestion, managing cross-border traffic and managing demand for car parking remain major challenges. For the first time, rail infrastructure is rated for the ACT. Since 2005, the ACT has seen the cessation of rail freight services into the ACT, the development of a proposal for a light rail network, proposals for the rationalisation and relocation of the Canberra Railway Station and rail yards and some improvement in passenger rail service frequency to Sydney. However, the future of interstate rail is not defined, nor is there any commitment for appropriate light rail or other mass transit system in the ACT. The capacity and quality of the airport has improved over recent years. There has been a significant increase in passenger numbers and a substantial expansion of air freight. Major infrastructure works include the extension and re-strengthening of the main runway at Canberra Airport and the commencement of the construction of two new terminals. The efficiency gain from these developments has been offset by the growth in nonaeronautical developments that are not aligned with local land use plans. Future challenges will also be protecting the curfew-free status of Canberra Airport, preventing residential development under flight paths, and provision for operation during fog. The ACT has been experiencing drought or severe water stress for much of the last decade, which has forced the ACT Government to implement water restrictions,

Communiqué

conservation measures and supply augmentation projects. This also accelerated the need to manage all water resources in an integrated manner. The ACT has a good quality water reticulation system, and several major water security projects are being initiated. However, further augmentation to water supply and improved demand reduction measures may be required to prevent water shortages in the medium to long-term. Since the last Report Card, the major sewerage and recycled water developments have been improvements in the operation of the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre, and the expansion of the Lower Molonglo and North Canberra Water Reuse Schemes. However, the wastewater network’s performance has declined since 2005, and there has been a lack of progress towards achieving the target of 20% reuse of wastewater by 2013. Since the last Report Card, significant funding for new stormwater projects has been provided, and the Water Ways: Water Sensitive Urban Design Code has been released and mandated. However, there remains inadequate funding for maintenance and upgrade of stormwater systems to meet current standards of drainage and flood protection, particularly in the older areas of Canberra. A stormwater strategic plan is needed, as are strategies for maintaining water quality in lakes and ponds. The ACT Government’s focus on energy policy has primarily been on ensuring that energy contributes to its broader policy objectives of environmental sustainability, although issues of economic and social sustainability have been important. Infrastructure projects include zone substation construction at Eastlake and Molonglo, and zone substation augmentation at Civic, as well as electricity reticulation in new residential estates. However, more work needs to be done to encourage economic, locally generated, sustainable energy supply. Future challenges will include managing the changing demand profile and funding renewals of assets. Gas networks in the ACT are of a high quality. New high-pressure facilities in Canberra’s southern suburbs and Macgregor have been constructed to meet peak-demand requirements, ensure system reliability, and to cater for future load increases. Other improvements in the security of supply have also been made. However, the ACT’s gas supply is still vulnerable to loss of supply due to upstream disruptions. Telecommunications infrastructure did not fare well in the 2007 Telecommunications Infrastructure Report Card. Since then, there has been improvement in mobile and broadband infrastructure, with the construction of the ACT’s first dedicated Fibre to the Premise (FTTP) gateway, which offers 100Mbps download speed services, and deployment of a FTTP network in greenfield developments in the north-east suburbs of Forde, Crace, Bonner and parts of Franklin. Unfortunately, there are still a number of blackspots where services are inadequate and challenges remain in selecting optimal technologies and addressing the lack of clarity in regulation and access arrangements.

CommuniquĂŠ

Ratings are given below for the current and past ACT and national Report Cards. Infrastructure Type

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

Roads

Not rated

Rail

Not rated

C-

D-

Airports

B-

Potable Water

B-

Wastewater

C+

C-

Stormwater

C+

C-

Electricity

B+

C+

B-

Gas

A-

C+

Telecommunications

B-

Not rated

Recommendations Engineers Australia recommends the following to ensure that the ACTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infrastructure will, in time, meet the needs and expectations of the business and government sectors, and the wider community. 1. Provide timely infrastructure to meet population growth. 2. Increase attention on maintaining existing assets, through adequate funding to implement asset management plans. 3. Implement and further develop the 2010 ACT Government Infrastructure Plan. 4. Integrate climate change mitigation and adaptation into the plans of infrastructure owners and operators. 5. Transform the ACTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s transport systems over the long-term by better coordination between the ACT Government and National Capital Authority on complementary demand management measures, encouraging urban infill and development along transport corridors, and setting aside corridors for mass transport routes and intercity high speed rail. 6. Prevent the simultaneous implementation of multiple projects that cause significant disruption to users through better coordination of major road and other infrastructure projects. 7. Place a higher priority on flood prevention when upgrading stormwater systems. 8. Develop a long-term rail vision for both within Canberra and between Canberra and other Australian cities. 9. Address broadband blackspots to ensure quality broadband services are universally available. 10. The Australian Government to provide a level of planning attention and infrastructure funding for Canberra that recognises its national significance.

iii

CommuniquĂŠ

RATINGS SUMMARY The following summarises the ACT Infrastructure Report Card ratings. Infrastructure Type

Grade

Comment

Roads

This rating recognises that while improvements in road infrastructure have occurred, road usage has increased at a faster rate. More work is needed to manage demand. Without this, sustainable transport outcomes cannot be achieved.

Rail

Airports

B-

This rating recognises that the capacity and quality of the airport has improved as there has been significant development, much of which is not related to the core purpose of the airport. However, there is a range of matters that remain to be addressed, notably operations during fog, and land planning issues.

Potable Water

B-

Wastewater

C+

This rating recognises that there has been a decline in the network’s performance and lack of progress towards achieving the ACT Government’s target of 20% reuse of wastewater by 2013. There has also been a decline in effluent discharge quality from the treatment plant, however, a program of works is addressing this.

Stormwater

C+

Electricity

B+

Gas

A-

Telecommunications

B-

This rating recognises that there has been improvement in mobile and broadband infrastructure, but there are still a number of blackspots where services are inadequate.

Ratings Summary

OVERVIEW Rating process Background The objective of the Report Card is to rate the quality of economic infrastructure. Engineers Australia has been rating infrastructure since 1999. In 1999, 2001 and 2005, national report cards were published. In 2003, 2004, and 2005, report cards on States and Territories were published. This Report Card revises and expands on the 2005 edition of the ACT Infrastructure Report Card. The purposes of the Report Cards are to:  Raise awareness by politicians, media, business and the public that infrastructure underpins the community’s quality of life and that inadequate infrastructure impedes economic and social growth, and reduces environmental and societal sustainability  Generate debate on the adequacy of the infrastructure (including condition, distribution, funding and timing) required to meet society’s needs  Increase appreciation of the value of developing an integrated and strategic approach to the provision and management of infrastructure  Raise awareness of the new challenges facing Australia’s infrastructure due to climate change, change in demographics, demand increases, resilience and sustainability  Improve the policy, regulation, planning, provision, operation and maintenance of infrastructure. This Report Card provides a strategic overview of the ACT’s infrastructure that other organisations can use when they undertake detailed analysis of particular infrastructures. It also provides a benchmark that the community can use to identify need and evaluate alternative infrastructure priorities over time. Rating description Ratings have been based on an assessment of asset condition, asset availability and reliability, asset management, sustainability (including economic, environmental and social issues) and resilience. The assessment includes evaluating infrastructure policy, regulation, planning, provision, operation and maintenance. (See Appendix A: Rating methodology for details.) The assessment was carried out through research and consultation. Interviews were held with relevant stakeholders and documents were analysed. The assessment has relied on publicly available information and has, in line with its aims, focused on strategic issues, supplemented by quantitative performance measures where these were readily available. A number of industry associations were consulted and Engineers Australia provided assistance through its experts. Ratings used are comparable with those of past Report Cards. The rating scale is detailed below.

Overview Rating scale Letter grade

Designation

Definition*

Very good

Infrastructure is fit for its current and anticipated future purposes

Good

Minor changes are required to enable infrastructure to be fit for its current and anticipated future purposes

Adequate

Major changes are required to enable infrastructure to be fit for its current and anticipated future purposes

Poor

Critical changes are required to enable infrastructure to be fit for its current and anticipated future purposes

Inadequate

Inadequate for current and anticipated future purposes

*Fitness for purpose is evaluated in terms of the needs of the community, economy and environment using criteria of sustainability, effectiveness, efficiency and equity.

Territory-wide issues Past investment in ACT’s infrastructure The figure below illustrates the investment in economic infrastructure over a 25-year period. Economic infrastructure covers roads, bridges, railways, ports, electricity generation and transmission facilities, water and sewerage facilities and telecommunications facilities. The growth in ACT’s infrastructure investment matched the national levels until 1993 when investment declined in comparison to the national level. The main reason for this decline is that the other jurisdictions have had to spend considerable amounts on upgrading their capacity-constrained ports, rail systems, and electricity generation and transmission networks, none of which was required in the ACT.

ACT

AUSTRALIA

300 250 200 150 100 50

2008-09

2007-08

2006-07

2005-06

2004-05

2003-04

2002-03

2001-02

2000-01

1999-00

1998-99

1997-98

1996-97

1995-96

1994-95

1993-94

1992-93

1991-92

1990-91

1989-90

0 1988-89

Population Normalised Index (Aust 1988-89 Base)

Index of economic infrastructure expenditure in the ACT and nationally (real prices, base year index is 1988/89, base is 100 for national expenditure)1

The figure below shows infrastructure capital expenditure by the ACT Government. It defines infrastructure as public housing, stormwater infrastructure, roads, community and heritage assets and schools, which is broader than the infrastructure definition used in the above figure. The ACT Government’s infrastructure expenditure has grown considerably in the last year and will peak in 2010/2011. To enable industry and the community to identify developments in capital works, the ACT Government publishes the Quarterly Progress Report on the Capital Works Program.2

Overview Capital works expenditure program – 2002/03 to 2013/143 800

Future Infrastructure Provision

700

Estimated Expenditure

600 Actual Expenditure $ million

500 400 300 200 100 0

Major factors influencing the ACT’s infrastructure demand and supply Both population and economic growth will be key drivers of infrastructure demand. Climate change will have a notable impact on infrastructure over the long-term. Population The figure below shows the ACT’s population projections along a high and low future growth path. It shows that the ACT’s population will expand from 345,000 in 2007 to 643,600 (86% increase) in 2051 under high growth assumptions, or 495,000 (43% increase) under low growth assumptions. A growing population will accelerate the demand for all transport, water, energy and telecommunication services.

Thousands

The ACT’s recent and projected population using high and low growth assumptions4 700 600 500 400 300 200 100

2051

2049

2047

2045

2043

2041

2039

2037

2035

2033

2031

2029

2027

2025

2023

2021

2019

2017

2015

2013

2011

2009

2007

2005

2003

Gross State Product The table below shows the ACT’s projected Gross State Product. Economic growth directly increases demand by businesses for infrastructure services, and indirectly by consumers due to their raised standard of living. While the yearly growth figure may be small, it is important to note that the compounding of small yearly growth will result in a large growth figure over a decade. The ACT’s Gross State Product projections5 Gross State Product

2008/09 Actual

2009/10 Forecast

2010/11 Projection

2011/12 Projection

2012/13 Projection

Percentage change

1.4%

1.0%

3.25%

Overview Climate change Climate change has the potential to negatively affect infrastructure services. The degree of impact will depend on which climate variables change, their magnitude of change and the rate of change. Climate changes in the ACT over the next 50 years are expected to be:  Higher temperatures  Increased winds in the summer months  Drier average seasonal conditions  Increased frequency of extreme weather events including storms  Increased risk of bushfire.6 Key infrastructure impacts of the above will be as follows:  Growth in peak summer energy demand is likely, due to air-conditioning use, and this may increase the risk of blackouts  Water security may be threatened by increases in demand and climate-driven reductions in water supply  Increases in extreme storm events are expected to cause more flash flooding affecting industry and infrastructure, including water, sewerage and stormwater, transport and communications, and may challenge emergency services  Increased road fatigue due to more frequent hot weather.

Cross sector challenges While each chapter identifies sector-specific challenges to the future provision of infrastructure, below are challenges across multiple infrastructure sectors. Improving strategic planning, coordination and integration Infrastructure drives the productivity, liveability and sustainability of cities, towns and regions. Optimising all three is a considerable challenge that requires planning, coordination and integration. Strategic planning requires a long-term perspective which, for cities, can exceed 100 years. Coordination requires bringing together all stakeholders, including the owners, operators and builders of the infrastructure, the infrastructure users and the community, in the planning process and negotiating mutually acceptable outcomes. Integration requires linking infrastructure plans with broader land-use objectives, as well as ensuring that the plans for different infrastructures complement one another. The ACT’s level of strategic planning for the infrastructure that it has direct responsibility for, has improved over the last five years, but the integration of planning between the ACT and the Australian Government, and between the ACT and the Queanbeyan region needs considerable improvement. One key area where improvements are required is in cross-border road infrastructure provision and funding. Challenges to improving planning, coordination and integration of infrastructure include:  Ensuring that plans balance productivity, liveability and sustainability goals, and explicitly identify any tradeoffs that have to be made  Recognising that strategic plans are based on forecasts that often turn out to be inaccurate (e.g. population growth or traffic demand) and consequently all plans have to be continually adapted so that their long-term vision can still be achieved  Ensuring that planning occurs across sectors and includes both private and public asset owners  Identifying and mitigating the impacts of developments in the Queanbeyan region on ACT infrastructure  Ensuring that there is planning integration between the ACT and the National Capital Authority.

Overview Ensuring appropriate levels of capital and maintenance funding The ACT has benefited from high quality infrastructure that existed prior to self-government, but much of that is reaching the end of its life or has reached its capacity. Increasingly, the ACT will have to spend money on new capital projects to replace ageing assets and to meet the needs of an expanding population. The investment required over the next decade will be significant. Coupled with this will be the need to ensure that maintenance occurs to the required level to ensure that the lowest life cycle cost is extracted for the infrastructure. While short-term savings can be made by reducing maintenance, the result is inevitably more expensive, disruptive major renewal projects. All infrastructure owners have developed quality asset management plans, but due to resource constraints, often these cannot be fully implemented. Challenges to appropriate infrastructure funding include:  Ensuring that high levels of investment are maintained over many years  Balancing investment on capital works, maintenance, renewals and upgrades against investment on reducing/managing demand  Selecting the best-value source of infrastructure funding  Ensuring that new infrastructure projects receive funding for both the capital works and maintenance  Managing the roll-out of major projects so that a number of large projects are not implemented simultaneously. Implementing practical sustainability actions Infrastructure must contribute to sustainable economic, social and environmental activities. While infrastructure projects in the ACT over the last decade have increasingly focused on environmental sustainability, less attention has been given to economic and social sustainability. Challenges in improving infrastructure’s contribution to sustainability include:  Ensuring that decisions on infrastructure reflect the fact that its physical life is typically between 20 and 50 years, but can be over 100 years with refurbishment  Designing the infrastructure to operate under changed rainfall, temperature and wind speeds, due to climate change  Ensuring that environmentally sustainable principles are embedded into project decision  Designing infrastructure that meets both current needs and those arising over the medium term, and has the capacity to be expanded with minimal disruption and at a low cost to meet the needs that will arise over the long-term.  Designing infrastructure that maximises the use of recycled elements and minimises total resources use. Improving infrastructure performance Infrastructure performance is judged differently by infrastructure owners, operators, users and other stakeholders. Some stakeholders give priority to financial returns, while others focus on service quality.a Challenges to improving the performance of infrastructure include:  Increasing the supply of infrastructure through the building of new infrastructure or increasing the utilisation of existing infrastructure  Reducing/managing infrastructure demand by methods such as introducing pricing regimes that reflect the fixed cost of provision and time of use  Developing infrastructure performance measures that reflect the priorities of all stakeholders

The Report Card uses a balanced stakeholder assessment.

Overview 

Building detailed information on infrastructure demand and supply, and infrastructure conditions, to allow for better allocation of resources.

Addressing skills shortages In the ACT, an engineering skills shortage in some infrastructure areas is forecast. This shortage will arise not only due to increased demand for staff to work on infrastructure projects across the nation, but also due to the large numbers of engineering practitioners retiring over the next decade, and an inadequate supply of graduates. The consequence of this shortage will be delayed and higher-cost projects. Governments maintaining informed buyer status Having and utilising technical expertise is a pre-condition to being an informed buyer of infrastructure planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of products and services. It is crucial that buyers are well informed so that they are able to select and justify the option that offers best value for money, select and justify an innovative solution, reduce contractor risks by providing relevant technical details in tender documents, and prevent contractors taking advantage of the buyer's lack of knowledge. The ACT Government needs to maintain its informed buyer status, which can be challenging due to budgetary constraints and finding appropriatelyexperienced staff. The ACT has, in general, done better than some jurisdictions in retaining their informed buyer status, but this is not the case across all ACT and Australian Government agencies. Some areas of expertise, such as traffic management, rest on only a few professionals. A loss of these key people will result in an immediate reduction in an agency’s competence. Conclusion The findings of the ACT Infrastructure Report Card identify that most of the ACT’s infrastructure is in a good condition. There are three exceptions to this grade – rail, which is considered inadequate for both current and anticipated future purposes; and wastewater and stormwater, both of which are rated as only adequate. While these findings are good compared to other jurisdictions, there are several challenges to maintaining or improving these ratings in the future. These include the need to expand infrastructure to meet growing demand, and a changing climate, which has the potential to lead to water shortages and high energy consumption due to cooling needs.

TRANSPORT Integrated transport Transport planning in the ACT has undergone a significant change over the last 10 years, driven primarily by a desire to make the ACT more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. Transport planning is now being undertaken in a multi-modal manner that involves both integrating the planning of road, private transport, public transport, walking and cycling, and integrating transport with land-use decisions. Transport planning also takes into consideration the Canberra Airport and identifies it as a potential regional transport hub. However, as the Canberra Airport does not come within the planning controls of the ACT Government, there have been significant problems arising from a lack of coordinated planning. Unlike most other States, railways do not feature prominently in ACT transport infrastructure planning. This is because rail does not offer urban transport and offers very limited services to Sydney. Integrated multi-modal transport and land-use planning is occurring through a series of cascading policies, principles and action plans. These are illustrated in the figure below. ACTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategic framework for transport7 Canberra Plan (2004, revised 2008) Provides a comprehensive vision for the long-term future of Canberra

Canberra Spatial Plan (2004, revision due in 2010/11) Establishes a spatial framework for the future development of Canberra over the next 25/30 years

Canberra Social Plan (2004, revision due in 2010/11) Establishes the ACT Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision for Canberra in a social context

Sustainable Transport Plan (2004) Provides the goals and policy actions to support sustainable transport development

Integrated Transport Framework (2008) Establishes a set of principles to govern consideration of transport policies and initiatives both now and into the future

Economic White Paper (2002) Outlines the economic and industry policy framework to achieve sustainable growth and development

Capital Development: Towards Our Second Century (2008) Revises the ACTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic direction An Infrastructure Plan for the ACT (2008) Provides guidance and direction for the development of the first ACT infrastructure plan ACT Government Infrastructure Plan (2010) Identifies infrastructure priorities over the next 10 years

Transport for Canberra (all elements currently under development) Infrastructure initiatives

Transport for Canberra Action Plan (2010/2016)

Policies Public Transport Parking Strategy

Transport Transport for Canberra will consist of three elements that together define how the ACT Government will support the implementation of the Sustainable Transport Plan 2004. The elements are:  Infrastructure initiatives, which are and will be delivered through the ACT Budget and other funding mechanisms.  Programs, which will be delivered through the Transport for Canberra Action Plan. This plan was previously referred to as the Sustainable Transport Action Plan 2010–2016, but its title was changed to reflect its broader focus, which includes integrating transport with land-use planning and environmental outcomes.  Policies, which will consist of:  Public Transport Strategy. This strategy will set out policies and actions that will support agreed levels of public transport use to the city, town centres and other employment centres. In July 2009, a draft Strategic Public Transport Network Plan was released that conceptualises a long-term public transport network consisting of four types of service – rapid, frequent local, peak and coverage. The 'rapid' and 'frequent local' elements of this long-term network together create a 'Frequent Network', where services will ultimately run every 15 minutes, all day, seven days a week. Two 'rapid' corridors of this long-term network are part of the current bus network. The network will expand transport corridors and guide decisions on land use, urban development and density (that is, lead to the designation of transport-oriented development corridors and nodes). The 'rapid' corridors will also inform the locations of bus priority infrastructure.  Parking Strategy. This strategy will present a medium to long-term strategy to manage parking demand within the policy framework of a sustainable transport plan. It also outlines parking supply options for the short-term and mechanisms for delivering the required parking. The draft Parking Strategy was released in 2007.  Cycling Strategy. This strategy will build on past cycling planning for the ACT, and aims to increase the mode share for cyclists in accordance with the STP mode share targets. The strategy will explore opportunities for new approaches to cycling infrastructure, including better integration with public transport, and will include policies around demand management measures to influence whether, why, when, where and how people travel.  Walking Strategy. The ACT’s first-ever walking strategy will aim to build networks to connect people and places, promote and encourage a culture of walking, integrate walking with public transport, and better integrate walking into land-use planning.  Transport Infrastructure Plan. This strategy will expand the transport elements of the ACT Government Infrastructure Plan, and include indicative infrastructure to support the longerterm elements of the new Transport for Canberra policies. The Transport Infrastructure Plan will set out the capital investments both to secure greater mode shifts towards sustainable transport options, and to respond to urban growth and capacity constraints in the transport system in the short to medium term. The ACT Government’s planning decisions need to align with the National Capital Plan (NCP). Developed by the National Capital Authority, the NCP is designed to ensure that the Australian Government’s interests are protected and that Canberra and the Territory are planned and developed in accordance with their national significance. The NCP’s general policies apply to the whole of the Territory and demonstrate a logical and strategic approach to planning. Outside the urban areas (in the National Capital Open Space System, the Broadacre and Rural Areas) the NCP sets out broad land-use policies. It also sets out detailed conditions of planning, design and development for Designated Areas, those areas that have the special characteristics of the national capital.8 The figure below shows the Designated Areas for which the National Capital Authority has responsibility for works approvals.

Transport Designated Areas for which the National Capital Authority is responsible for works approvals9

Transport

Roads

1.1

Summary Infrastructure Type

ACT 2010

ACT 2005 B

National 2005

National 2001

Not rated

Roads overall

National roads

Not rated

C+

State roads

Not rated

C-

Local roads

Not rated

C-

This rating recognises that while improvements in road infrastructure have occurred, road usage has increased at a faster rate. It also recognises that despite having good asset management plans, maintenance funding has not kept pace with infrastructure needs. More work is needed to manage demand. Without this, sustainable transport outcomes cannot be achieved. Since the last Report Card, the major road sector developments have been:  An increase in road congestion  Significant major road works including further development of the parkway system, in particular by duplicating the Gungahlin Drive extension and preparation for constructing the Majura Parkway  The commencement of developing a charging and services network for electric vehicles  Bus priority infrastructure, including bus lanes and park and ride facilities  Enhanced on-road and off-road cycle and community paths to increase active travel. Recently completed and in-progress major infrastructure projects include:  Fairbairn Avenue Upgrade, completed in 2006, $9.5 million  Sutton Road Upgrade, completed in 2006, $5.6 million  Horse Park Drive (Gundaroo Drive/Federal Highway), completed in 2007, $11.4 million  Gungahlin Drive Extension Package A (Barton Highway to Aranda), completed 2008, $75.3 million  Gungahlin Drive extension and duplication  Upgrade of Airport Roads, Stage 1, completed in 2009, $15 million  Rehabilitation of Cotter Road Pavement, completed 2009, $2.9 million  Duplication of Athllon Drive (Anketell Street to Drakeford Drive), $2 million10  Lanyon Drive Upgrade (Monaro Highway to Sheppard Street), completed 2009, $5 million  Upgrade of Tharwa Drive, Stage 1, 2010  Upgrade of Airport Roads, Stage 2, 2010  Community Paths Program – Cotter Road Cycle Connections, Jerrabomberra Wetlands Cycle Path 2010  Kings Highway Realignment, 2010  New Tharwa Bridge, 2011  Gungahlin Drive extension and duplication (Stage 2) (2009/12)  Lanyon Drive, Stage 2, 2010/11  Bonner Western Distributor Road, 2010  Clarrie Hermes Drive Construction, 2010/11  Mulligans Flat Road Extension, 2010/11  Well Station Drive Extension, 2010/11  Sandford Street Extension to the Federal Highway, 2010/11  Forde Access Road, 2009/10  Macgregor West – Parkwood Road Infrastructure, 2010  Burgmann Anglican School Access, 2009 11

Transport                   

Horse Park Drive – Extension to Burramarra Avenue, 2010 Kingsford Smith School (West Belconnen School) – Access Road, 2009 Belconnen Town Centre – Cohen Street Extension, 2010 Bushfire Memorial Entrance – Car Park, 2010 Braybrooke Street Extension, 2010 Molonglo Roads, North Weston Pond and associated infrastructure, 2010/11 Northbourne Avenue, London Circuit and Majura Road Pavement Rehabilitation, 2010/11 Fyshwick Stormwater Augmentation, 2009/11 Extension of Edinburgh Avenue, 2010/11 Majura Parkway Kings Avenue–Parkes Way Intersection Constitution Ave improvements Anzac Parade road rehabilitation A third lane on Parkes Way from the Glenloch Interchange to the Acton Tunnel ($14.7 million), Preliminaries, 2010/11 Upgrade of Cotter Road from the Tuggeranong Parkway to Yarra Glen ($7.1 million), Preliminaries, 2010/11 Upgrade of Barry Drive and Clunies Ross Street intersection ($7 million) Intersection improvements (various), 2009/11 Public transport infrastructure (bus lanes, bus seats, bus shelter) (ongoing) Cycle infrastructure (various) (ongoing).

Challenges to improving road infrastructure include:  Reducing road congestion and increasing average road speeds through demand management measures  Achieving sustainable transport targets  Managing cross-border traffic  Managing the demand for car parking.

1.2

Infrastructure overview

1.2.1

System description The ACT road infrastructure comprises:  National highways, 20km,11 and arterial roads in Designated Areas, both of which are the responsibility of the National Capital Authority  Territorial roads, 830km12 (defined as state-managed roads owned and operated by Roads ACT, including all the arterial road networks that are the responsibility of the National Capital Authority)13  Municipal roads, 1,880km14 (defined as all collector and local access roads owned and operated by Roads ACT with the exception of National Capital Authority roads).15 Roads ACT is responsible for traffic management and maintenance for all roads in the ACT, except roads on National Land, including Main Avenues and Approach Routes in Designated Areas. The National Capital Authority is responsible for maintenance of its Main Avenues and Approach Routes in Designated Areas. Planning for roads in the ACT is shared between the ACT Government and the National Capital Authority. Main avenues and approach routes in Designated Areas (such as State Circle and Barton Highway) are the responsibility of the National Capital Authority. A Designated Area is an area of land having special characteristics of the national capital and all works in these areas require approval by the National Capital Authority. The National Capital Plan sets out the planning of national and arterial road systems throughout the Territory.16 The Plan defines national roads as

Roads major approach routes to the city that link Canberra with other capital cities and with the national highway network. These are the Federal, Barton, Kings and Monaro Highways from the Territory border to State Circle. In addition, all roads within the National Triangle formed by Commonwealth, Kings and Constitution Avenues, are classed as National Roads. The plan defines two types of arterial roads – those that are major traffic collectors and distributors, and the network of peripheral parkways that serve to carry traffic between towns centres.17 Figure 1.1 shows the ACT’s road network. Figure 1.1: ACT’s road network18

Transport Road and related assets include:  224 roundabouts 19  243 traffic signals, of which 87% are at road intersections and 13% at pedestrian crossings20  353km of cycle paths and 1,880 kilometres of footpaths21  1,067 bridges and structures, with 687 on the general access road network, and 380 on the oversize vehicle network, managed by Roads ACT; the National Capital Authority maintains a number of bridges throughout the ACT, the main ones being on Commonwealth Avenue and Kings Avenue  Two short tunnels, one on State Circle managed by the National Capital Authority and one in Acton managed by Roads ACT  72,000 street lights controlled by Roads ACT.22 Most roads in the ACT were planned, designed and constructed by the Australian Government. In addition, many parkways and arterial (and distributor) roads were designed at a time when the current projections were for a population much greater than the population likely for the near future. The legacy handed over to the ACT Government is therefore a very comprehensive road infrastructure network that requires an above average funding commitment if it is to be maintained at appropriate levels.23 The high quality of the ACT’s road infrastructure is reflected in the fact that the ACT has:  Almost no unsealed State roads, as the ACT has few rural areas  The highest percentage of bitumen or concrete road lengths for any State or Territory  The highest average road travel speeds in Australia  120 persons/km of roadway compared to 36.7 persons/km for NSW  A higher road density than any State or Territory at 1.12km/km² of land compared to 0.68km/km² for Victoria.24 Higher Mass Limit vehicle routes From 1 July 2006, transport operators were able to use Higher Mass Limits vehicles on ACT roads. These vehicles include trucks with tri-axle groups fitted with dual tyres with a mass limit of 22.5 tonnes. Higher Mass Limit approved routes are listed in Table 1.1. Table 1.1: Higher Mass Limit approved routes25 Road

Starting Point

Finishing Point

Barton Highway

ACT/NSW Border (entire length)

Mitchell Industrial Estate or Federal Highway, ACT

Federal Highway

ACT/NSW Border (entire length)

Mitchell Industrial Estate or Barton Highway, ACT

Approaches to Mitchell Industrial Estate

1. Barton Hwy/Gungahlin Drive 2. Barton Hwy/Federal Highway/Flemington Road 3. Federal Highway/Flemington Road

All roads in the area bounded by and including Gungahlin Drive, Sandford Street, Well Station Drive, Hoskins Street, Vicars Street, Flemington Road & Lysaght Streets

Mitchell Industrial Estate area

All roads in the area bounded by and including Gungahlin Drive, Sandford Street, Well Station Drive, Hoskins Street, Vicars Street, Flemington Road & Lysaght Streets

Street trees in non-designated areas Street trees are an important aspect of the road network, and have been instrumental in converting the ACT from a treeless plain to what it is today. Most of Canberra’s trees were planted in one of the two main plantings that coincided with periods of significant urban expansion. Between 1910 and 1930, deciduous and evergreen trees were planted in what are now the older parts of Canberra. Between 1955 and 1975, mainly eucalypt and hardy natives were planted.26 Post-1975, about 55% of all planted trees have been natives and 45% exotic.

Roads Trees planted on the nature strips alongside roads are the responsibility of Parks, Conservation and Lands (PCL), which is a branch within Department of Territory and Municipal Services. Removal of street trees requires the approval of PCL which is also responsible for their pruning, removal and replacement.27 Many of the street trees and those in the urban forests are reaching the end of their natural lives, and some mature trees are dying faster than expected due to water stress. Consequently, over the next 25 years a substantial number of trees will need to be replaced. The activity to replace the trees is called the Urban Forest Renewal Program.28 In 2009, the ACT Government committed to investing $250,000 each year for the next 10 years to plant 62,500 trees and tall shrubs along suburban roads.29 Due to concerns about the scale of the renewal program, the ACT Government has commissioned the ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment to undertake an investigation into the Government’s tree management practices and the renewal of Canberra’s urban forests. This is to be completed in the second half of 2010. Cyclists and pedestrians The ACT Government has recognised the environmental and health benefits of cycling and walking. The ACT Government is seeking to promote walking and cycling so that they account for 14% of all journeys made to work by 2026.30 1.2.2

Policy and governance The ACT Government’s strategic vision for transport is to achieve a more sustainable transport system via a shift towards more use of walking, cycling and public transport.31 Within this policy framework, the ACT Government will develop an integrated road transport system to improve the efficiency of Canberra’s transport system, address traffic congestion, reduce transport emissions and provide better transport options for the ACT community. 32 The ACT Government has committed to continued investment in the Territory’s road infrastructure with the objectives of:  Providing an efficient network for inter-centre travel by completing the development of the ACT parkway system, in particular by constructing the Majura Parkway and duplicating the Gungahlin Drive extension  Providing infrastructure to support a sustainable transport system  Maintaining and extending the arterial road network linking the key centres and new development areas and providing connections between the parkways and employment and retail areas  Maintaining the accessibility of centres by the progressive upgrading of intersections and removal of congestion points  Improving the safety of the ACT road network  Reserving and developing public transport corridors to allow for future population growth. 33 Key ACT road-related pieces of legislation are:  ACT (Planning & Land Management) Act 1988 (Commonwealth)  ACT Government Procurement Act 2001  ACT Utilities Act 2000 (plus subsequent amendments)  Environmental Protection Act 1997  Heritage Act 2004  Planning and Development Act 2007  National Environment Protection Council Act 1994  Road Transport (General) Act 1999  Road Transport (Mass dimensions and loading) Act 2009  Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Act 1999  Roads and Public Places Act 1937  Territory Act 2002  Tree Protection Act 2005 15

Transport  

Waste Minimisation Act 2001 Road Transport Act 2000.

Key multi-jurisdictional and government bodies are:  Department of Territory and Municipal Services (TAMS). TAMS manages the ACT road network including design, construction and maintenance of the infrastructure, and the development and implementation of road transport policies. The particular divisions within TAMS that deal with road infrastructure are:  Roads ACT. Roads ACT is responsible for the construction and maintenance of roads and associated infrastructure including bridges, community paths, driveways, street signs, line marking, traffic signals, street lighting and urban stormwater drainage assets.  Transport Regulation and Planning. Transport Regulation and Planning is responsible for transport planning and regulatory policies. It develops transport strategies, plans transport for medium and long-terms, sets standards, prepares contract specifications and develops policy for commissioning road assets.  ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA). ACTPLA is the ACT Government’s statutory agency responsible for planning for the future growth of Canberra. It designates new roads for suburbs and subdivisions.  National Capital Authority. The National Capital Authority is responsible for the maintenance of key roads and infrastructure within the Parliamentary Triangle, and to a limited extent, other infrastructure assets in the ACT. The Australian Government owns the roads that the National Capital Authority manages. In a planning context, the National Capital Authority identifies Main Avenues as State Circle, Kings Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue, Sydney Avenue, Brisbane Avenue, Hobart Avenue, Canberra Avenue (to Hume Circle), Melbourne Avenue, Adelaide Avenue, Perth Avenue, Northbourne Avenue, Edinburgh Avenue, University Avenue, Ainslie Avenue, Limestone Avenue (south of Ainslie), Anzac Parade and Constitution Avenue. Its Approach Routes are the Barton Highway, Federal Highway, Fairbairn Avenue, Morshead Drive/Pialligo Avenue to the ACT border, Canberra Avenue from Hume Circle to the ACT border, and the Monaro Highway and its extension as the Eastern Parkway to Morshead Drive.34 Funding The arterial and other road links are funded by the Territory or Australian Governments.35 In new suburbs or towns, ACTPLA defines road corridors, and the Department of Land and Property Services (the portfolio agency responsible for the Land Development Agency) identifies alignment and develops housing estates. Australian Government funding of ACT roads consist of:  National Projects. These are targeted projects on the National Land Transport Network designed to improve efficiency and safety. In the ACT over the 2008/09 to 2013/14 periods, National Projects funding will total $37.5 million for new projects and $2.98 million for road maintenance programs.36  Roads to Recovery. This program addresses the problem of local roads reaching the end of their economic lives, and their replacement being beyond the financial capacity of local governments. The ACT will receive $28 million for the period July 2009 to 30 June 2014.37  Black Spot Program. This program improves the physical condition or management of hazardous locations with a history of crashes involving death or serious injury. ACT Black Spot projects announced in 2009 totalled $1.79 million. Ongoing Black Spot projects as of March 2009 totalled $425,730.38  Financial Assistance Grants for roads. Grants for roads paid directly to the ACT Government totalled $40.38 million in 2009/10.39 Total roads funding for the ACT is listed in Table 1.2:

Roads Table 1.2: ACT Government road expenditure on construction and maintenance for financial years 2004/05 to 2008/09 (excludes National Capital Authority roads)40 Funding ($millions) Servicing and operating

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

Road pavement and shoulder construction: Routine maintenance Periodic surface maintenance

1 3

2 3

1 5

2 3

Bridge maintenance/rehabilitation

Road rehabilitation

Low-cost safety/traffic

Asset extension/improvements: Pavement improvements Bridge improvements

25 2

19 2

59 1

28 4

58 5

Total

Major future road projects are identified in Table 1.3. Additional projects introduced in the 2010/2011 ACT budget include:  Parkes Way Widening ($14.7 million)  Cotter Road Improvements ($7.150 million)  Barry Drive and Clunies Ross Street Intersection Upgrade ($7 million)  Canberra Avenue Bus Priority Measures ($8.2 million)  Northbourne Avenue Bus Priority Measures and Dickson Major Bus Station ($4.250 million)  Park and Ride Facilities ($4.1 million)  Belconnen to City Transitway Stage 1 (Barry Drive and College Street Sectors) ($7.3 million). Table 1.3: Road projects to 2011 over $1 million41 Region

Completion date

Upgrade of Tharwa Drive – Stage 1

September 2010

Upgrade of airport roads – Stage 2

September 2010

Community Paths Program – Cotter Road Cycle Connections

June 2010

2.3

Kings Highway realignment

September 2011

3.4

New Tharwa Bridge

December 2011

14.7

Lanyon Drive – Stage 2

October 2010

Barton and Federal Highways maintenance

1.2.3

Project ($ million)

7.4 2.3

Sector trends Increasing urban congestion While road congestion in the ACT is not at the level experienced by other Australian cities, it has certainly increased over the past few years. For instance, the number of ACT roads having traffic counts in excess of 40,000 vehicles per day increased by 143% between 2000/01 and 2005/06.42 Road congestion is escalating as road travel is increasing at a faster rate than road supply. A measure of road congestion is the volume wanting to use the road compared to its theoretical maximum. Called the volume to capacity (V/C) ratio, the implication of each ratio band is below.  Below 0.7, traffic speeds and journey time reliability will generally be acceptable.  Between 0.75 and 0.85, journey speeds begin to decrease and journey time can become unreliable as congestion can grow quickly. When traffic accidents occur, they cause a significant delay.  Greater than 0.95, road speeds slow significantly and will occasionally reach a standstill.43 Table 1.4 shows the estimated number of kilometres that will be affected by congestion in the ACT for 2011, 2021 and 2031. 17

Transport Table 1.4: Estimated length of congested roads44 Year V/C ratio

2011

2021

2031

0.75–0.85

61km

54km

75km

0.85–0.9

26km

31km

33km

0.9–0.95

14km

41km

38km

0.95–1.0

26km

37km

51km

>1.0

10km

21km

29km

Figure 1.2 represents the projected morning peak hour congestion levels that will be experienced in Canberra by 2021. The red shaded areas represent a V/C of greater than one, while the blue areas represent a V/C of greater than 0.90. Figure 1.2: Modelled congestion by 202145

Cross-border traffic growth About 30,00046 people travel from Queanbeyan into the ACT and back each day. This figure is expected to rise significantly as Queanbeyan’s population is predicted to double to nearly 70,000 18

Roads by 2031.47 The growth, particularly in Jerrabomberra, has resulted in congestion over the past few years on the major arterial roads connecting Canberra business centres and Queanbeyan. Recent projects completed or underway to alleviate this include duplicating the section of road from the Monaro Highway to Shepherd Street in Hume, and the upgrade and duplication of Lanyon Drive. With the development of Googong and the potential development of Tralee, as well as the future expansion of the Hume Industrial Area, cross-border traffic levels will increase. To coordinate development, a Memorandum of Understanding between the ACT and NSW on cross-border region settlement was signed in 200648 and it established a set of principles to guide the sustainable growth of residential and employment lands in the NSW/ACT cross-border region. While this has improved settlement planning on the ACT’s borders, coordination and construction of road infrastructure still remains a challenge due to a lack of a cost-sharing agreement between the ACT and NSW on cross-border roads. ACT and NSW are working to establish a task force for cross-border transport. Development in the electric vehicle network Canberra has been selected as one of three cities worldwide where a charging and services network is being built for electric vehicles. The physical roll-out of the network will commence in 2011. The network is funded by Better Place Australia and investors include ActewAGL.49

1.3

Performance The levels of service for road infrastructure are determined by a number of factors including:  Customer expectations  Technical, safety, and environmental requirements  Legislative and common law requirements  Economic considerations and corporate strategies. These levels of service are delivered through each agency’s asset maintenance regime, reflecting asset use and age, and incorporating new assets into the program. There is a duty of care element in the maintenance of roads infrastructure that acts as a key driver in keeping the assets at a certain level of performance. The key document covering the ACT’s roads is the Roads ACT Asset Management Plan. The latest edition of the plan was in 2005 and covered the period 2004 to 2007. A new edition is currently being developed and is expected to be available by mid-2010. The new edition, covering 2010/2012, will outline the broad approach that Roads ACT adopts to manage the condition and use of road assets. The plan will also provide future directions for road use and network capacity, safety, and recurrent maintenance and capital works programs for road assets.50 The information contained in the 2005 edition of the Roads ACT Asset Management Plan is now out of date. However, as there are no other public sources for much of the data in the Plan, this chapter has used information from that edition. Table 1.5 lists the current and target service standards for road assets. Table 1.5: Current and target service standards for road assets Issue/Attribute

Service Standard Current

Target

Municipal roads

Treat 3% annually

Treat 7–10% annually

Territorial roads

Treat 3% annually

Treat 8–10% annually

Programmed Maintenance

Arterial road intervention levels

Transport Issue/Attribute

Service Standard Current

Target

(a) Roughness

95% <100 counts/km 50% <75 counts/km Based on a subjective assessment of safety

(b) Rutting (c) Cracking (d) Skid resistance

<15mm in >95% of any km <30% on any 100m increment All sections >30m exceeding Austroads recommended level investigated

Routine Maintenance Inspections

Ad hoc

Structured inspection program

Repaired within 1 week Ad hoc

Repaired within 2 days

Intervention levels (a) Potholes and edging (b) Heavy patching

Repaired within 1 month

Table 1.6 lists the current and target service standards for bridge assets. Table 1.6: Current and target service standards for bridge assets Issue/Attribute

Service Standard Current

Target

Replace bridge joints

Every 20–30 Years

As required following inspection

Re-level approach slabs

Every 15–20 Years

As required following inspection

Replace bridge bearings

As required

As required following inspection

Re-analyse major arterial bridge strength

First analysis now in progress

As required following inspection, prior to any increase in legal load

Inspections

Based on structured inspection program and reaction to public complaints

Based on structured inspection program

Cleanliness, waterways, removal of blockages and hazards

Based on assessment of safety and government priorities

Programmed Maintenance

Routine Maintenance

Table 1.7 lists the current and target service standards for bridge inspections. Table 1.7: Current and target service standards for bridge inspections Issue/Attribute

Service Standard Current

Target Level 1

Level 2

Barriers

3 years

6 months

3 years

Timber bridges

12 months

6 months

12 months

Concrete bridges

3 years

6 months

3–5 years

Prestressed concrete

3 years

6 months

3–5 years

Culverts

3 years

6 months

3–5 years

Retaining walls

As required

Tunnels

1 week

3 years

Note: Level 1 – Routine inspections of larger bridges, Level 2 – Condition inspections of all bridges

Pavements have been designed for a service life of 20 to 25 years. This life can be extended given correct rehabilitation and maintenance regimes that form part of the asset management program. Figure 1.3 shows the age distribution of ACT Road’s assets. With over 75% of the ACT’s roads constructed more than 20 years ago, and more than 60% of the municipal roads having a road surface older than 10 years, it is not surprising that currently over 30% of municipal road pavement surfaces were rated in 2005 as in poor to very poor condition. 20

Roads Figure 1.3: Age distribution of ACT Road Assets51

Pavement Area Constructed (Million m2)

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Pre 1970 1970/74 1975/79 1980/84 1985/89 1990/94 1995/00 2000/05

Table 1.8 identifies the road performance measures Table 1.8: Road performance measures52 Indicators Annual percentage of territorial roads resurfaced

2008/09 Est. Outcome

2009/10 Targets

2009/10 Est. Outcome

2010/11 Targets

Annual percentage of municipal roads resurfaced

3.8%

2.20%

Percentage of customers satisfied with the management of infrastructure services

70%

72%

n/a

Percentage of territorial roads in good condition

90%

88%

>88%

Percentage of bridges that meet SM1600 standard on the B Double Network

51%

53%

63%

>60%

Asset management improvements underway include:  The completion in 2009 of a network-wide survey using Multi Laser Profilometres to determine roughness53  The Bridges Upgrade program that will continue to investigate the load-carrying capacity of bridges on the B-double network and strengthen sub-standard bridges, to enable the expansion of the Higher Mass Limit network in line with the Australian Government’s objective for higher productivity vehicles to access more of the road network.54 Given the limited current information available, the following observations on road assets can be made:  The link between asset planning and service standards is of a high quality  There are very well developed asset management strategies and plans, together with systematic monitoring, enabling effective and transparent decision-making by Roads ACT  The bridge assets are in fair to good condition. Some minor deficiencies occur throughout the system in relation to wearing surfaces, expansion joints, and signage. Generally, the condition of ACT bridges is better than interstate assets, as other States have more aged and exposed bridges. 1.3.1

Road safety The quality of road infrastructure influences road safety. According to the Australian Transport Council, ‗improving the safety of roads is the single most significant achievable factor in reducing road trauma‘. It notes that ‗road investment improves road safety through general road improvements – typically ―new‖ roads are safer than ―old‖ roads – as well as thorough treatment of black spots‘.55

Transport The ACT Government has developed a road safety strategy and a road safety action plan. The current ACT Road Safety Strategy is a higher level 'policies and principles' document. It is supported by two, two-year Action Plans, that spell out specific activities to achieve the goals and objectives of the Strategy. These documents address road safety issues thorough an integrated approach using the '4 Es' of road safety – Education, Encouragement, Engineering and Enforcement. The current Strategy covers the four-year period 2007/2010, and a new Strategy is being developed for the period 2011/2020, in line with stronger 'Vision Zero' objectives. The ACT Strategy and Action Plan also adopts and complements the principles and objectives of the National Road Safety Strategy and related Action Plans. Work is underway to develop a new National Road Safety Strategy, also covering the period 2011 onwards. This will provide a strong national context for developing the next ACT Strategy. The current ACT Road Safety Strategy aims to achieve lower than the national target of fatalities, maintain the low level of ACT crash rates and reduce the number of crashes by ACT drivers interstate. The ACT’s road safety strategy outlines three strategic goals:  That road trauma rates continue to be reduced despite increases in population and travel  That the community shares responsibility for road safety  That there is an improvement in road safety coordination and support arrangements.56 The two key indicators for road accidents are:  Fatality rate per 100 million vehicle kilometres  Serious crashes per 100 million vehicle kilometres. Table 1.9 provides details of these indicators. The ACT has consistently achieved a low fatality and serious casualty rate compared to other jurisdictions. Table 1.9: Road safety indicators57 Road safety indicator

ACT/National Average

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Fatalities

ACT

Fatality rate per 100 million vehicle kilometres*

ACT

0.56

0.52

0.32

0.34

0.28

0.84

0.43

0.90

National average

0.98

0.91

0.89

0.80

0.79

0.76

0.75

*This series is no longer being produced by Austroads

ACT’s accident data shows that:  The peak times for crashes coincide with morning and afternoon traffic volume peaks  15% of all crashes are single vehicle crashes (indicative of driver error or actions independent of the road system or other traffic)  46% of all crashes are rear-end collisions (the most frequent crash type)  27% of all casualty crashes are right angle collisions (the most frequent type in terms of severity)  71.6% of road user casualties are car drivers or passengers, 12.3% were motorcycle riders or pillions, 7.0% are bicycle riders and 7.0% are pedestrians  37% of casualties are aged under 30.58 Engineering solutions being pursued in the ACT to enhance road safety include:  Delivery of the Australian Government funded Nation Building Black Spot Program and ACT black spot treatments  Installing traffic calming measures in residential areas if justified, based on traffic volume, speed, accident history and land use 22

Roads Programs to address frequent crash types such as right angle crashes, rear-end crashes and single vehicle crashes  Using low-cost treatments for sites that do not warrant major engineering solutions, and implementing improvements as part of the minor new works program  Upgrading traffic lights at the Wentworth Avenue/Cunningham Street signalised intersection59  Employing point to point speed cameras. 

A disproportionate number of road causalities are bicyclists. They accounted for 14.8% of on-road ACT casualties in 2008, however, due to under-reporting, this figure is believed to be much higher.60 Additional funding has been provided in the 2009/10 Budget for cycling and footpath works, amounting to $8.4 million over four years. This is in addition to paths provided as part of the capital works program or as part of new developments.61 Bike paths on major roads are not physically separated from the road traffic lanes. Other safety improvements underway include the installation of safety screens to prevent rockthrowing on high and medium risk bridges over roads with a speed limit greater than 60km/hour.62 In August 2009, the ACT Government announced a $2.4 million initiative to install safety screens on 14 bridges across the ACT. Construction began on several of these projects in September 2009 and all screens are to be constructed by 2012.63 1.3.2

Environmental sustainability ACT road usage generates 23.5% of the Territory’s greenhouse gas emissions.64 A key objective of the ACT’s transport policy is to minimise the levels of greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector and to be more sustainable.65 To achieve this, the ACT Government is seeking to increase usage of public transport and promote active transport modes such as walking and cycling.66 The ACT Government has developed a Climate Change Strategy that outlines a sustainable transport network as a key objective of the ACT Government’s response to climate change. Ongoing environmental challenges include:  Vehicle emissions and greenhouse gases  Water quality from road run-off  Transport noise. Reducing private vehicle use contributes to improving sustainability. One avenue being pursued by the ACT Government to do this is by supporting transport-orientated developments. These consist of high density developments close to major transport nodes and along major transport routes, supported by high frequency public transport. The new residential district of Molonglo is one such development. Located beside Cotter Road and within 15km of Canberra’s city centre, Molonglo is expected to eventually have a population of 55,000 people. The district’s first suburbs being developed are Coombs and Wright. To further reduce road usage, the suburb will have an extensive network of pedestrian and cycle paths that link shops, schools and parks with surrounding residential and recreation areas. 67

1.4

Future challenges The future challenges to achieving improvements in road infrastructure are:  Reducing road congestion through demand management measures. The traditional response to increased road demand is building more roads and making their operation more efficient, such as introducing no parking zones during peak periods and optimising traffic signal operation. However, this imposes a heavy cost on governments and demand will continually exceed supply in peak periods. An increasingly important tool to reducing congestion is to introduce demand management measures. These include introducing paid parking, improving

Transport public transport, cycling and walking, encouraging split shifts, working at home and introducing a road-use pricing regime.  Achieving sustainable transport targets. While the ACT Government aims to develop a sustainable transport system that will allow both people and goods to move around freely and efficiently, it requires not only the meshing of strategies to encourage public transport, cycling and walking, but also integrating them with parking policy and urban development.  Managing cross-border traffic. Cross-border traffic flows will increase significantly with time, resulting in major traffic congestion. This can only be addressed effectively if road and public transport planning is coordinated and funded.

1.5

Report Card rating Infrastructure Type

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

Roads overall

Not rated

National roads

Not rated

C+

State roads

Not rated

C-

Local roads

Not rated

C-

Based on considerations of planning, funding, and infrastructure capacity and condition, the ACT’s road infrastructure has been rated B. This rating recognises that while improvements in road infrastructure have occurred, road usage has increased at a faster rate. More work is needed to manage demand. Without this, sustainable transport outcomes cannot be achieved. Positives that have contributed to the rating are:  Good asset management plans exist  Road development is linked to land-use forecasts  Ongoing bridge strengthening program  Encouragement of public transport, riding and walking. Negatives that have contributed to the rating are:  Inability to achieve road asset management plans due to lack of funding  Increased congestion at peak times on key roads  Large number of major road projects occurring simultaneously.

Rail

2.1

Summary Infrastructure Type Rail

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

Not rated

C-

D-

This rating recognises that there is a lack of definition on the rationale and future of rail – heavy rail, light rail and high speed rail services – in the ACT and the existing infrastructure, including its connections into the NSW system, are inadequate for competitive passenger and freight services. Since the last Report Card, the major rail sector developments have been:  The cessation of rail freight services into the ACT  The development of a proposal for a light rail network  Proposals for the rationalisation and relocation of the Canberra Railway Station and railyards  Improvements in passenger rail service frequency to Sydney. Challenges to improving rail infrastructure include:  Defining the future of interstate rail in the ACT  Developing and planning for appropriate light rail or other mass transit system in the ACT  Planning for high speed rail.

2.2

Infrastructure overview

2.2.1

System description The ACT rail infrastructure comprises:  One operating railway station located in the suburb of Kingston  8km of rail line from the NSW border to the Canberra Railway Station68  Railyards at the Canberra Railway Station. Figure 2.1 displays the regional context of the ACT rail infrastructure. Canberra is 330km from Sydney by rail and 100km from the Goulburn junction of the main south line.69 The rail line to Canberra was once a branch line of the Bombala line at Queanbeyan but the line now terminates in Canberra. The Bombala line originally extended from Goulburn through Queanbeyan to Bombala. The line south of Queanbeyan to Bombala was closed in 1986 for normal major freight traffic but reopened in 1993 for historic railway use. Until recently, historic rail services only travelled as far as Royalla on this line as a number of timber trestle bridges between Royalla and Michelago were unsafe. Following the severe storm on New Year’s Eve 2006, the entire line closed for repair and will remain so for the foreseeable future.70 The Bungendore to Captains Flat line closed in 1969.71

Transport Figure 2.1: The ACT region rail lines72

Within the ACT, the 8km rail corridor extends from Kingston to the ACT/NSW border near Queanbeyan, through Fyshwick to its termination at the railyards in Kingston. Within the Fyshwick segment of the line there are two tracks parallel to the main line that were used by fuel trains to service the Shell sidings. The track continues through the rail corridor underneath the Monaro Highway and over Jerrabomberra Creek into the railyards at Kingston.73 The existing ACT railway corridor is much wider than it needs to be for its current services. This width is a legacy of the past when the corridor was used for services to the Kingston Power Station, the Government Printers, dairy farmers and a considerable number of passenger services. Today, the corridor includes a large historic steam museum and industrial sidings that are no longer in operation.74 75 CountryLink service The NSW Government-owned Rail Corporation (RailCorp) provides a passenger rail service to the ACT through their CountryLink operation. The service operates from Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Central Station with its terminus at the Canberra Railway Station and operates Xplorer trains. As of May 2010, 26

Rail CountryLink operates two services daily between Canberra and Sydney, departing each morning and midday. In addition, there is an evening (5pm) service each way on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. CountryLink has a servicing and storage facility at Canberra Railway Station that allows the stabling of trains overnight.76 Passenger numbers are seen in Table 2.1. A NSW review of patronage found that numbers using the service had dropped 43% between 2002/03 and 2007/08. This was primarily attributed to the fact that the midday service only ran in one direction on alternate days of the week.77 Table 2.1: Passenger numbers on Canberra CountryLink services78 2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

Boarding in Canberra

48,823

49,059

40,691

37,072

35,223

Alighting in Canberra

50,678

51,300

43,553

39,730

37,598

Freight service In January 2010, Shell Australia ceased using rail to transport fuel into the ACT through the Shell sidings in Fyshwick. This was the only rail freight service in operation in the ACT. This decision was made following the NSW Government’s decision to remove the fuel on rail subsidy of 1.5 cents per litre on the Blue Mountain route. Shell Australia says that the rail service was replaced by seven fuel trucks each day.79 Rail track maintenance Rail Infrastructure Corporation, a NSW Government agency, maintains the rail track infrastructure in the ACT. 2.2.2

Policy and governance The rail network into the ACT is operated by RailCorp, which is responsible for the network’s operation and maintenance, with its CountryLink division operating the passenger service into and out of the ACT. The ACT Government has investigated several proposals for greater investment in rail infrastructure within the ACT, including developing a proposal for a light rail network and planning for a potential fast train service between Sydney and Canberra. The ACT Government has developed a Railway Master Plan for the ACT that considers the most appropriate utilisation of railway land in the ACT and offers options for relocation. However, the Plan fails to define what the ACT Government considers is the future of rail in the ACT. Heavy rail is not mentioned in the ACT Government Integrated Transport Framework (2008). The ACT Government currently does not have a formal agreement in place with the NSW Government regarding rail services, including frequency, scheduling, and quality of services. However, discussions have been initiated with the NSW Government regarding the development of a formal agreement covering rail services to the ACT. A Deed of Licence is in place with Rail Infrastructure Corporation covering its management of the ACT’s rail infrastructure and a separate Deed of Licence with Rail Corporation NSW is being negotiated to formalise their use of the Canberra Railway Station. The ACT Government does not provide any financial subsidy to these NSW organisations for the provision of rail services, or their use of ACT rail infrastructure and the Canberra Railway Station.80 Light rail The ACT Government has outlined a strategic vision for a light rail network to achieve its goal to make the nation’s capital a more sustainable and liveable city. The ACT Government believes that

Transport a light rail network would be an economically and environmentally sustainable solution to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traffic congestion caused by low density and a lack of public transport infrastructure.81 The network would consist of routes radiating from the city centre to Belconnen, Tuggeranong, Gungahlin and Kingston. The proposed length would be 54.43km and would run in dedicated reserves, on the median strip, or alongside the road wherever possible, to minimise the amount of land required. The estimated cost of the project is $2.95 billion. Figure 2.2 displays the proposed routes. Figure 2.2: Proposed ACT light rail network82

Rail The ACT Government sought funding for this project from the Australian Government through the 2008 National Infrastructure Audit process. Infrastructure Australia declared the ACT Light Rail network as a project worthy of further analysis, however, did not list it among the National Infrastructure Priorities in May 2009. High speed rail A high speed train could travel to Sydney in 50 minutes. While there has been no decision made to build a high speed rail line to Canberra, Canberra Airportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Master Plan recognises and plans for potential high speed rail infrastructure at the airport as part of a regional transport hub. The ACT Railway Masterplan Report also indicates that any future high speed rail would be located at the airport and make the existing Canberra branch line irrelevant.83 The ACT Government supports further investigation and investment into a high speed train connection.84 A north-south corridor for future high-speed rail along the Majura Valley has already been identified. A high-speed rail passenger service may also accommodate a freight service.85 Infrastructure Australia declared the Very Fast Train as a project worthy of further analysis, however, it did not list it among the National Infrastructure Priorities in May 2009. The cost of the project was estimated at between $32 and $59 billion.86 2.2.3

Sector trends Relocation of rail infrastructure The area surrounding the Canberra Railway Station was identified in the Canberra Spatial Plan (2004) as an area to be investigated for urban revitalisation. The ACT Government is developing the area into a new sustainable residential development in partnership with the CSIRO. This development is known as East Lake. The ACT Government believes that the inefficient nature of the rail infrastructure in Kingston and the development pressures in the area will require a rationalisation of the rail facilities in the ACT and a relocation of the station.87 The 2007 East Lake Urban Renewal Draft Planning Report suggested options for rationalisation of rail infrastructure and these were refined in the 2009 ACT Railway Master Plan Report.88 Figure 2.3 displays the possible sites for the relocation of the Canberra Railway Station and other rail infrastructure. Figure 2.3: Possible locations for a new rationalised railway station89

2.3

Performance

2.3.1

Passenger service network performance Key parameters to assess the performance of passenger services are efficiency, levels of service and safety/security. Table 2.2 provides details of on-time running times for the Canberra CountryLink services compared to the NSW CountryLink services. It shows that Canberra services 29

Transport are more on-time than the average NSW service and have been above 80% in three of the last five years. Canberra CountryLink services have been well above the target for all NSW CountryLink services. Table 2.2: On-time running for Canberra CountryLink and NSW CountryLink services90 Trains on-time

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

Canberra CountryLink services (%)

75.2

81.7

77.7

86.3

83.6

All NSW CountryLink services (%)

71.2

75.9

73.7

70.5

76.6

Target

78.0

Other service indicators are:  Speed: The trip takes 258 minutes, which is an average speed of 76.7km/h,91 compared to 210 minutes for the intercity bus services.92  Track quality: There are significant speed restrictions on the rail line between Queanbeyan and Tarago.93 The Canberra CountryLink Xplorer has one of the better on-time running records for CountryLink. This service and the one to Griffith, which divides from the Canberra Xplorer service at Goulburn arrives on time for 87.8% of total journeys, compared to 81.7% for all CountryLink Services, in 2008/09.94 2.3.2

Safety and security The NSW Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator is responsible for safety on the ARTC-maintained Canberra line. There is no information to indicate safety or security issues with this line.

2.3.3

Environmental sustainability Rail transport is around four times as energy efficient as road transport for freight. This means that rail has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector. However, the cessation of all rail freight into the ACT will result in additional road transport, specifically seven fuel trucks each day by Shell. Light rail also has the potential to have significant environmental benefits by encouraging mode shift from road to rail.

2.4

Future challenges The future challenges to achieving improvements in rail infrastructure are:  Defining the future of interstate rail in the ACT. Given the existing rail infrastructure, passengers and freight rail services are not economically viable in the ACT. The passenger services exist for historical and political reasons, and the freight services were recently discontinued as it was more economic to shift the freight by road. Rail in the ACT could have a future as part of the NSW network if a rail system is created that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. This would have to involve the ACT, NSW and Australian Governments, as well as the region’s local governments and the private sector.  Developing and planning for appropriate light rail or other mass transit system in the ACT. Currently, a light rail or other mass transit system in the ACT could be justified if built at a sufficient scale (at least 54km of track) as any smaller network would not attract the required patronage to make it viable. As population density and numbers increase, commencement of such a network becomes more important. It is imperative that the work continues to define and reserve potential corridors, identify potential technological options, and work with the private sector to develop such a network.  Planning for high speed rail. At some stage, a high speed rail network will become viable for the east coast of Australia. It is important that rail reserves are set aside for this that do not

Rail constrain options. This includes a route to the Canberra city centre and possibly the Canberra Airport.

2.5

Report Card rating Infrastructure Type Rail

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

Not rated

C-

D-

Based on considerations of planning, funding, and infrastructure capacity and condition, the ACT’s rail infrastructure has been rated F. This rating recognises that there is a lack of definition on the rationale and future of rail – heavy rail, light rail and high speed rail services – in the ACT and the existing infrastructure, including its connections into the NSW system, is inadequate for competitive passenger and freight services. Negatives that have contributed to the rating are:  Cessation of all freight services into Canberra  Inadequate existing passenger services  Lack of a long-term vision or plan for rail in the ACT.

Transport

Airports

3.1

Summary Infrastructure Type Airports

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

B-

This rating recognises that the capacity and quality has improved as there has been significant development at the Canberra Airport, much of which is not related to the core purpose of the airport. However, there is a range of issues that remain to be addressed, notably operations during fog, and land planning issues. Since 2005, the major airport sector developments have been the:  Increased passenger numbers  Substantial expansion of freight. Recently completed and in-progress major infrastructure projects include:  The extension and re-strengthening of the main runway at Canberra Airport  The commencement of the construction of two new terminals  Construction of road access improvements  The release of the final Master Plan for Canberra Airport  The growth in non-aeronautical developments on leased airports. Challenges to improving airport infrastructure include:  Aligning on-airport development with local land-use plans  Protecting the curfew-free status of Canberra Airport and preventing residential development under flight paths  Operating in foggy weather  Ensuring that the prime purpose of the airport continues without compromise  Maintaining general aviation.

3.2

Infrastructure overview

3.2.1

System description Airport infrastructure consists of fixed assets on and adjacent to airport land including runways, terminals, buildings (i.e. aeronautical and non-aeronautical industrial, commercial and retail buildings), car parks, roads, drainage systems, navigational equipment, airport approach lighting, and fencing. The civilian airport infrastructure in the ACT consists entirely of the Canberra Airport. It is located in the Majura Valley approximately 8km from Canberra’s city centre. The airport is of particular importance to the national aviation infrastructure as it is the only curfew-free airport between Brisbane and Melbourne capable of handling 747 and A380 aircraft. Table 3.1 identifies the passenger statistics for Canberra Airport in the last three years. Table 3.1: Passenger statistics for Canberra Airport95

Total Revenue Passengers

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

2,550,129

2,687,336

2,853,480

3,061,859

Transport The Canberra Airport was acquired in 1998 and operates under a 50-year lease from the Australian Government, with an option for a further 49 years. The airport’s lessee company is Canberra Airport Pty Limited and the airport management company is Capital Airport Group Pty Limited. Canberra Airport is Australia’s eighth largest airport in terms of total passengers. It is a key component of Canberra’s transport infrastructure and contributes to the Territory’s economy through tourism, airfreight and business development. Despite the global economic crisis and pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza (swine flu), Canberra Airport’s 2008/2009 passenger figures grew by over 7%. In addition to passenger air movements, Canberra Airport has substantial freight, general aviation and military operations. Canberra Airport has two runways. The main runway (Runway 17/35), which runs north-south, was extended and re-strengthened in 2006 and is 3,283 metres long. The main runway is intersected by Runway 12/30, a 1,679 metre long second runway which is used primarily by small General Aviation aircraft. A taxiway system connects these runways to the Regular Public Transport apron which is used by all airlines at Canberra Airport, the General Aviation apron, the Fairbairn apron and the Military Special Purpose Aircraft (SPA) apron. The Regular Public Transport, Fairbairn and SPA aprons are all capable of parking wide-body aircraft.96 The 2006 strengthening and extension of the main runway plus the extension of the parallel taxiways have enabled the airport to accept large aircraft such as the B747 and A380. A new aircraft apron west of the terminal completed in 2009, and an additional apron due for completion in May 2010 fronting Stage 1 of the southern terminal, will provide greater aircraft parking capability up to the size of B747 aircraft at the terminal. On completion of Stage 2 of the new terminal in early 2012, international passenger processing will be available. The General Aviation area of Canberra Airport accommodates the airport’s aviation fuel farm, which is a modern high-security underground fuel facility. The Canberra Airport terminal building consists of the northern end, owned by Qantas, and the common-user end, owned by Canberra Airport.97 Canberra Airport has commenced construction of the first of two new terminal concourses to create a multi-level structure with an elevated roadway and multi-level car parks. Construction has begun on the Southern Terminal Concourse over previous car parking areas south of the existing terminal. The other terminal concourse development will be constructed over the existing Qantas terminal building.98 The completed new terminal building will replace the existing terminal and will be entirely owned and operated by Canberra Airport as a common-user domestic and international terminal. To ease the high level of congestion on the access routes to the airport in recent years, significant development of these access routes is being undertaken. The roads between the airport and the city are being duplicated and major work is being done to improve road conditions through the Majura Valley. In early 2009, a grade separation was completed on the entry intersection from Pialligo Avenue.99 3.2.2

Policy and governance Canberra Airport is governed by the Commonwealth Air Navigation Act 1920 and the Aviation Transport Security Act 2004. The airport is located on land owned by the Australian Government, and subject to the Commonwealth Airports Act 1996. On-airport planning at Commonwealth-leased airports is identified in an airport’s Master Plan. Master plans must be developed by the airport operators to cover the next twenty years and reviewed and updated at no more than five-yearly intervals. Master plans are required to be approved by the Australian Government’s Minister for Infrastructure. Major development plans are required for certain types and scale of developments, such as runway extensions, terminal expansions and capital works over $10 million. While the use of master plans are the basis for planning considerations on airports, these stop at airport

Airports boundaries and have little, if any, influence off-airport.100 The regulations and planning policies that influence off-airport planning decisions vary depending on whether or not they are Commonwealthleased airports, or airports that come under State and Territory planning regimes. Until 2007, the National Capital Plan planning controls applied to Canberra Airport in addition to controls under the Airports Act 1996. The Airport is now solely subject to the Commonwealth’s Airports Act 1996 following a 2006 amendment. Non-aviation-related developments, including retail, are not subject to the ACT’s or the National Capital Authority’s planning frameworks.101 The Australian Government is introducing a new airport monitoring regime for second tiered airports. This system will be self-administered and will require the public reporting of price and service quality information such as car parking costs and passenger satisfaction levels. This new regime will apply to Canberra Airport.102 In December 2009, the Australian Government released the National Aviation Policy White Paper. This will drive an improvement in the better integrated planning at Commonwealth-leased airports by:  Requiring each capital city airport to establish a Planning Coordination Forum that will act as the vehicle to lead the ongoing discussions between the airports and the three levels of government on issues including the Master Plans, the airport’s program for proposed on-airport developments, regional planning initiatives, off-airport development approvals and significant ground transport developments that could affect the airport and its connections.  Requiring airports to produce more detailed Master Plans that must contain:  Additional detail on proposed use of land in the first five years of a Master Plan, including information on planning for each non-aviation precinct, the number of jobs likely to be created, anticipated traffic flows, and the airport’s assessment of the potential impacts on the local and regional economy and community  The inclusion of a ground transport plan in the Master Plan  The inclusion of a more detailed analysis of how the Master Plan aligns with State, Territory and local government planning laws, as well as a justification for any inconsistencies  Requiring all airports to establish and lead Community Aviation Consultation Groups to ensure that local communities have direct input on airport planning matters, with appropriate arrangements for engagement with other industry stakeholders such as airlines and Airservices Australia where necessary  Prohibiting incompatible developments on Commonwealth airport sites, such as residential developments and schools, unless exceptional circumstances exist  Developing a number of initiatives to safeguard both airports and communities from inappropriate off-airport developments that could threaten public safety and the future viability of aviation operations; these would include working with the jurisdictions on national land-use planning regimes near airports.103 Key multi-jurisdictional bodies and government agencies are:  Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). CASA is an independent statutory authority established in 1995 under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 to regulate aviation safety in Australia and the safety of Australian aircraft overseas.  Airservices Australia (Australian Government). Airservices Australia is the monopoly provider of air traffic management and fire fighting services at Australia’s major civil airports.  Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government (DITRDLG) (Australian Government). The Department has a policy advisory role in aviation and provides advice to the Australian Government. The Department also has a role in leading the developing and publishing of air traffic policy directions to give effect to the Government’s decisions, as well as leading and coordinating the implementation review processes.

Transport 3.2.3

Sector trends Increasing passenger movements and air freight volumes The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport, and Regional Economics predicts that passenger movements through all airports will increase by 4% per annum over the next 20 years resulting in a doubling of passenger movements over the period. Canberra Airport’s 2009 Master Plan stated that passenger movements are projected to increase by 4.2% per annum to almost 7.25 million passengers by 2029/30.104 The Master Plan also contains projections for an upper level scenario which would see overflow traffic from a congested Sydney Airport, and a lower level scenario for more modest growth. Table 3.2 displays these projected figures. Table 3.2: Passenger projections for Canberra Airport105 Projections

2007/08 (actual)

2011/12

2016/17

2021/22

2027/28

2029/30

Low Range

2,850,016

3,215,348

3,893,191

4,713,933

5,930,301

6,401,885

Mid Range

High Range

Domestic/regional International

94,349

146,765

213,158

279,552

305,996

Total

2,850,016

3,309,697

4,039,956

4,927,092

6,209,853

6,707,881

Domestic/regional

2,850,016

3,271,455

4,018,645

4,936,489

6,318,653

6,860,566

117,936

183,456

266,448

349,440

382,495

Total

2,850,016

3,389,391

4,202,101

5,202,937

6,668,093

7,243,061

Domestic/regional

2,850,016

3,386,120

4,280,641

5,411,469

7,461,566

8,304,910

International

International Total

153,317

238,493

346,382

454,272

497,244

2,850,016

3,539,437

4,519,134

5,757,852

7,915,838

8,802,154

By 2011/12, Canberra Airport expects to receive direct international passenger services. In preparation, the airport is building a dedicated international facility as part of the new terminal building currently under construction.106 Canberra Airport expects direct international passenger flights to operate to and from New Zealand and an Asian destination (such as Hong Kong and/or Singapore) in the short-term.107 Freight movements at Canberra Airport are also expected to grow significantly as seen in Table 3.3. Table 3.3: Projected growth in freight aircraft movements and associated truck movements (flights per weeknight)108 Timeframe

Jet aircraft

Turboprop/piston aircraft

Additional trucks (incl. aviation fuel)

Current

5 years

20 years

To accommodate this growth, Canberra Airport is increasing its infrastructure investment. This investment includes a new integrated domestic and international terminal and runway, apron and taxiway upgrades, and improvements to the Airport’s aircraft navigation aids.109 The airport’s Master Plan identifies a range of developments as shown in Figure 3.1. Curfew restrictions on Sydney Airport are expected to result in opportunities to expand the air freight operations of Canberra Airport, in particular through Australia’s overnight express airfreight market. The Canberra Airport expects the commencement of an overnight express freight hub at the airport, which will require further infrastructure development to cope with the increased volumes.

Airports Figure 3.1: The possible future runway and taxiway developments, navigation aids and lighting110

Ongoing conflicts between on-airport development and off-airport land-use planning The ACT Government has no control over land-use planning decisions on the Commonwealthleased Canberra Airport. This has led to on-airport developments that do not mesh with local development and infrastructure plans. The problem arises because the Airports Act 1996, which applies to Canberra Airport, diminishes the ability of the ACT Government to ensure that airport development conforms to broader planning strategies. Specifically, the Act results in airport development plans to be exempt from Territory planning legislation. It only requires the airport owners to involve the ACT Government in airport 37

Transport planning by seeking comments on draft master plans on a five-yearly cycle. This problem is well recognised and resulted in the undermining of the Territory’s land-use policy to concentrate development in activity centres, and freight and logistics precincts. An example of incompatible development has been the commercial developments at Brindabella Business Park, Majura Park and Fairbairn. The developments have attracted a significant amount of non-aviation traffic to the airport and this has created congestion. While the airport commercial development itself is to a very high standard, it is inconsistent with the ACT and Australian Government’s objectives on sustainable transport. Specifically, by locating a major business centre at the airport, workers are required to travel there from distant residential areas. The cost of this is estimated to be $25 million per year. Had the same commercial buildings been built in Gungahlin, then some 60% of people working in these buildings would have probably been residents from within the area.111 Ongoing conflicts between residential development and future on-airport operations The ACT Government has a long-held policy of restricting residential development under the airport’s flight paths. The reason for this is concern that the residents would demand noise-sharing adjustments at some point in the future, or require restrictions on the airport’s hours of operation. Consequently, the ACT Government has resisted proposed developments at Tralee, Environa and The Poplars in Queanbeyan. The Australian Government has also expressed its opposition to the proposed development and has written to the NSW Government requesting that it not proceed. At the time of writing, the Tralee development has not been rejected by the NSW Government, which has planning authority over the land concerned, notwithstanding strong representations from the Australian and ACT Governments, Canberra Airport and the aviation industry. Major airports becoming Airport Cities A global trend is for major airports to become major business areas that integrate air facilities with business, industrial and commercial developments. This builds on the historical concept that key transport nodes (such as coastal and river ports and railway towns) have become major commercial centres. In the ACT, this is occurring at Canberra Airport where commercial and retail developments have been constructed at Brindabella Business Park, Majura Park and Fairbairn. Airports are no longer just a key piece of transport infrastructure; they are becoming destinations in their own right and are becoming Airport Cities. The challenge for airports include:  Simultaneously meeting both the growing demand for air passengers and freight, and the demand for non-aeronautical functions due to commercial and retail developments  Ensuring that they have sufficient on-airport infrastructure to meet demand  Ensuring that there is sufficient off-airport infrastructure to allow transport to and from airports to operate efficiently  Preventing or minimising inappropriate creep of residential developments towards the airport boundary, which could compromise the operations of the airport  Minimising noise and other environmental complaints from air and road movements by those living close to the airport.

3.3

Performance

3.3.1

Airport capacity By the end of the 2000s, infrastructure at Canberra Airport, including the General Aviation112 area, was reaching capacity. However, the current expansion of the terminals and the General Aviation area will provide adequate capacity for the medium term according to the Capital Airport Group. The roads around the airport have been congested and inadequate but with the recent road expansion, the problems are being resolved, with significant additional capacity provided to meet

Airports future growth. There is concern that the road network may not be optimal in terms of car flow circulation, exit location and swept paths (the area required for turning). In the long-term, the airport may require an additional runway. This may require a parallel northsouth runway to the east of Fairbairn. Land for this would have to be obtained from the Department of Defence and other owners. If this occurs, the ACT Government wants the planning responsibility for such land to rest with the Territory and be subject to its planning regime.113 3.3.2

Airport safety Table 3.4 provides details on air accidents and fatal accident statistics for the ACT 1999/2009. Table 3.4: Non–fatal and fatal accidents in ACT, 1999 to 31 March 2009114 ACT

3.3.3

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Total

Non–fatal Accidents

Fatal accidents

Fatalities

On-time arrivals Canberra Airport is monitored for punctuality and reliability by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics. Its results are listed in Table 3.5.115 Table 3.5: On-time arrivals and departures for 2008/2009116 Airport Canberra

Percentage On-time Arrivals 83.1%

Percentage On-time Departures 86.5%

To put these figures in perspective, in 2009, Townsville Airport (Qld) recorded the highest percentage of on-time departures (87.9%), while Ballina (NSW) recorded the lowest (66.3%). Newman Airport (WA) recorded the highest percentage of on-time arrivals (90.8%), while Wagga Wagga Airport (NSW) recorded the lowest (66.2%).117 3.3.4

Security Following the terrorist incidents on 11 September 2001, the Australian Government introduced additional security requirements, notably through the Aviation Transport Security Act 2004 and the Aviation Transport Security Regulations 2005, at Australian airports including:  Increased Australian Federal Police presence at airports  100% checked bag screening for all international flights  Screening of all domestic checked bags at major airportsb  Limiting liquids, aerosols and gels on international flights.118 While security requirements are determined by the Australian Government, airports have the ability to enhance their operational effectiveness via coordination with police, security operators and airlines. The additional security measures, notably the requirement of 100% checked bag screening, contributed to the increase in airports’ costs during 2004/05. Costs incurred included the equipment to screen passengers and checked baggage, and the installation of overt and covert closed-circuit television security cameras.119

Came into effect in 2006.

Transport Future security priorities of airports will be to:  Extend security along the supply chain to address the security risk of freight  Expand the counter-terrorism focus of security measures to address other forms of criminal behaviour at airports. 3.3.5

Environmental sustainability Commonwealth-leased airports are required to prepare and maintain an Airport Environment Strategy (AES) that is reviewed and updated every five years. The main intent of an AES is to demonstrate to the Australian Government, key stakeholders and the surrounding community how an airport will manage environmental issues at the airport for that five-year cycle. The Act requires that an airport undertake consultation with key stakeholders and the community prior to submission of the AES to the Government. Environmental issues on the leased airports are administered principally by Commonwealth legislation, namely the Airports Act 1996, the Airport (Environment Protection) Regulations 1997, the Airport (Building Control) Regulations 1997 and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. The Airport Building Controller (ABC) and the Airport Environment Officer (AEO) are the on-site regulatory representatives for the Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government (DITRDLG) who administer the Airports Act 1996 and Regulations on behalf of the Australian Government. The Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts administers the EPBC Act and also provides comment to DITRDLG on Master Plans, Environment Strategies and Major Development Plans. The larger airports, by their very nature of operations, produce noise and hydrocarbons from aircraft. As such, the implementation of various elements of the environment strategy is important in displaying a proactive approach to manage the impact on the environment. The AES prepared for Canberra Airport commits to:  Reducing energy consumption per capita by investigating and implementing energy reduction technology, such as tri-generation plants and use of solar technologies  Monitoring greenhouse gas emissions  Implementing the Canberra Airport Water Management Plan, including compliance with local water restrictions  Ongoing review of procedures to ensure that upgrades and construction mitigate the impact on threatened species and the environment.120 Greenhouse gas mitigation Civil aviation accounts for about 2% of global emissions and this is expected to rise due to growth in the aviation sector. Ways to reduce emissions include improving aircraft fuel efficiency and air traffic management such as continuous descent approaches. A challenge for the airport sector will be the impact of carbon reduction policies. If they result in subsidies for alternative modes of travel (e.g. fuel credit for heavy on-road transport businesses), there is a risk that the exclusion of the aviation industry from comparable assistance may have the effect of creating a structural competitive distortion in the market for passenger travel and freight. Canberra Airport’s policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions includes (but is not limited to):  Adopting the Green Building Council’s Green Star principles and designing new buildings to National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) standards required by the Australian Government  Implementing Tri-generation plants in the new office precincts and in the new terminal, which will dramatically reduce energy use, carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions; the plants

Airports are powered by natural gas, and excess heat is captured to heat the buildings in winter and cool them in summer. Noise Existing planning restrictions underneath the main north-south flight path of the airport currently prevent aircraft noise becoming an issue for residents of Canberra and the surrounding area. Canberra Airport has committed to opposing proposals supported by the Queanbeyan City Council and the NSW Government to build homes under these flight paths that may risk the introduction of noise sharing over Canberra and Queanbeyan and future Airport operations.121 Canberra Airport has also worked with the aviation industry and the community to implement a range of noise abatement measures that concentrate aircraft in a north-south rural corridor and prevent significant aircraft noise disturbance. The Airport’s Master Plan outlines a range of additional measures proposed to further reduce the impact of aircraft noise on the community. 122

3.4

Future challenges The challenges in achieving improvements in airport infrastructure are:  Aligning on-airport development with local land-use plans. Past development at Canberra Airport has led to on-airport retail and commercial development that has caused significant problems for commuters, off-airport businesses and airport users. The cause of this is outside the ACT Government’s control and will require Australian Government intervention to prevent it from occurring in the future. The ACT Government believes that Canberra Airport should develop a funding mechanism by which the airport can contribute to the cost of upgrading and maintaining infrastructure associated with the growth of the airport. The ACT Government also believes that Canberra Airport should provide a clearer picture of future airport developments to enable greater synchronisation with off-airport infrastructure upgrades.123  Protecting the curfew-free status of Canberra Airport and preventing residential development under flight paths. To maximise the benefit of the airport for society, it is important that the airport minimises its impact on residents under flight paths. The best way to do this is to prevent development under the paths.  Operating in foggy weather. There are an average of 44 fogs per year in Canberra with typically 36 fogs occurring between April and September. However, the average disruption time to aircraft movements has been less than one hour per fog event according to the Capital Airport Group. While Canberra Airport’s Instrument Landing System (ILS) allows aircraft to land where the pilot can see the runway lighting down to 200 feet, in times of thick fog, landing is not possible. Installation of Category 2 ILS (planned for 2011/12) and GPS navigation aids would allow suitably equipped aircraft to land and depart in most foggy conditions, according to the Capital Airport Group.124 This means that disruptions due to fog will continue for some time.  Ensuring that the prime purpose of the airport continues without compromise. The Canberra Airport is a vital piece of infrastructure. While the secondary uses of land at the airport have been of benefit to the community and the airport owners, these uses should not prevent the provision of air services. This means ensuring that there is suitable space for further airport expansion, and ensuring that structures do not adversely affect the wind environment at the airport.  Maintaining general aviation. The Canberra Airport provides the Territory’s only General Aviation location. The Master Plan is committed to ‘maintaining a vibrant General Aviation sector’ but notes that the growth in regular passenger and freight services means that General Aviation may be relocated from the Pialligo precinct to Fairbairn or the Glenora precinct during the life of the Master Plan.125 The commercial and operational realities at the Canberra Airport, such as the Australian Government-imposed aviation security requirements, mean that General Aviation is becoming more difficult. This is reflected in the closure in early 2010 of the last flying school based at the Canberra Airport. General Aviation should be provided at another site in the ACT region if a better location than Canberra Airport can be identified. 41

Transport

3.5

Report Card rating Infrastructure Type Airports

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

B-

Based on considerations of planning, funding, and infrastructure capacity and condition, the ACT’s airport infrastructure has been rated B-. This rating recognises that the capacity and quality of the airport has improved as there has been significant development, much of which is not related to the core purpose of the airport. However, there is a range of issues that remain to be addressed, notably operations during fog, and land planning issues. Positives that have contributed to the rating are:  The extension and re-strengthening of the main runway at Canberra Airport in 2006  The commencement of the construction of the new terminal  Incremental improvements in road access and carparks  High quality business and retail buildings. Negatives that have contributed to the rating are:  Failure to align on-airport development with local land-use plans  Commercial on-airport development that constrains the prime purpose of the airport  Ongoing uncertainty about residential development under flight paths  Inability to operate during fog  Decline in General Aviation in the ACT.

WATER Integrated water cycle policy and practice The ACT has been experiencing drought or severe water stress for much of the last decade. This has forced the ACT Government to implement water restrictions, conservation measures and supply augmentation projects. The crisis has also accelerated the need to manage all water resources in an integrated manner. Water resources consist of water supply (e.g. rainfall, inflows, groundwater), wastewater, recycled water and stormwater. An integrated approach optimises water resources by using each class of water for its highest value, such as reservoir water for potable use and stormwater for urban irrigation. An integrated approach also increases supply diversity so that an area is not reliant on just one source of water for all its needs. In the ACT, an integrated and diverse approach has been adopted in the Territory’s water resource strategy Think water, act water: A strategy for sustainable water resource management in the ACT (2004). The table below lists the ACT’s key water policies and documents. Policies and strategies

Description

Think water, act water: A strategy for sustainable water resource management in the ACT (2004)

The strategy defined actions to achieve sustainability objectives for water use in the ACT to 2050, including to: Increase the efficiency of water usage in the ACT Provide a long-term, reliable source of water for the ACT and region Develop a cross-border (ACT–New South Wales) water supply agreement Protect the water quality of the ACT and surrounds Incorporate water sensitive urban design principles into urban, commercial and industrial development Promote and provide for community involvement in the management of ACT water resources. It takes a catchment perspective and focuses on the integration of stormwater, water supply and wastewater elements to address key targets that include: Reducing per capita use of potable water by 12% by 2013, and 25% by 2023 Increasing wastewater reuse from 5% to 20% by 2013 Ensuring that the level of nutrients and sediments entering ACT waterways is no greater than from a well-managed rural landscape Reducing the intensity and volume of urban stormwater flows to pre-development equivalents.

Bush Capital Legacy: Plan For Managing The Natural Resources of the ACT (2009)

This plan proposes 16 intermediate (by 2015) and long-term (by 2030) targets for managing the ACT’s natural resources. It is a revision of the first plan published in 2004. The water supply catchment targets are: Revegetation and better road management in the lower Cotter to stabilise sediment movement to streams in the lower Cotter catchment at below pre-bushfire levels (2015) Ensuring that there is sufficient water so that water restrictions are limited to once in every 20 years or less (2015) The excellent condition of all ACT water supply catchments providing resilience to loss of water quality in parts of the catchment due to periodic bushfires or other periodic disturbance (2030). The water use targets are: To achieve a reduction in per capita potable water use from 174kL (2003) to 153kL (2015) To ensure that 20% of all water used is supplied from recycled water, stormwater and

Water Policies and strategies

Description rainwater (2015) To ensure that the total net water used remains within the Cap agreed by the Murray Darling Basin Ministerial Council (2015) To reach a stabilised per capita annual potable water use of 130kL (2030).

In 2010, a progress report of Think Water, Act Water is expected be released. This revision will lead to a revision in the ACT’s water strategy.126 The integrated approach to water resource management is also seen in the fact that projects involving all water classes have been considered to address water shortages. The table below lists the range of water augmentation projects that have been considered by ACTEW over the last five years.127 Option

Description

Enlarged Cotter Dam

Enlarging the existing Cotter Dam with a new dam wall

Coree Dam

New dam on the Cotter River upstream of the Cotter Dam

Tennent Dam

New dam on the Gudgenby River near Mt Tennent

Riverlea Dam

New dam on Paddy’s River near Black Hill

Welcome Reef Dam

New dam on the Upper Shoalhaven River – shared with Sydney

Carwoola Dam

New dam on the Molonglo River near the Kings Highway in NSW

Enlarging existing dams

Enlarging Bendora, Corin and Googong Dams

Water purification

Treating water from the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre to drinking standard and reintroducing it into the water supply network

Tantangara

Accessing water from Tantangara Dam in the Snowy Mountains

Murrumbidgee River

Extracting and treating water from the Murrumbidgee River

Sea water

Desalination of sea water and pumping from the coast to the ACT

‘Fuse Plugs’

Involves raising the spillway levels on existing dams with a collapsible plug

Groundwater

Accessing ground water from aquifers within the ACT

Stormwater reuse

Reusing urban stormwater runoff

Accelerated demand management

Encouraging more efficient use of water

Water mining

Accessing and treating water from local sewers for irrigation

Cloud seeding

Technology to facilitate greater precipitation

Grey water use

Treatment and use of household used water

Rainwater tanks

On-block installation of tanks for household use

Effluent reuse

Large-scale reuse of effluent for irrigation

The total water flows in the ACT are modelled in the diagram below.128 While the inflow volumes have reduced substantially since the year 2000, the year on which the diagram is based, the relative relationship between the components remains accurate.

Water

The ACT’s Murray Darling Basin Water Cap is a key constraint on water available to the ACT. This is an agreement between the ACT Government and the Murray Darling Basin Ministerial Council determining the total amount of water that the ACT is allowed to use or divert from the Murray Darling Basin. It specifies that a net 40GL of water per year can be taken. The net calculation is the difference between the consumption volume and what is returned to the Murrumbidgee River through treated sewage and stormwater. The cap will be reviewed after 2011.129 Within the ACT, the Water Resources Act 2007 controls how water from the ACT’s water bodies, including surface water and groundwater, can be used. It provides a framework for the sustainable management of the Territory’s water resources. It aims to:  Ensure that management and use of the water resources of the Territory sustain the physical, economic and social wellbeing of the people of the ACT, while protecting the ecosystems that depend on those resources  Protect aquatic ecosystems and aquifers from damage and, where practicable, to reverse damage that has already happened  Ensure that the water resources are able to meet the reasonably foreseeable needs of future generations.130 Key documents relating to the Water Resources Act are listed below. Supporting documents and agreements

Description

Water sharing plans

The Water Sharing Plan identifies, for each Water Management Area in the ACT, how much water is required to maintain river systems and associated ecosystems and how much is available for entitlements for off-stream use.

Environmental Flow Guidelines (2006)

The Guidelines are a disallowable instrument under the Water Resources Act 2007 that set out the environmental flow requirements needed to maintain aquatic ecosystems. These guidelines replace the 1999 ones and have revised down the water required to maintain aquatic ecosystems. They also now identify specific ecological objectives for environmental flows, and formally acknowledge that environmental flows cannot be stopped completely during a drought because this would cause long-term or permanent damage to aquatic ecosystems.131

Water

Potable water

4.1

Summary Infrastructure Type Potable water

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

B-

This rating recognises the good quality of the water reticulation system, and that significant planning has occurred resulting in several major water security projects being initiated. The rating also recognises the advances made in water demand management. However, given the uncertainty of rainfall and the ACT’s growing population, further augmentation to water supply and improved demand reduction measures may be required to prevent water shortages in the medium to long-term. Since the last Report Card, the major potable water developments have been:  A significant reduction in rainfall and reservoir inflows  Introduction of permanent water conservation measures and sequent variation of water restrictions  Consistently low levels in catchment reservoirs  Implementation of a number of water augmentation projects  A significant increase in the cost of water for consumers. Recently completed and in-progress major infrastructure projects include:  Reinstating the Cotter Dam  Building the Murrumbidgee Pump Station to supply water from the Murrumbidgee River to the Cotter Pump Station  Increasing the capacity and installing ultraviolet treatment at the Mt Stromlo Water Treatment Plant  Increasing the capacity at the Googong Water Treatment Plant  Constructing the Enlarged Cotter Dam  Murrumbidgee to Googong Transfer scheme  Upgrading the Googong Dam Spillway to repair eroded rock sections and extend the spillway’s retaining walls to provide better flood protection132  Constructing three new urban service reservoirs and associated trunk mains and pump stations to support the new suburbs in Gungahlin.133 Challenges to improving potable water infrastructure include:  Meeting water supply and demand  Assessing the practicalities of removing water restrictions permanently  Understanding and managing climate change impacts on water  Handling a wider range of raw water qualities at the Water Treatment Plants  Protecting the quality of catchments. This section does not address the use of wastewater or stormwater for indirect potable use or substitution of non-potable water, as these issues are discussed in the Wastewater section and the Stormwater section respectively.

Water

4.2

Infrastructure overview

4.2.1

System description The ACT’s potable water infrastructure comprises:  Water Management Areas (five Water Management Areas in the ACT)  Raw water sources (Cotter, Corin, Bendora and Googong catchment reservoirs, and the Murrumbidgee River)  Service reservoirs (45)  Treatment facilities (two)  Reticulated water network (3,059km of water main).134 The ACT draws its water supply from three of the Territory’s 14 Water Management Areas (WMAs), comprised of catchments and sub-catchments.135 They are:  Cotter WMA. Formerly referred to as the Corin, Bendora and Lower Cotter sub-catchments. It covers a total of 480km2.  Googong WMA. Formerly referred to as the Tinderry, Googong and Burra sub-catchments. It covers a total of 873km2.  Upper Murrumbidgee WMA. Formerly referred to as the Michelago, Tharwa, Kambah, Guise’s and Tennent sub-catchments. This WMA is fed by the Naas, Gudgenby and Paddy’s WMAs plus areas further upstream along the Murrumbidgee River including the Tantangara Dam. The entire Murrumbidgee River catchment covers a total of 6,826km2. Figure 4.1 shows the ACT’s catchments and dams. The Cotter WMA lies wholly within the ACT and delineates its western border. The establishment of the Federal Capital Territory in 1911 ensured that the Cotter catchments were contained within the Territory so that the national capital would have complete control over key water catchments.c This was because water issues were prominent at that time due to the ongoing massive drought (1897 to 1902) and uncertainty over the allocation of the waters from the Murray River.136 To further enhance water security, in 1909137 the Commonwealth was granted the rights to the waters of the Molonglo and Queanbeyan Rivers for the purposes of water supply. The water in the Cotter WMA flows feeds three dams. These have traditionally supplied between 90% and 95% of the ACT’s water.138 The WMA is protected from recreational and agricultural activities, resulting in its water normally being of a high quality and requiring very little treatment before being supplied to the ACT population. The Cotter Dam was the ACT’s first dam. It was constructed in 1912 and its height was increased in 1951 to supply Canberra’s growing population. In the 1950s it became apparent that the Cotter Dam was inadequate in size to guarantee a reliable water supply for Canberra. Consequently, the Bendora Dam was built upstream on the Cotter River in 1961. This dam not only holds twice as much water as the Cotter Dam but it is also at a much higher elevation.d This additional height makes it possible to transport the water via a gravity pipeline to Mt Stromlo rather than expensive pumping as is required for water from the Cotter Dam. In 1967, the 20km Bendora gravity main was built. Following this, extractions from the Cotter Dam declined and were only used following a loss of supply from the Bendora or Googong Dams, drought, or during periods of unusually high peak demand.

The Cotter, Gudgenby, Naas and Paddy’s catchments also lie wholly within the Territory. ACT Chief Minister’s Department, 2007, ACT Infrastructure: Five-Yearly Report to the Council of Australian Governments, p. 28. d The Cotter Dam is at 500.69 metres AHD while the Bendora Dam is at 778.2 metres AHD. Southern ACT Catchment Group Inc, Catchment Management Strategy, http://sactcg.org.au/files/Pages26-35.pdf, accessed 4 January 2010.

Potable water Figure 4.1: The ACTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water management areas and dams139

The third dam on the Cotter River, the Corin Dam, was built in 1967. The Corin Dam can store nearly seven times as much water as the Bendora Dam. Water released from the Corin Dam flows into the Cotter River and is captured by the Bendora Dam. Water released from the Cotter Dam flows into the Murrumbidgee River. ACTEW Corporation Ltd (ACTEW) does not deliberately release water beyond the environmental flow requirements except in rare circumstances.140 In 2004, as a result of the drought in the early 2000s, ACTEW brought the Cotter Dam back into service. This required pumps at the Cotter Pump Station to be recommissioned.141 The restoration of the Cotter Dam made available an extra 11GL or about 5% of the ACTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s storage capacity from 2005 to 2007 when the water supply was severely diminished.142 Since May 2007, water has been extracted from the Murrumbidgee River near the Cotter River.143 This required the construction of two Murrumbidgee Pump Stations, the second being completed in 2009. Combined, these stations can pump up to 130ML/day from the Murrumbidgee River, flow

Water permitting, to the Cotter Pump Station and then on to the Mt Stromlo Water Treatment Plant.e As the water from the Murrumbidgee River is of much poorer in quality than that extracted from the Bendora Reservoir, it requires additional water treatment to make it suitable for potable uses. The reason for the poorer water quality is that the Murrumbidgee River area is not a protected catchment and thus receives runoff from agricultural, industrial and urban sources. The catchment includes the towns of Cooma, Numeralla and Bredbo, and the Tuggeranong urban area.144 The river also carries recycled water from areas such as Cooma.f Water can be extracted from both the Cotter Dam and the Murrumbidgee River near the Cotter River, and transferred to the Googong Reservoir. Called the Cotter Googong Bulk Transfer (CGBT) scheme, the water is transported via Mt Stromlo using the existing mains reticulation network. The CGBT scheme prevents the loss of water that would otherwise be spilled from the Cotter Dam during heavy storms, and increases the water volume at the Googong Reservoir. The CGBT scheme can transfer up to 12GL per year.145 The Googong Reservoir is the largest reservoir supplying the ACT. It was built in 1979 when it became apparent that the Cotter WMA dams would be inadequate to service the region’s growing population. Googong Reservoir has two major limitations in preventing it from being the ACT’s preferred water source. Firstly, it has the least reliable rainfall, meaning that it cannot be relied upon to supply the same amount of water each year.146 Inflows into the Googong Reservoir have decreased by about 84% between 2000 and 2009.147 Secondly, the Googong WMA is not protected, meaning that its water supply can suffer quality problems. The WMA receives high levels of nutrient runoff from rural residential and agricultural land, and this, coupled with drought and warmer weather, can lead to blue-green algae blooms. In September 2008, the ACT Government completed negotiations with the Australian and NSW Governments over the ownership of the Googong Dam. ACTEW has now been granted a 150-year lease of the dam and associated facilities.148 The water supplied from the Googong Reservoir costs more to produce than Bendora water due to the additional pumping costs associated with Googong’s water.149 Consequently, the Cotter WMA is the primary source of water for Canberra. However, following the drought and the bushfires in January 2003 that caused major turbidity problems in the Cotter WMA, Googong has been used extensively.150 The characteristics of dams supplying water to the ACT are detailed in Table 4.1. Table 4.1: Dam characteristics151 Dam

Capacity

Type

Constructed

Cotter

3.86GL (but will be 78GL following the completion of the Enlarged Cotter Dam)

Mass concrete (gravity)

1915, expanded in 1951, currently being further expanded

Bendora

11.5GL

Double arch concrete

1961

Corin

70.9GL

Earth and rock fill

1967

Googong

121.1GL

Earth and rock fill

1979

Total

207.4GL (281.5GL following the completion of the Enlarged Cotter Dam)

The ACT’s water supply network is illustrated in Figure 4.2.

Additional pipework and recommissioning pumps at the Cotter Pump Station were required for this project. ACTEW, 2007, Water Security for the ACT and Region: Recommendations to ACT Government, p. iv. f Cooma’s Glen Wastewater Treatment Facility releases water into the Cooma Creek which runs into the Numeralla River and then into the Murrumbidgee River. However, very little of the wastewater is likely to reach the Murrumbidgee River due to the high level of river extraction, except following storm events.

Potable water Figure 4.2: ACT water supply network152

The ACT’s water supply is treated at two water treatment plants:  Mt Stromlo Water Treatment Plant (Mt Stromlo WTP)  Googong Water Treatment Plant (Googong WTP). The Mt Stromlo WTP was built in 1967 to provide treatment during the construction of Corin Dam, and prior to this there was no need to treat Canberra’s water due to its natural high quality. Following the 2003 bushfires when the water in the entire Cotter WMA deteriorated, a new $40 million filtration system was built in the summer of 2004/05 to treat the water to acceptable drinking water standards. The new plant can treat up to 250ML/day.153 In 2007, ultraviolet disinfection was added as an additional disinfection process to treat the poorer quality Murrumbidgee River water that had come into use.154 Wastewater is produced at the plant by backwashing the filters, or floating off the sludge created during the treatment process. The wastewater is recycled and the sludge de-watered using a centrifuge and the cake shipped to landfill.155 The Googong WTP was commissioned in 1979. Due to its location above the dam, water from the dam has to be pumped to the WTP. The capacity of the original (Stage 1) WTP was 180ML/day. Following the 2003 bushfires, the Googong WTP was expanded to treat 270ML/day (Stage 2).156 The water from the WTPs is carried by gravity-fed bulk mainsg to 45 service reservoirs. These reservoirs can store up to 903ML.157 The reservoirs are of two types – excavated and concrete lined; or above ground, circular, made with either concrete or steel. All reservoirs are roofed, which prevents contamination from birds, animals and wind-borne debris.158 Reservoirs are emptied, cleaned and inspected internally every three to five years.159 There are 23 water pump stations that pump water from lower to higher level service reservoirs.160 From the service reservoirs, water is carried by gravity through a network of distribution mainsh and reticulation mains to the consumer. The reticulation system is divided into pressure zones, with each zone served from one or more local service reservoirs.161 Canberra’s water supply system comprises over 3,000km of pipes ranging from 65mm to 1,725mm in diameter.162 There are some 27,500 hydrants and 15,600 stop valves on these mains.163 Canberra’s reticulated water supply started around 1915 and some mains laid at that time are still in operation. As seen in Figure 4.3, the majority of the network was laid after the 1950s, meaning that the average age of the network is young compared to other capital cities.164

Bulk supply mains pipes carry water from the water treatment plants to the reservoirs. The diameter of bulk supply mains range from 100mm to 1500mm. http://www.actewagl.com.au/education/water/UrbanWaterCycle/SupplyMains.aspx. h Distribution mains transport water from the service reservoirs around the streets. Their diameter ranges from 600mm to 1,000mm. They are usually made from cast iron with a cement lining or cement-lined steel, although some are made of plastic. ActewAGL, Distribution mains webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/Education/water/UrbanWaterCycle/Distribution.aspx, accessed 4 January 2010.

Water Figure 4.3: Growth in length of Canberra’s distribution and reticulation mains165

The recent growth in the reticulation water supply network is detailed in Table 4.2. Table 4.2: Characteristics of the ACT reticulation water supply network (to July of the year)166 2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009**

No. of reservoirs (excludes treatment plant or recycled water reservoirs) No. of pump stations

Length of mains (km)

2,964

2,985

3,013

3,057

3,007*

2,980*

23 3,059

*Length of mains reduced through improvement in data quality collection. **Additional Gungahlin reservoirs were commissioned in the second half of 2009.

ACT’s water consumption Population growth has a direct impact on water consumption. As identified in the Overview chapter, the ACT’s population is estimated to increase from 345,000 in 2007 to 643,600 (86% increase) in 2051 under high growth assumptions, or 495,000 (43% increase) under low growth assumptions. Table 4.3 shows the ACT’s water consumption statistics over the last decade. Table 4.3: ACT water consumption167 2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Total consumption (ML)

57,929

62,834

65,904

65,657

52,262

51,719

54,340

51,060

43,556

44,955

Consumption per person per year (KL)

176

186

194

206

156

144

149

136

115

116

Consumption per person per day (L)

482

510

532

564

427

394

408

373

315

318

Summer consumption is significantly higher than winter due to increased garden irrigation in summer.168

Potable water Water costs Water prices in the ACT are made up of three components:  Water tariff charged by ACTEW  Water Abstraction Charge (WAC) levied by the ACT Government  Network Facilities Charge (NFT) levied by the ACT Government. The water tariffs are set by the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) every four or five years. This is done through an inquiry into the provision of water services and balancing the competing interests of the water service provider and the consumers. The tariffs are designed to enable the recovery of the costs of providing the service, deliver a reasonable rate of return on past investment, and ensure that new investments can be undertaken. The tariff does not reflect the scarcity value of water, nor does it include costs incurred by the ACT Government to manage water conservation in the Territory.169 The WAC is a statutory charge applied to those licensed to extract water. ACTEW is the only holder of an urban water licence and pays the ACT Government this charge, passing it on to the consumers. The WAC is intended to represent the sustainable price for water. It has five components:  Water supply. This is the cost of catchment maintenance.  Scarcity. This is the value associated with the consumption of water preventing its alternative use for other economically valuable purposes.  Environmental. This cost relates to the effect on the environment of the flow of water downstream, including the effect of storing water in dams.170  Return on investment. This cost represents the profit the government receives for its assets.  Demand management control. This cost provides a price signal to consumers. Until July 2008, the ACT Water Abstraction Charge (WAC) was calculated on the basis of metered water consumption by water end users. The liability on ACTEW for the WAC was simply the amount collected by directly passing through the per kL WAC on customer bills. From July 2008 onwards, ACTEW’s WAC liability has been calculated on water abstracted from storage. It was included in ACTEW’s forecast costs at the rate of 51c per kilolitre on expected water abstraction and therefore implicitly forms part of ACTEW’s general water prices. For 2010/11, the implicit customer impact is approximately 63c/kL. This exceeds 51c/kL due to unmetered water use and system losses. The NFT, imposed since 2007, is a tax on that part of the water and other utility networks in the ACT that is not fixed to land subject to a lease, a licence granted by the Territory or any right prescribed by regulation.171 It is calculated by multiplying the linear route length of the network by $697.172 The ACT Government bills ACTEW for this tax, which passes it on to consumers. From 2008, this cost was incorporated into water charges. The current (2010/11) rate is $722 per infrastructure km. This equates to approximately 9c/kL on a customer’s bill. Table 4.4 shows the water prices in the ACT. Table 4.4: ACT water prices173 Prices – 2004/05 to 2007/08

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

Prices – 2008/09 to 2012/13

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11 to 2012/13

Fixed $/pa

75.00

Fixed $/pa

85.00

89.55

CPI + 1%

Tier 1 (0–100kL) $/kL

0.515

0.58

0.66

0.775

Tier 1 (0– 200kL)

1.85

1.95

CPI + 1%

Tier 2 (101–300kL) $/kL

1.00

1.135

1.29

1.67

Tier 2 (201 kL+)

3.70

3.90

CPI + 1%

Tier 3 (301kL+) $/kL

1.35

1.53

1.74

2.57

WAC ($/kL)

0.25

0.55

NFT ($/kL)

Included in general prices above

0.9

Water The significant price jump between 2007/08 and 2008/09 followed the ICRC’s price determination. It stated that the increase was caused by the following factors:  A tripling in ACTEW’s capital program from $169 million in the current (four-year) regulatory period to $518 million in the forthcoming (five-year) regulatory period  An increase in the cost of capital from 7.0% in the current period to 7.27% in the next regulatory period  An amount of almost $50 million in cost pass-throughs and revenue catch-ups flowing through from the current regulatory period.174 The combination of the increase in tariffs plus the WAC and NFT result in the ACT’s water charges being the highest of any major Australian city as shown in Figure 4.4.175 Figure 4.4: Annual water bill comparison (annual water consumption 250kL) for 2008/09176

Hunter Perth Adelaide Melbourne CWW Australian average* Sydney Brisbane *** ACTEW **

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

$ *Australian average is calculated from the average of all regional bills displayed on graph. **ACTEW prices include the water abstraction charge and UNFT. ***Includes South East Queensland surcharge.

The ACT’s water and wastewater asset owner and service provider ACTEW is responsible for the control, ownership and operation of water supply and sewerage systems within the ACT.177 It owns all water and wastewater infrastructure, and holds all the operational licences.i ACTEW is an ACT Government owned enterprise with its voting shareholders being the ACT Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister. It funds both the operational expenditure and the capital works program for its assets and is responsible for the strategic control of the water and wastewater assets.178 The key objective of ACTEW’s water supply system is to provide safe, potable, adequate, reliable, efficient and effective water supply facilities for the urban areas in the ACT in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner.179 ACTEW contracts ActewAGL Distribution to operate and maintain its water and sewerage networks. ActewAGL Distribution is a partnership owned equally by SPI (Australia) Assets Pty Ltd and ACTEW Corporation via their respective subsidiary companies Jemena Networks (ACT) Pty Ltd and ACTEW Distribution Ltd.180 ActewAGL Distribution is responsible for the management of billing, sales, planning, design and maintenance of the network.181

These include the Utility Services Licence under the Utilities Act 2000 which permits it to provide utility services; the Drinking Water Utilities Licence under the Public Health Act 1997 which permits it to operate as a drinking water utility; and the licence to extract water and release environmental flows under the Water Resources Act 2007.

Potable water The operational arrangements between ACTEW and ActewAGL are managed by the Utilities Management Agreement (UMA). This confidential document defines the roles and obligations of each party and the manner in which payments are made between ACTEW and ActewAGL. It defines how the capital expenditure program is agreed upon, implemented and paid for.182 It incorporates some 47 key performance indicators (KPIs).183 The UMA is managed through a series of plans, the key ones being:  Water Resources Management Plan. This plan defines the procedures of the development, approval, implementation and management of water catchment and water resources to meet consumptive requirements, environmental flow requirements and other requirements of the Water Resources Act.  Risk Management Plan. This plan ensures that processes are developed and implemented to assist with the identification, quantification and management of risks that pose, or may be likely to pose, a threat to the efficient management of the water business.  Asset Management Plan. This plan defines the asset management process for planning, development, operation and maintenance of the major infrastructure.184 4.2.2

Policy and governance Key legislation that governs the provision of water and wastewater services is listed in Figure 4.5. Figure 4.5: Legislations governing the supply of water and sewerage services to the ACT185 Water and Wastewater Services

Licensing Water Resources ACT 2007 Utilities Act 2000 Public Health Act 1997 Environmental Protection Act 1997 Regulators ICRC NSW EPA ACT Health ACTPLA Environment ACT

Operation ACT Water Sewerage Act 2000 ACT Emergency Management Act 1999 Utilities Act 2000 NSW Protection of Environment Operations Act Land Planning Land (Planning & Environment) Act 1991 Utilities Act 2000

Consumer Protection Utilities Act 2000 Trade Practices Act 1974 Public Health Act 1997

Supply Seat of Government Acceptance Act 1909 Canberra Water Supply (Googong Dam) Act 1974 Water Resources Act 1998

Asset Ownership ACT SelfGovernment Act 1988 Territory-Owned Corporations Act 1990 ACTEW/AGL Partnership Facilitation Act 2000 Environment Protection Land (Planning & Environment) Act 1991 Environment Protection Act 1997 Water Resources Act 1998 Territory-Owned Corporations Act 1990

Key multi-jurisdictional bodies and government agencies are:  The Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) (ACT Government). The ICRC is a statutory body set up to regulate prices, to establish access arrangement to water infrastructure for third parties, and other matters in relation to regulated industries, and to investigate competitive neutrality complaints and government-regulated activities. The Commission also has responsibility for licensing utility services and ensuring compliance with licence conditions.186  Department of the Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water (DECCEW) (ACT Government). DECCEW is the ACT Department responsible for setting policies and monitoring compliance of ACT’s wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure.  ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA). ACTPLA is the Technical Regulator defined under the Utilities Act.  National Water Commission (NWC) (Australian Government). The NWC is responsible for driving progress towards the sustainable management and use of Australia’s water resources

Water under its blueprint for water reform, the National Water Initiative. The Commission advises the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the Australian Government on national water issues and the progress of the National Water Initiative.  Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA). The MDBA is responsible for planning integrated management of the water resources of the Murray Darling Basin. 187 In 2008, the MDBA assumed responsibility for all of the functions of the former Murray Darling Basin Commission. Its key functions include:  Preparing the Basin Plan for approval by the Minister for Climate Change and Water, including setting sustainable limits on water that can be taken from surface and groundwater systems across the Basin (due in 2011)  Advising the Minister on the accreditation of State water resource plans  Developing a water rights information service which facilitates water trading across the Murray Darling Basin  Measuring and monitoring water resources in the Basin.188 These large number of bodies, Acts and regulations governing water management results in inconsistencies in standards, management and reporting requirements. 4.2.3

Sector trends Changing inflows and low water storage levels The long-term average, total inflow into the Corin, Bendora and Googong Reservoirs since 1928 is 206.3GL/year. Between 2000 and 2009 it has been just 71GL/year or 34%. In 2009, inflows were about 22% (45.6GL)189 of the long-term average as seen in Figure 4.6. Figure 4.6: Inflows into Corin, Bendora & Googong Reservoirs190

Inflow s into Corin, Bendora and Googong dams GL/yr

140 120

Average inflow s 20002009 is 71 GL/yr

100 80 60 40 20 0 2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Over the last 100 years, there has been considerable variation in inflows as illustrated in Figure 4.7.

Potable water Figure 4.7: Reservoir inflows since 1928191 1000 900

Total inflow s into Corin, Bendora and Googong dams GL/yr

800 700

600 500 400

Long term average 1928-2009 206.3 GL/yr

300

Average 2000-2009 71 GL/yr

200 100 0

2009

2006

2003

2000

1997

1994

1991

1988

1985

1982

1979

1976

1973

1970

1967

1964

1961

1958

1955

1952

1949

1946

1943

1940

1937

1934

1931

1928

There has been a number of years over the last 10 years when consumption has exceeded the yearly inflows. Consequently, the storage capacity has remained low as illustrated in Figure 4.8. Had water not been extracted from the Murrumbidgee River to reduce the need for supply from the four catchment reservoirs, storage levels would have been materially worse. Figure 4.8: Reservoir storage as a percentage of the combined capacity of Corin, Bendora, Cotter and Googong dams192

Ongoing bushfire impact The massive 2003 bushfires have significantly degraded the Cotter WMA with both short and longterm impacts on catchment hydrology. The short-term impacts included increased runoff due to vegetation loss, and reduced water quality due to nutrient mobilisation and soil erosion. The longterm impacts include reduced stream flow due to rapid vegetation growth as the area recovers.j In the original modelling of the impacts just after the fires, the reduction in runoff was predicted to peak at about 15% and occur some 17 years after the fire. However, the drought in the last few years has probably delayed the regrowth which, in turn, has increased the period of reduced j

The cause is increased evapotranspiration from rapid vegetation growth during the recovery phase. ActewAGL, 2009, 2009 Review of planning variables for water supply and demand assessment, p. 35.

Water stream flow reductions. The revised predictions of ACT severe bushfire yield reduction relationship are illustrated in Figure 4.9. Figure 4.9: Predicted ACT severe bushfire yield reduction relationship193

Ongoing conservation, demand management and restrictions Reducing water consumption has been a key strategy of the ACT Government to enhance water security. It aims to reduce water consumption by 12% by 2013 (compared to 2003 usage) and by 25% by 2023.194 The tools being used to reduce demand are:  Education and advertising, e.g. the WaterRight Gardens, a webtool that allows gardeners to develop watering schedules tailored to their garden  Water restrictions  Permanent water conservation measures  Effluent reuse  Stormwater harvesting  Rainwater tanks, e.g. the Rainwater Tank Rebate that is available for connecting rainwater tanks to plumbing inside the home, for use in toilets and washing machines  Grey water reuse  Water-efficient appliances and fittings, e.g. ToiletSmart that provides a rebate to replace single flush toilets with water-efficient 4.5/3 litre dual flush toilets  Leakage reduction, both within the network and with customers’ premises  Government-subsidised indoor and outdoor water tune-ups, e.g. GardenSmart, a free garden advisory service provided by a horticulturist  Requiring new developments to achieve a 40% reduction in water use through water sensitive urban design (WSUD). WSUD is addressed in the Stormwater section  Water pricing reforms.195 Water restrictions have been in place since March 2006 when the Permanent Water Conservation Measures were introduced. These permanent measures apply at all times when temporary restrictions are not in place. These measures:  Limit the times at which sprinkler and other irrigation systems can be used to water lawns and plants  Prohibit the cleaning of paved areas with water, except with a bucket and mop or high-pressure, low-volume cleaner 58

Potable water  

Place restrictions on the cleaning of buildings Place restrictions on water used for dust or pollutant suppression.196

The ACT’s temporary water restrictions are detailed in Table 4.5. Table 4.5: Summary of temporary water restrictions197 Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Target reductions

10%

25%

35%

55%

Private gardens, nurseries

Sprinklers and irrigation systems only used 7–10am and 7–10pm on alternate days. Handheld hose with a trigger nozzle, bucket or watering can may be used at any time.

No sprinklers or irrigation systems (except drippers) may be used.

No sprinkler or other irrigation system may be used.

As per Stage 2.

Trigger hose, bucket or watering can may only be used 7–10am and 7–10pm on alternate days.

As per Stage 2 but no watering of lawns is permitted.

No external watering of lawns and plants except using nonpotable water.

Public lawns and gardens, golf courses

Target of 10% reduction should be met.

Target of 25% reduction should be met.

Target of 35% reduction should be met.

Target of 55% reduction should be met.

Paved areas

Water not used to clean except in emergency.

As per Stage 1.

Private swimming pools

Not to be emptied or filled without an exemption. May be topped up with handheld hose.

Not to be emptied or filled without an exemption. Must not be topped up without exemption unless pool is covered.

Not to be emptied, filled or topped up without an exemption.

As per Stage 3.

Vehicle washing

May be washed at a commercial car wash or on a lawn or porous surface using a hand-held trigger hose, bucket or high pressure low volume cleaner.

As per Stage 1 but commercial car wash must recycle water and hold an exemption.

No vehicle washing except at a commercial car wash that recycles water and holds an exemption.

No vehicle washing.

Table 4.6 details the introduction date of restrictions, their expected reduction in demand and the achieved reduction. It was expected that Stage 4 restrictions would have been required in 2007, however, due to the completion of several supply augmentation projects, this was not needed.k A review of the ACT’s Permanent Water Conservation Measures was completed by ACTEW and handed to the ACT Government in June 2009.198 The review examined ways to strengthen the scheme. The Government’s response is expected to be included in the review of the Think Water, Act Water strategy.

During 2004/05, several supply augmentation projects were commenced including building the Mt Stromlo Water Treatment Plant, restoring the Cotter Dam to use, increasing the capacity of the Googong Water Treatment Plant, and building a new pump station on the Murrumbidgee River with the ultraviolet disinfection plant at Mt Stromlo Water Treatment Plant. Together, this enabled the extraction of Murrumbidgee River water for potable use. ACTEW, 2008, Water security for the ACT and Region: Progress Report and Recommendations to ACT Government, December, pp. ii-iii.

Water Table 4.6: Influence of water restrictions on demand* 199 Level of restrictions

Most recent introduction

Expected reduction in unrestricted demand (relative to PWCM)

Achieved reduction in unrestricted demand (relative to 1993/2002 consumption)

Achieved reduction in unrestricted demand (relative to PWCM)

Stage 1 Restrictions

10%

Stage 2 Restrictions

1 November 2006

25%

32.6%

24.3%

Stage 3 Restrictions

16 December 2006

35%

39.2%

31.4%

Stage 4 Restrictions

55%

Note: Consumption reductions tend to be higher in summer than winter because demand is higher and easier to reduce. This is one reason why the Stage 2 number is closer to the target than the Stage 3, as Stage 2 was in November and December when demand was quite high. The Stage 3 reduction is calculated up to and including 2 May 2010.

Implementing water security projects Since 2004, ACTEW has been pursuing water security measures to meet the ACT Government’s requirements. The key ACTEW planning documents are identified in Table 4.7. Table 4.7: ACTEW’s key planning documents Policies and strategies

Description

Options for the Next ACT Water Source (2004)

The report identified the options for a new water source for the ACT and contingency plans if the then drought continued.

Future Water Options for the ACT Region in the 21st Century: Implementation Plan (2005)

The report summarised the technical, social, environmental and economic implications of the various options and described the preferred path to provide a reliable water source for the ACT.

Water Security for the ACT and Region (2007)

The report recommended to the ACT Government that the following water supply options be pursued: The immediate commencement of detailed planning and construction of an enlarged Cotter Dam Additional capacity and operational flexibility to extract water from the Murrumbidgee River by undertaking the work necessary for the construction of a pump station near Angle Crossing and pipeline to transfer water into the Googong Reservoir. This additional infrastructure would also be used to transfer additional flows released from the Tantangara Dam if such flows became available Obtain additional water from a source not largely dependent on rainfall within the ACT catchments, through either the Tantangara Transfer or the Demonstration Water Purification Scheme.200

Water Security for the ACT and Region: Progress Report and Recommendations to the ACT Government (2008)

This report recommended that the following projects proceed: Enlarged Cotter Dam Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer scheme Tantangara Transfer scheme. It recommended that the Demonstration Water Purification Scheme be deferred.

In the 2007 report, ACTEW provided indicative costings for the projects, which as a group are referred to as the Water Security Program.201 In September 2009, these costings were revised and both are listed in Table 4.8. Table 4.8: The 2007 and 2009 costs of the projects in ACTEW’s Water Security Program Project

Costs in 2007 ($ millions)202

Costs in 2009 ($ millions)203

204

$363

The Murrumbidgee to Googong Transfer scheme

$70

$150

The Tantangara Transfer scheme

$38

The Enlarged Cotter Dam

$145

The Enlarged Cotter Dam involves building a large dam wall downstream from the existing one. The new dam will increase capacity from the current 4GL to 78GL.205 The project is being built by 60

Potable water the Bulk Water Alliance, a partnership involving ACTEW, Abigroup, GHD and John Holland.206 Construction work started in November 2009 and is expected to be completed in December 2011.207 ACTEW selected the Enlarged Cotter Dam as a high-priority supply solution as it:  Provides the greatest net economic benefit to the community and can be brought into operation relatively quickly  Makes use of the existing pump station at Cotter and the Mt Stromlo Water Treatment Plant  Significantly adds to the ACT storage capacity (about 35% increase) and will draw water from a catchment that is much more reliable in times of drought than other alternatives  Has a manageable environmental impact.208 The Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer schemel involves transferring water from the Murrumbidgee River near Angle Crossing through a 13km underground pipeline to Burra Creek in NSW, where the water flows into the Googong Reservoir.209 This scheme increases the ACT’s water supply diversity as it does not rely on rainfall within the ACT catchments. The project, as illustrated in Figure 4.10, is designed to allow the transfer of up to 100ML/day, with the capacity to be operated at a range of flows between 15 and 100ML/day. This flexibility is required to enable transfers while maintaining the required environmental flows into the Murrumbidgee River.210 ACTEW is currently assessing the technical feasibility of installing a mini hydro system near the outlet structure of the pipeline. The system would comprise a turbine and generator, and would be located below ground, with some minor above-ground auxiliary components. The power generated will be delivered back to the pump station on the Murrumbidgee River and is expected to provide about 20% to 30% of its power needs.211 This is expected to be completed in 2011.212 Figure 4.10: The Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer project213

The Tantangara Transfer involves purchasing water from NSW irrigators and using this water in the ACT. Specifically, it involves: l

The Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer provides greater operational flexibility in extracting water from the Murrumbidgee River than is possible with the Murrumbidgee River pump station at the Cotter. This is because the former involves piping water from the Murrumbidgee River directly to the Googong Reservoir, while the latter involves piping it via Mt Stromlo WTP and trunk network before it reaches the Googong Reservoir. ACTEW, 2008, Water security for the ACT and Region: Progress Report and Recommendations to ACT Government, December, p. vi.

Water Buying NSW water entitlements from Murrumbidgee River irrigators downstream of the ACT Storing the purchased water in the Tantangara Reservoir  Releasing that water from the Tantangara Reservoir into the Murrumbidgee River  Extracting that water from the Murrumbidgee River at Angle Crossing and, using the Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer pipeline, transfer it to Burra Creek, which flows into Googong Reservoir.214  

This project relies on complex inter-governmental arrangements between the ACT, NSW and Australian Governments, and commercial negotiations with Snowy Hydro. Arrangements for the Tantangara Transfer continue to progress. In 2008/09, ACTEW purchased 12.5GL of general security water entitlements.

4.3

Performance Key parameters to assess infrastructure performance are the levels of services, financial indicators (notably capital and maintenance expenditure), and water quality indicators. Key potable water supply service targets for ACTEW are contained in Table 4.9. Table 4.9: Key service targets215 Service

Performance Measure

Target

Supply

Interruptions per 1,000 properties

<150/80* pa

% interruptions corrected within 5 hours

Water quality

>95%

Water interruptions, average interruption time in minutes of Priority 1 events

<150

Meet the requirements of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines for aesthetics

95%

Meet the requirements of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines for health

100%

*This 80 target was established in 2002 as an aspirational target.

Figure 4.11 shows the number of unplanned interruptions to water supply services per 1,000 properties, excluding failures in customers’ water service pipes. As seen in the figure, ACTEW has continually achieved its 150 target and is trending towards its aspirational target of 80. Figure 4.11: Water interruptions, total number per 1,000 properties per year216

141

<150 138

99 86

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

Target

Figure 4.12 shows the water main breaks per 100km for similar sized utilities. ACTEW is about mid-range in its performance compared to other utilities.

Potable water Figure 4.12: Water main breaks (per 100km of water main) for utilities with 100,000+ connected properties217

Figure 4.13 shows the average interruption time for Priority 1 events, which are events that cause major damage to property or the environment, or result in customers being without water.218 ACTEW has continually met its average interruption time of less than 150 minutes. Figure 4.13: Water interruptions, average interruption time in minutes of Priority 1 events219 <150

75.3

2005/06

79.6

76.9

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

Target

Figure 4.14 details the average duration of an unplanned interruption. It shows that ACTEWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s network has a low average duration of interruptions with more than 100,000 connected properties. The low average failure rate indicates that the asset network is still in good to very good condition.220

Water Figure 4.14: Average duration of an unplanned interruption (minutes)221

Table 4.10 details the capital and operating and maintenance expenditures. Table 4.10: Capital and operating expenditure222

Water Capital expenditure ($ million Water operating and maintenance expenditure ($ million

2002/03

2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11

9.325

33.335

49.322

24.870

20.234

47.693

63224

>200

>200225

48.251

48.050

48.285

223

29.247

28.846

28.929

29.059

The pipe replacement program as detailed in the Asset Management Plan defines the expected replacements needs.226 Condition of the system varies depending on the material, ground conditions, and the period of construction together with the construction practices. The present relatively low average failure rate suggests that most of the system is still in good to very good condition. Some localised areas where aggressive ground conditions occur, or where pipes have reached the end of their service lives, however, are already showing relatively high failure rates. It is in these areas that the replacement activity will be focused. The pipe replacement program as detailed in the Asset Management Plan defines the expected replacements needs.227 ACTEW identifies that a particular group of water mains from the period 1965 to 1981 is responsible for a significant number of pipe breaks. The problem pipes are those that are cast iron with tylon joints, and most failures are located in the inner north and south Canberra areas.228 The asset management approach for much of the reticulation network is best described as run to failure and this is followed as long as it remains economical to continue repairing failures, and that failure rates do not compromise customer service levels.229 This strategy is employed because it is not economic to undertake condition assessment and preventive maintenance of reticulation mains. However, for larger distribution and bulk mains, condition assessment is undertaken. Preventive maintenance is undertaken on valves and hydrants.230 The relatively young age of the network, together with generally benign ground conditions, decreases the requirement for large-scale renewals as is occurring in several other States.

Potable water ActewAGL conducts regular tests and monitors the quality of the ACT’s water in accordance with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) and the ACT Drinking Water Quality Code of Practice.m The water quality monitoring measures biological, microbiological, physical and chemical parameters of the water supplied, using samples from the dams, treatment plant, local reservoirs, and garden taps of Canberra residents. The key performance measure for microbiological water quality is the bacteria count of Escherichia coli (E. coli). The presence of E. coli means that water may be contaminated with faecal material. The ADWG’s requirement for E. coli is that ‘at least 98% of scheduled samples contain no E. Coli’.231 A limitation with using the E. coli indicator is that while total coliforms are the most sensitive, they are the least specific indicator group for faecal contamination. Water recently contaminated by faeces will always contain coliforms, but as some coliforms also occur naturally in soil and vegetation, they may sometimes be present in water in the absence of faecal contamination. Coliforms other than those of faecal origin can be present in drinking water as a result of the presence of biofilms on pipes and fixtures or contact with soil as a result of fractures or repair works.232 Figure 4.15 shows that for the last decade, ACT’s water was above the compliance target of 98%.233 Figure 4.15: E. coli compliance results234

Another performance measure is the number of customer complaints about water quality. Many of these complaints relate to infrastructure maintenance or service failures such as burst mains. Table 4.11 lists water quality complaints. Table 4.11: Water quality complaints (2008/09)235 Issue Dirty water Staining

Chlorine taste or odour Taste (other)

No. in 2008/09

Comments

139

Dirty water is most often associated with maintenance work or equipment failure in the system. ActewAGL’s initial response is to flush the mains.

Deposits dislodged from domestic plumbing or from the water main can cause staining of washing or bathroom fittings. ActewAGL’s initial response is to flush the mains.

Chlorination is necessary for the disinfection of the water supply. Usually these enquiries relate to a change (increase or decrease) in the level of chlorine that a customer is receiving. These problems are usually aesthetic and short-term. Miscellaneous taste enquiries are investigated individually. This also includes bitter and metallic tastes experienced by customers. These problems are usually shortterm but may require further investigation.

In February 2007 the revised Drinking Water Code of Practice was issued by ACT Health. This document replaces the Drinking Water Quality Code of Practice (2000) and takes into account recent updates of the ADWG. ActewAGL, 2008, Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 2008–09, p. 28.

Water Issue

No. in 2008/09

Comments

White or air

This usually presents as cloudy water resulting from air bubbles generated by flushing of the mains, hot water units or aerators on taps. If it does not clear over a short period of time, the customer is invited to contact ActewAGL for further investigation.

Blue or green water

Blue or green water is often associated with the corrosion of copper pipes.

Considered water unsafe

The customers complained that their water was not safe to drink and were concerned that it made them unwell. ActewAGL investigates such complaints thoroughly and in most cases will test a sample of the customer’s water supply.

Other

A range of issues not otherwise categorised.

Total

191

ACTEW has achieved 100% compliance with its Drinking Water Utility Licence for many years.236 4.3.1

Environmental sustainability The ACT Government, ACTEW and ActewAGL are all active in promoting the sustainable use of water through augmenting the water supply and reducing demand. In June 2009, ACTEW and ActewAGL commenced a trial of smart meters to enable customers to manage their demand by providing them with immediate consumption data; the trial involves 1,000 houses.237 ActewAGL runs the District and Large Customer Metering project that identifies and assists large-use customers to reduce water leaks. The program has resulted in saving 530ML/year to date.238 ACTEW has two mini hydro power plants attached to water facilities. One plant, commissioned in 2000, is attached to the water main from Bendora Dam before the Stromlo WTP, and the other, commissioned in 2004, is at the Googong Dam.239 The ACT Government has committed to voluntarily offset additional greenhouse gas emissions associated with the operation of the new water security projects underway, and ACTEW investigated offsetting gas emissions associated with the construction phase. ACTEW announced in 2009 its Greenhouse Gas Abatement Strategy that identifies how it will be reducing and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions during the construction and operation of its water security projects.240 This strategy includes:  The use of biodiesel as a clean burning alternative fuel  The planned construction of a hydro generator for energy recovery in the Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer scheme  A commitment to purchasing permanent carbon sink forestry offsets in Australia  Reducing the impact via its planning processes.241 The environmental management of ACTEW’s water and sewerage operation is through the fiveyear Environment Management Plan (EMP).242 In 2008/09, ActewAGL, on behalf of ACTEW,243 implemented a five-year program called the Source Water Protection Program (SWPP). This program is designed to reduce and manage risks to the ACT WMA (Cotter, Googong and Upper Murrumbidgee River)244 through:  Developing better partnerships with key stakeholders in the catchment areas  Improving catchment conditions and ensuring sustainability of the water supply  Ensuring the protection of the source water from potential contaminants  Educating community groups to enable them to take actions that improve catchment quality.245 In 2008, a survey of catchments was undertaken to identify contamination risks due to sewage treatment plants, on-site wastewater treatment systems, livestock concentrations and recreational areas. High and medium risk sites will be prioritised for action in the SWPP.246

Potable water

4.4

Future challenges The challenges in achieving improvements in potable water infrastructure are:  Meeting water supply and demand. The ACT’s water demand is relatively constant at about 43 to 54GL/year. This requires that 100GL flow into storages each year as about 30GL of water normally evaporates, spills from reservoirs after major storm events and is provided for environmental flows.247 In the last few years, inflows have ranged from 44 to 98GL/year. To cope with reduced long-term average inflows due to climate change and with more frequent droughts that are longer and drier, building larger storages is essential. However, there is no guarantee that they will fill. Low inflows into the ACT’s catchments means that there will be a greater reliance placed on water supply from outside of these catchments, notably the Murrumbidgee extractions and non-rainfall-dependent water sources such as recycled water. Maintaining the reduced level of water consumption will also be essential, and will be increasingly difficult with the growing population and increased frequency of high demand on hot weather days. Ensuring over the short, medium and long-term that water supply matches demand will be an ongoing challenge.  Assessing the practicalities of removing water restrictions permanently. The ACT Government’s intention is to remove water restrictions as soon as possible due to their high social, environmental and economic costs. However, their removal depends on increasing water storage levels. If climate change has permanently reduced inflows, as distinct from a cyclic drought, then the removal of water restrictions may not be possible given the current approaches to water security.  Understanding and managing climate change impacts on water. Climate change is creating significant risks to potable water supply, notably through lower rainfall and runoff, and increased frequency of droughts and bushfires. Managing these risks requires a better understanding of them.  Handling a wider range of raw water qualities at the Water Treatment Plants. An increase in extractions of the lower quality Murrumbidgee River water for treatment at the Mt Stromlo WTP, and at the Googong WTP (after it has flowed through the Burra Creek) means that these plants will have to deal with a larger envelope of raw water quality. If the blending ratios change for the waters received at the WTPs, modifications may be required so that they can operate within water quality guidelines.  Protecting the quality of catchments. Improvements in all the catchments are required to ensure that their water quality does not diminish but, preferably, improves. For the Cotter WMA, this means ensuring that its protected status is enforced. For the unprotected Murrumbidgee and Googong WMAs, it requires considerable effort to address the numerous risks.

4.5

Report Card rating Infrastructure Type Potable water

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

B-

Based on considerations of planning, funding, and infrastructure capacity and condition, the ACT’s potable water infrastructure has been rated B-. This rating recognises the good quality of the water reticulation system, and that significant planning has occurred resulting in several major water security projects being initiated. The rating also recognises the advances made in water demand management. However, given the uncertainty of rainfall and the ACT’s growing population, further augmentation to water supply and improved demand reduction measures may be required to prevent water shortages in the medium to long-term. Positives that have contributed to the rating are:  Good quality of the water reticulation system  Improvements in the treatment quality and capacity of the Mt Stromlo and Googong WTPs

Water Increasing the capacity of the ACT catchment reservoirs Effective water conservation and efficiency programs  Improvement in the quality of planning.  

Wastewater

5.1

Summary Infrastructure Type Wastewater

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

C+

C-

This rating recognises that there has been a decline in the network’s performance and a lack of progress towards achieving the ACT Government’s target of 20% reuse of wastewater by 2013. There has also been a decline in effluent discharge quality from the treatment plant, however, a program of works is addressing this. Since the last Report Card, the major sewerage and recycled water sector developments have been:  A significant increase in the price of wastewater services  Exploration and subsequent postponement of using recycled water for indirect potable use. Recently completed and in-progress major infrastructure projects include:  Capacity expansion and environmental improvement of the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre  Expansion of the Lower Molonglo Water Reuse Scheme and the North Canberra Water Reuse Scheme. Challenges to improving wastewater and recycled water infrastructure include:  Achieving the recycled wastewater goal  Reducing the number of sewer main breaks and chokes  Funding sewer main renewals.

5.2

Infrastructure overview

5.2.1

Sewerage system description The ACT’s sewerage water infrastructure comprises:  Sewers (3,059km of sewer main)  Pump stations (27)  Wastewater treatment plants (two treatment plants).248 The ACT’s recycled water infrastructures consist of:  Reservoirs (one)  Pump Stations (three)  Water mains (15km). Sewage is produced by domestic households and by businesses/industrial operations (where it is known as trade waste). Table 5.1 summarises the ACT’s sewage characteristics.

Water Table 5.1: ACT’s sewage characteristics249 Sewerage Customers’ accounts Number of pump stations Quantity of sewage treated (ML) (outflows)250

2003/04

2004/05

Sewage treated per person per annum (kL) Length of mains (km)

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

128,446

130,355

133,217

135,241

137,262

139,794

27,959

27,293

29,019

26,957

25,707

28,963

31,976

30,995

30,712

111.35

113

153

91.5

100.7

86.6

83.5

2,921

2,948

2,985

2,996

3,014

3,059

Quantity of sewage inflows (ML)251 Maximum daily load (ML)

2005/06

There has been a 20% reduction in sewage volume over the last decade. This is primarily due to the reduction in water use as a result of water restrictions and reduced groundwater infiltration into the sewers as a result of the drought.252 The sewerage system for Canberra is made up of reticulation mains, service branch lines, manholes, pump stations, trunk sewers and sewage treatment plants. Most sewers in Canberra flow under gravity, with these sewers designed so that there is sufficient slope to stop build-up that may lead to blockages. There are about 52,000 maintenance pits on these mains and about 104,000 property branch lines. Most of Canberra’s reticulation sewerage mains are laid either in the road verge near the property line or in backyard easements about 1.2 metres from the fence line.253 As seen in Figure 5.1 the first reticulation mains in Canberra were laid in the early 1920s with the majority being laid from the 1960s onwards. Compared to other jurisdictions, Canberra’s sewerage network is relatively young. Figure 5.1: Growth in the length of Canberra’s sewerage reticulation system (150mm, 225mm and 300mm diameter mains)254

There are three levels of wastewater treatment.  Primary treatment. This treatment consists of sedimentation (sometimes preceded by screening and grit removal) to remove gross and settleable solids. The remaining settled solids, referred to as sludge, are removed and treated separately.

Wastewater Secondary treatment. This treatment removes 85% of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and suspended solids via biological or chemical treatment processes. Secondary treated reclaimed water usually has a BOD of <20mg/L and suspended solids of <30mg/L, but this may increase to >100mg/L due to algal solids in lagoon systems.  Tertiary treatment. This treatment removes a high percentage of suspended solids and/or nutrients, and is followed by disinfection. It may include processes such as coagulation, flocculation and filtration.255 

There are two wastewater treatment facilities in the ACT. They are:  Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre  Fyshwick Sewage Treatment Plant. Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre (LMWQCC) The LMWQCC treats the vast majority of the ACT’s sewage, which was 28,963ML in 2008/09.256 The output is tertiary treated wastewater. About 90% of this water is discharged into the Molonglo River 1km upstream from its junction with the Murrumbidgee River. Of the remainder, some 200ML per annum is used for irrigation through the Lower Molonglo Water Reuse Scheme,257 with the rest being used for washing down the plant and other industrial uses. The LMWQCC is the largest inland sewage treatment facility in Australia. The treatment process includes physical, chemical, and biological treatment. All water is treated to a tertiary level that includes chlorination. For water supplied to the Molonglo River, this water is dechlorinated. This dechlorination does not occur for water used for irrigation and industrial purposes. The biosolids258 extracted during the treatment process at the LMWQCC are incinerated in a high temperature furnace on-site. The resulting ash, Agri-Ash, is sold to farmers as a soil conditioner.259 To increase the LMWQCC’s capacity and ensure its ability to comply with future environmental regulations, a $72 million Secondary Treatment Augmentation project is underway. The upgrade is expected to be completed in August 2010. It involves providing two new anoxic tanks that will remove algae-causing nitrates from the wastewater and three large concrete clarifying tanks, 800 metres of new roads, pump stations, extensions to the on-site power supply network, two new substations and a new Motor Control Centre.260 Fyshwick Sewage Treatment Plant (FSTP) The FSTP takes wastewater from parts of the industrial area of Fyshwick and adjacent suburbs and partially treats it before returning it to the sewer for full treatment at the LMWQCC. This is done to avoid higher doses of chemicals that are contained in trade waste from entering and killing the bacteria used in the LMWQCC biological treatment processes. The treatment process consists of mechanical coarse screening, primary sedimentation tanks, trickling filters, humus tanks, maturation lagoons, an emergency storage lagoon, and sludge digesters. Digested sludge is diluted with non-potable water and returned to the main sewer.261 The output is tertiary treatment wastewater. Water from the FSTP is also supplied for irrigation to the North Canberra Water Reuse Scheme. 5.2.2

Recycled water system description Recycled water is water derived from sewage that is treated to a standard appropriate for its intended use. There are four classes of recycled water quality with Class A being the highest. The categories are:  Class A, which uses a tertiary treatment process combined with pathogen removal. Uses include residential garden watering, toilet flushing, irrigation of municipal parks and sportsgrounds, and food crops that are consumed raw or sold to consumers uncooked or unprocessed. 71

Water Class B, which uses secondary treatment process, combined with some pathogen reduction. Uses include irrigation of dairy cattle grazing fodder, urban (non-potable) uses with restricted public access and closed industrial systems.  Class C, which uses a secondary treatment process combined with minor pathogen reduction. Uses include water for cooked/processed human food crops, grazing/fodder for cattle, sheep and horses, and urban (non-potable) uses with restricted public access.  Class D, which uses a secondary treatment process. Uses include water for non-food crops such as woodlots, turf growing and flowers.262 

Recycled water can be used as a source of potable water, typically by injecting it into a water reservoir and mixing it with natural water with the mixed water then undergoing normal water treatment processes before becoming potable water. This is called indirect potable reuse water. The ACT Government currently has no plans to use recycled water for this purpose. However, it should be noted that as the LMWQCC’s treated water flows into the Murrumbidgee River, which then flows down the Murray River, downstream communities along these rivers use this water for drinking. Table 5.2 identifies the ACT’s recycled assets. Table 5.2: ACT’s recycled water assets263 Asset

2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

Number of reservoirs (storage facilities)

Capacity of reservoirs (ML)

Number of pump stations

Length of mains (km)

In the ACT, the use of recycled water is limited to irrigating sportsgrounds, parks and agricultural crops, and for industrial purposes. Table 5.3 lists the recycled water volumes and their uses. Table 5.3: Recycled water volumes and uses264 Water (ML)

2004/05

2005/06

Volume of recycled water supplied – Commercial, municipal and industrial

2,021

2,009

3,736265

2,009

3,736266

Volume of recycled water supplied – Agricultural

120

Volume of recycled water supplied – Environmental

29,019

26,957

25,707

26,957

25,707

25,309

2,141

2,104

3,789267

2,104

3,789268

4,207

Total sewage collected

31,976

30,995

30,712

30,995

30,712

Recycled water (percent of effluent recycled)

6.7%

6.8%

Total recycled water supplied

2006/07

12.3%269

2007/08

6.8%

2007/08

12.3%270

2008/09 4,204

14.3%

Table 5.4 provides more details on recycled water volumes. Table 5.4: ACT’s recycled water assets271 Water reuse system* Quantity of water reused (ML) Quantity of sewage treated (ML) (outflows)

2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2008/09

2,097

2,160

2,141

2,104

3,899

4,237

27,959

27,293

29,019

26,957

25,707

28,963

*From 2007/08, the quantity of water reused includes water provided to the incinerator scrubber at the LMWQCC.

There are three wastewater reuse projects in the ACT.

2007/08*

Wastewater Lower Molonglo Water Reuse Scheme. This uses some 200ML/year272 of the LMWQCC’s treated water for irrigation at nearby vineyards (100 hectares) and a golf course (30 hectares).273 In 2009, a $3 million project was completed that upgraded the recycled water main between the LMWQCC and the Belconnen golf course, as well as building a truck filling bay to serve water tankers. This upgrade has the capacity to supply reused water to the proposed Molonglo Valley development.274  North Canberra Water Reuse Scheme (NCWRS). This scheme supplies irrigation water to sportsgrounds at seven sites (70 hectares) across North Canberra. The source of the recycled water is the Fyshwick Sewage Treatment Plant. A reverse osmosis treatment plant, commissioned in 2004, takes water from partially treated effluent from the FSTP’s lagoons, treats it and pumps it into the Lower Russell Reservoir. In 2007/08, the capacity at the FSTP was expanded from 20L/s to 40L/s, and a truck filling point constructed.275 The Lower Russell Reservoir is also supplied with potable water from the Upper Russell Reservoir as a backup supply source if required. The NCWRS is monitored and controlled remotely at the LMWQCC.276 Figure 5.2 shows the distribution network of NCWRS.  Southwell Park Watermining® Project. This plant produces irrigation water for sporting fields at Southwell Park (10 hectares). Wastewater is extracted from a sewer, treated, and used for irrigation, with the solids returned to the sewer for further treatment at the LMWQCC.277 

Figure 5.2: Distribution network of the North Canberra Water Reuse Scheme (NCWRS)278

Water Prices Wastewater tariffs are divided into two categories:  Residential tariff, which consists of a fixed supply charge  Non-residential tariff, which consists of the residential tariff plus a charge per flushing fixture (i.e. toilet). In addition, all customers have to pay an annual network facilities tax (NFT) and for non-residential customers, an additional NFT tax per fixture. The NFT is described in the Potable Water section. The tariffs are levied on properties that are no longer connected to the wastewater system, such as Canberra’s Sustainable House.279 Sewerage prices are set by the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) in a price direction that lasts for four or five years. Table 5.5 shows the sewerage prices over the last few years. The current pricing period runs from June 2008 to June 2013, and it has authorised an increase each year of 4.76% plus CPI (Consumer Price Index).280 The reason for the significant increase between 2007/08 and 2008/09 was to compensate ACTEW for its fourfold increase in the new water security investment that it will undertake over the next five years, with much of this expenditure occurring in 2008/09 and 2009/10.281 This increase is explained in detail in the Potable Water section. Table 5.5: ACT’s sewerage prices Prices

2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

2010/11 to 2012/13

Service charge ($/pa)

354.20

375.32

389.00

398.80

413.76

443.82

484.25

CPI + 4.76%

Fixtures charge for nonresidential properties (fixture/pa) (in excess of two)

366.20

380.72282

390.00

404.64

434.04

473.58284

CPI + 4.76%

Network tax per customer*

Not existed

283

$18

Included in general prices above

Note: The ACT Utilities Network Facilities Tax (UNFT) is payable by ACTEW on the length of the sewerage network and has been part of ACTEW‘s costs since its introduction in 2007. The current (2010/11) rate is $722/infrastructure km. In 2007/08 (only) the approximate customer impact of the charge was represented separately on customers‘ bills.

Figure 5.3 provides a comparison of sewerage bills by city. Figure 5.3: Annual sewerage bill comparison (annual water consumption 250kL) for 2008/09285

Brisbane

$534.06

Perth Sydney

$480.31

Australian Average

$475.54

Melbourne (CWW)

$469.32

Adelaide

$447.12

ACTEW

$443.82

Hunter

$520.19

$433.51

Wastewater In the ACT, there is no separate tariff for trade waste.n In other jurisdictions, charges for trade waste are based on volume and pollutant load. Trade waste pollutant charges are typically based on total Kjeldahlo nitrogen (TKN), inorganic total dissolved solids (ITDS),286 suspended solids, and biological oxygen demand. In the ACT, the number of flushing fixtures is a proxy for the volume and strength of discharge. In 2004, the ICRC asked ACTEW to develop a wastewater pricing system including tariffs for high volume/strength customers.287 Such a pricing system was not presented during the 2008 Water and Wastewater Price Review. While the lack of effective price signals for trade waste discourages the most cost-effective methods of treating industrial wastes, the Commission notes that ‘the limited extent of trade waste disposal in the ACT means that any inefficiencies associated with the current trade waste pricing system are likely to be minor’.288 5.2.3

Policy and governance There is no formal ACT Government sewerage strategy. Instead, the Government’s objectives for sewerage are expressed through a number of policy, legislative and operational documents, with the major ones being:  Think water, act water: A strategy for sustainable resource management in the ACT (2004)  Utilities Management Agreement negotiated between ACTEW and ActewAGL  Water Supply and Sewerage Standards Code (made under the Utilities Act 2000)  ACTEW’s Water Supply and Sewerage Standards. The ACT Government has an objective of increasing wastewater reuse from 5% to 20% by 2013.289 A key user of this water will be sportsgrounds, and the ACT Government has the objective that by 2013, no sportsground in the ACT would rely solely on potable water to guarantee sporting operations.290 Key organisations involved in the sewerage infrastructure sector are listed in the Potable Water section. The ACT’s main regulatory regimes for sewage and recycled water are:  Environment Protection Act 1997  Public Health Act 1997  Utilities Act 2000  Water and Sewerage Act 2000  Water and Sewerage Regulations 2001. ACTEW is currently undertaking a strategic review of the sewerage system with the aim of:  Identifying opportunities to increase the efficient and effective performance of the existing sewerage system with any necessary investment in capital expenditure and new technology  Monitoring and investigating new industry directions, practices and standards in relation to sewerage network management.291 Stage 1 of the review should be completed in 2010 with Stage 2 to be completed in 2011.292

5.2.4

Sector trends Stalled growth in wastewater recycling The three main types of wastewater water recycling projects used or considered in the ACT are:  The Water Purification Scheme

However, the implementation of a tariff is currently under consideration. The Kjeldahl method in analytical chemistry is a method for the quantitative determination of nitrogen in chemical substances developed by Johan Kjeldahl in 1883. o

Water  

Sewer mining projects Existing reticulated water reuse schemes.

As seen below, development of the Water Purification Scheme has been postponed, there is no planned expansion of sewer mining, and there is no commitment to significantly expand the reticulated water reuse schemes. Water Purification Scheme The Water Purification Scheme was proposed as a large-scale wastewater recycling system that would take treated water from the LMWQCC, treat it further, pump it to a discharge location (possibly through a constructed wetland) into a water course that flows into the Cotter Reservoir. The water would then be blended with other water entering the reservoir before it would be extracted and treated as per the normal potable water system. That is, it would undergo final treatment at the Stromlo Water Treatment Plant before distribution to Canberra and Queanbeyan. The scheme would consist of a water purification plant, pump and pipeline infrastructure.293 ACTEW developed the concept for the scheme in early 2007 as a result of the severe water shortages in the ACT. To determine the community’s acceptance of the scheme, an extensive community consultation program, known as Water2WATER, was undertaken in 2007. While the majority of people surveyed were positive or conditionally positive about the water being recycled for potable purposes, the following key issues of concern were identified.  Health, with a focus on removal of drugs and hormones  Investigation and communication of all water supply/security options  Environmental factors, particularly energy usage  Cost to the end user  Quality assurance/monitoring  Community confidence in the ACT Government and ACTEW.294 The project’s consultants concluded that the community appears to be open to the Water2WATER project proceeding, provided that the following conditions are met:  Ensuring an adequate response to the six major issues raised during the consultation  Ensuring that a robust consultation process is a core function of any future planning and approvals process, and includes all stakeholder groups.295 The full-scale plant was estimated to cost $100 million with $4 million per year in operating costs.296 The plant would also require two infrastructure upgrades. Firstly, as the recycling process generates a significant brine stream, a salt reduction plant would be required. Secondly, the plant would require that the Cotter Dam be enlarged to handle the increased inflows. The cost of the recycled water compared to other water security options is shown in Table 5.6. Table 5.6: Water augmentation projects297 Project over 25 years Net present cost ($ million) Additional water produced (ML) Cost per kilolitre ($)

Water Purification Plant

Enlarged Cotter Dam

Murrumbidgee to Googong Transfer Scheme

139

363

150

33,424

728,103

225,415

4.16

0.50

0.67

To advance the concept of water purification, in October 2007 the ACT Government requested ACTEW to design a demonstration water purification plant as one of several potential water supply projects. The purpose of the demonstration plant was to test the operational elements of a recycling process as well as to build community support for recycled water. Specifically, the plant would prove the reliability of the water purification process under real operational scenarios and 76

Wastewater develop a comprehensive water quality monitoring program. The plant could also include a visitor education centre where the community would learn how the water purification process produces water of drinking quality.298 ACTEW’s design was based on membrane filtration, reverse osmosis and advanced oxidation processes. The plant could produce about 8ML/day of recycled water, with the capability to be rapidly upgraded to 25ML/day. The site Master Plan was developed to accommodate a capacity of 50ML/day.299 In 2008, ACTEW recommended against the construction of a Demonstration Water Purification Plant as there were better options for securing water supply.300 The ICRC supported this as it did not believe that a large-scale water purification plant would be needed to solve the problem of the ACT’s long-term water supply needs. It found that the ‘Murrumbidgee to Googong project and the enlarged Cotter Dam will provide a substantial increase in water security for the ACT under all likely future climate scenarios’.301 Consequently, the project did not proceed. Expansion of sewer mining projects Sewer mining is the process of extracting wastewater as it flows along a sewerage main, treating it to produce recycled water that is used locally, and discharging the remaining wastewater back to the sewerage system. Sewer mining faces a number of challenges including the high cost of the produced recycled water, finding a suitable wastewater source that has the required flow rate and composition,p ensuring that the volume of extracted sewage and returned concentrates does not impact on the sewerage network downstream, and managing the risks of the produced recycled water. The ACT has only one sewer mining project, which is the Southwell Park Watermining Project. Expansion of existing reticulated water reuse schemes The existing reticulated water reuse schemes can be expanded significantly as identified in the ACT’s Sports and Recreation Services 2009 study, Water Management Plan for ACT Sportsgrounds. While in the short-term it focused on capitalising on stormwater reuse, it recommended two recycled projects that would be viable in the medium term. They are:  Development of a South Canberra Recycled Water Scheme. This scheme would provide non-potable water for irrigation of sportsgrounds initially in the Narrabundah to Red Hill area, with potential for expansion to the Woden Valley. Its water would be sourced from the Fyshwick Sewage Treatment Plant, but its recycled water filtration capacity would have to increase from 40 litres/second to 80 litres/second.302  Connection of the Lower Molonglo Water Reuse Scheme to the North Canberra Water Reuse Scheme. This link would make irrigation water available in the South Belconnen area and north of Lake Ginninderra, with key users being the Canberra Stadium and the AIS. The capital cost of this scheme would be at least $50 million, with a unit cost of water being about $2/kL.303 Figure 5.4 provides a map of the existing and proposed recycled effluent opportunities.

In the ACT, the location of many sportsgrounds near the valley floor where trunk sewers are located, means that generally there is a readily available source of wastewater.

Water Figure 5.4: Existing and proposed recycled effluent opportunities304

5.3

Performance Sewerage performance measures relate to: ď&#x201A;ť Frequency of mains sewer blockages: these blockages are typically caused by fats and tree roots and can lead to sewage spills, particularly during heavy rains

Wastewater Frequency of sewage spills: spills occur when the sewerage system cannot contain the sewage flow and overflows or leaks happen  Responsiveness to service failures: notably sewer spills and blockages305  Compliance with discharge licences. 

In Canberra, sewer blockages are mostly caused by tree root intrusion.306 When blockages occur in sewer pipes, there are overflows at sewer access points and sewerage manholes. ACTEW’s target to clear blockages is 95% within five hours.307 As seen from Figure 5.5, compliance with the fivehour target has been consistently achieved. Figure 5.5: Percentage of sewerage disruptions restored within five hours308 97.8

98.6

98.58

<95

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

Target

Another indicator is the number of sewerage disruptions that require prompt correction. As seen from Figure 5.6, compliance with the target of fewer than 35 disruptions per 1,000 properties has been consistently achieved. Figure 5.6: Sewerage disruptions as a total number per 1,000 properties per year309 40 30

<35 23

23.5

23.1

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

24.43

20 10 0 2008/09

Target

ACTEW’s system has the highest sewer main breaks and chokes compared to other jurisdictions for two out of the last three years as seen in Figure 5.7. Using the most recently available data as reported in the National Performance Report 2008–2009: Urban water utilities, the ACT’s sewerage infrastructure experiences over double the number of breaks and chokes per 100km than the national average.310 ACTEW states that this finding is misleading as the National Performance Report changed the definition of mains to include service connections, and not all other utilities have responsibility for service connections, thus distorting the figures. There was also a change in the definition from breaks per 1,000 properties to breaks per 100km of main and the wrong figures were used. In 2005/06 the figure for ACTEW was 23.1 breaks per 1,000 properties and ACTEW’s target was for fewer than 35 breaks per 1,000 properties for mains, and fewer than 50 breaks per 1,000 properties in total. The 23.1 translates approximately to 102 per 100km for mains.

Water Figure 5.7: Sewer main breaks and chokes per 100km of sewer main311

As would be expected from a high rate of breaks and chokes, ACTEW’s sewerage system has a high number of untreated sewage discharges as seen from Figure 5.8. ACTEW reported 25% more sewer overflows than Sydney Water, the next highest utility. Figure 5.8: Sewer overflows to the environment per 100km of sewer main312

ACTEW states that the high levels of breaks and overflows are ‘not fully understood, but are believed to be largely a result of a combination of the location of the sewers (both in backyards and street verges), the verge tree planting policies of the ACT Government, the materials used (concrete and clay pipes) and the fact that a large part of the network was constructed in the 1960s and 1970s during a boom period when construction standards were not rigorously enforced’.313 ACTEW is addressing the problem through three main avenues – better asset information, increased maintenance, and renewals. ACTEW is improving its asset data through the $8.1 million ACTEW Asset Capture project. This involves upgrading the asset information held in the ActewAGL Corporate Mapping System (ACMS) on the water and sewer networks for 55 suburbs.314

Wastewater Substantially increased planned maintenance is being implemented using CCTV inspections and root foaming and jet rodding to clean pipes and control root intrusion. Priority is given to areas where blockage rates have been high or where critical sewers exist, the failure of which would cause overflows into a building or affect streams or lakes. However, widespread preventive maintenance is impractical due to cost and effectiveness, so the primary approach for sewerage infrastructure maintenance for reticulation pipes (<300 diameter) still remains run to failure.315 Renewals occur for those parts of the system that are in poor structural condition and can no longer be maintained to provide an acceptable level of service. In 2008/09, some 13km of sewers were replaced. This amounts to 0.43% of the total piped sewerage network.316 The rate of renewals over the next 20 years is expected to grow substantially as seen in Figure 5.9. This will be needed to address the ageing of the network. The justification for the historically small amount of renewals was that they were not needed, as the average age of the sewerage network is quite low.317 Figure 5.9: Estimated length of sewer requiring replacement with time318

ACTEW expects that increased maintenance and renewals will control the number of blockages as seen in Figure 5.10. The yellow line is the blockage rate limit (<50 blocakges/1,000 properties) as defined by the Utilities Management Agreement between ACTEW and ActewAGL. The purple line shows the upper limit without control measures, and the brown line the lower limit. By imposing control measures, the upper limit of blockages is expected to be the green line which is consistently lower than the blockage limit (i.e. yellow line).

Water Figure 5.10: Projected sewer blockage numbers with time319

The continuing high levels of sewer main chokes have been identified as a problem by the sewerage technical regulator of the sewerage system (ACTPLA) and the ICRC.320 The ICRC notes that even with ACTEW’s plans to address the problem, the utility’s own forecasts show that the number of blockages will continue to increase over time. While ACTEW is achieving the target of fewer than 35 breaks/chokes per 1,000 properties, the ICRC considers that this is too high.321 In the early 2000s, it was expected that some sewers would have reached their capacity by today. However, due to a combination of lower sewer flows due to the drought (lower rainfall means less infiltration) and the introduction of water demand management measures such low flow flushing devices, capacity issues are not currently a significant concern. 322 Licence compliance ACTEW’s sewage treatment facilities are required to comply with various licences and environmental protection agreements. Performance against these licences is set out in Table 5.7. Table 5.7: Licence compliance Licence compliance % LMWQCC effluent discharge LMWQCC furnace

2005/06

2007/08

2008/09

100

99.95

88.82

323

324

325

99.3326

98.7

2006/07

99.7

99.20

The Environmental Protection Act 1997 sets licence conditions on the LMWQCC to protect the rivers into which treated water is discharged. Monitoring of these discharges is carried out to ensure that appropriate water quality standards are met, including ecological monitoring such as the Fish Monitoring Program. The performance of the LMWQCC over the most recent reporting period is identified in Figure 5.11. According to ActewAGL, aquatic macroinvertebrate data from 1996 to 2008 has not shown any change as a result of LMWQCC, however, it noted that other sources of impacts, such as upstream land-use practices, may have had a detrimental effect.327 The current LMWQCC upgrade program will reduce nitrogen and ammonia output.328

Wastewater Figure 5.11: LMWQCC treated sewerage effluent quality 2008/09329

5.3.1

Environmental sustainability The ACT Government and ACTEW have made sustainability a key driver for their operations. ACTEW is required by the Territory-owned Corporations Act 1990 to conduct its operations consistent with the principle of ecologically sustainable development. ActewAGL undertakes environmental management of ACTEW’s water and sewerage operation through its five-year Environment Management Plan (EMP).330 Wastewater transport and treatment generates greenhouse gas, notably methane. However, due to the process used at the LMWQCC, it is not viable to capture methane at the plant.331 A key planned environmental improvement activity is to reduce the salt output from the LMWQCC. Several times in the last few years the concentration of total dissolved solids (TDS) has exceeded environmental limits. The cause of this has been the reduced water volume in the sewage stream caused by the drought and water restrictions, while the sewage solids and hence salt content has remained constant. ACTEW has proposed implementing a Salt Reduction Scheme that has three priorities:  Reducing salt discharges to the sewerage system from industries and households  Reducing the amount of salt added as a result of water and wastewater treatment activities  Constructing an advanced water treatment facility (salt reduction plant) at the LMWQCC.332 Funding of part of this program is contingent upon Australian Government funding.

5.4

Future challenges The challenges in achieving improvements in wastewater and recycled water infrastructure are:  Achieving the recycled wastewater goal. It is unlikely that the ACT Government will achieve its target of increasing the reuse of wastewater to 20% by 2013 without introducing new measures.  Reducing the number of sewer main breaks and chokes. The number of sewer main breaks and chokes will increase above the current very high level unless further remedial action is taken.  Funding sewer main renewals. The need for renewals of sewer mains is expected to increase markedly over the next decade and this will require significant additional expenditure.

Water

5.5

Report Card rating Infrastructure Type Wastewater

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

C+

C-

Based on considerations of planning, funding, and infrastructure capacity and condition, the ACT’s wastewater and recycled water infrastructure has been rated C+. This rating recognises that there has been a decline in the network’s performance and lack of progress towards achieving the ACT Government’s target of 20% reuse of wastewater by 2013. There has also been a decline in effluent discharge quality from the treatment plant, however, a program of works is addressing this. Positives that have contributed to the rating are:  Effective and efficient operation of the LMWQCC  Effective and efficient response to sewerage blockages  Significant investment in reticulation network and LMWQCC. Negatives that have contributed to the rating are:  Ageing of the sewerage network  Limited renewals of sewers  High rate of sewer main breaks and chokes, and overflows to the environment  Likely failure of the ACT Government’s target to achieve reuse of wastewater of 20% by 2013.

Stormwater

6.1

Summary Infrastructure Type Stormwater

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

C+

C-

This rating recognises the increased attention given to stormwater use and water quality improvement and the increased allocation of funding for stormwater upgrades. However, this is offset by the fact that there still remains inadequate funding for maintenance and upgrades of stormwater systems to meet current standards of drainage and flood protection, particularly in the older areas of Canberra. It is also of concern that the current service standards for stormwater assets, as specified by Roads ACT, indicate that the target service standards are not being met. There is a need to establish a more rigorous asset management approach to the maintenance of stormwater assets, based on asset life and condition assessment. Since the last Report Card, the major stormwater sector developments have been:  Significant funding for new stormwater projects under the ACT Government’s capital works program  The shift in focus of stormwater from drainage and flood protection to water quality improvement and water harvesting  The release and mandated application of Water Ways: Water Sensitive Urban Design Code that promotes better stormwater management and use  The integration of stormwater asset information into the Integrated Asset Management system  The development of the Water Management Plan for ACT Sportsgrounds  Implementation of projects under the Canberra Integrated Urban Waterways Project. There have been a number of completed and in-progress projects with the major ones being:  The Sullivans Creek Catchment improvement project including the Flemington Road Ponds and the Dickson and Lyneham Ponds and stormwater reticulation system  The commencement of the North and South Tuggeranong Stormwater Schemes that takes water from Lake Tuggeranong for sportsground irrigation  Stormwater augmentation projects at Fyshwick South, Griffith, Rivett, Deakin and Turner  Water extraction infrastructure from Lake Burley Griffin to the Australian National Botanic Gardens. Challenges to improving stormwater infrastructure include:  Developing a stormwater strategic plan  Obtaining sufficient funding to maintain and improve asset quality  Developing strategies for maintaining water quality in the lakes and ponds  Accelerating the application of water sensitive urban design principles  Addressing climate change risks.

6.2

Infrastructure overview

6.2.1

System description Stormwater is rain that runs off roofs, roads and other surfaces in the urban area. The ACT’s stormwater infrastructure comprises:  Engineered pipes, culverts, channels and retarding basins

Water Natural and engineered creeks and water bodies (three urban lakes,333 14 ponds,q five engineered water bodiesr)  Stormwater water quality management and re-use infrastructure (e.g. 94 gross pollutant traps and 15 retarding basins). 

In Canberra in the year 2000, the annual stormwater run-off was about 13GL which is substantially less than the potable water use of 65GL.334 The objectives of the stormwater system as defined by the ACT’s Design Standards for Urban Infrastructure are:  To provide safety for the public  To minimise and control nuisance flooding and to provide for the safe passage of less frequent flood events  To stabilise the landform and control erosion  To protect property from flooding  To enhance the urban landscape  To optimise the land available for urbanisation  To minimise the environmental impact of urban runoff on water quality  To provide opportunities to enhance the environment through the provision of water sensitive stormwater design.335 The ACT stormwater system conveys stormwater runoff to receiving waterways that all ultimately drain into the Murrumbidgee River, which then flows downstream to the Murray River. The engineered stormwater system is made up of minor (piped) and major (overland) systems, which discharge stormwater through developed areas. The minor systems are designed to fully contain and convey runoff generated during a design storm event of between five and 20 years Average Recurrence Interval (ARI), depending on location. The major drainage systems are planned to convey the balance of a design flood of 100 Years ARI. The minor systems consist of catch drains, kerb and gutters, stormwater pits, pipes, culverts and headwalls, open channels, overland flow routes and detention facilities, while the major systems consist of natural waterways, grassed floodways and lined channels. Pollutants originating from many different sources affect stormwater quality, ranging from fuel and oil from roads, to litter, faecal matter from dogs and humans, and sediment from building sites. The management of the ACT’s stormwater assets is undertaken by the following three organisations:  Parks, Conservation and Lands, a branch within the Department of Territory and Municipal Services (TAMS)  Roads ACT, a branch within TAMS  National Capital Authority, an Australian Government agency. TAMS contracts ActewAGL for the maintenance and repair of stormwater pipes, and contracts a number of other organisations for above-ground asset maintenance and repair such as cleaning drains and gross pollutant traps. Table 6.1 details the ACT’s stormwater assets by managing organisation.

Point Hunt Pond, Stranger Pond Lower, Stranger Pond Upper, Yerrabi Pond, Dunlop Pond 1, Dunlop Pond 2, Harrison Pond E, Harrison Pond F, Harrison Pond G, Franklin Pond, Bonner Pond, Gungahlin Pond. r Isabella Weir, Jerrabomberra Creek Retarding Basin, Tuggeranong Weir, West Belconnen Earth Embankment, Wrights Retarding Basin.

Stormwater Table 6.1: ACT stormwater assets Roads ACT

National Capital Authority336

Parks, Conservation and Lands

6,260kms of pipes 62,376 sumps 27,697 manholes 56kms of lined channels 104kms of unlined channels 157kms of grassed floodways 2 dams 12 weirs 94 gross pollutant traps 15 retarding basins337

40km of stormwater pipes Lined channels 500 stormwater sumps 176 manholes 1 urban lake 2 gross pollutant traps 811 sumps 61 end walls

18 ponds or wetlands 2 urban lakes 82km of urban stormwater corridors

A notable feature of Canberra’s stormwater system is its ponds, technically known as water quality control ponds (WQCPs). There are 14 ponds plus five other engineered water bodies (which are large enough to have names), and dozens of smaller unnamed ones.s The main function of the ponds is to minimise the impact of pollutants on downstream waters.338 This requires that water entering them remains for a sufficient amount of time for various biological and physical processes to act before discharge. A secondary function of ponds is the provision of storage for flow retardation to minimise the environmental impact of flood flows on downstream areas.339 The key elements of ponds include:  A Gross Pollutant Trap (GPT) to remove litter, debris, and coarse sediment particles  A zone of between 10% and 30% of the total surface area of a pond to be set aside for macrophyte (large aquatic reeds) growth that filters finer particles and takes up nutrients  An Open Water Zone that is sufficiently large and deep to allow time for fine particles to flocculate and settle, and allows sunlight to kill bacteria. The minimum depth should be 2.4m to minimise the growth of rooted macrophytes, and a maximum depth of 3.0m to prevent temperature stratification that often occurs beyond this depth.340 Decomposition and grazing of organic matter by microbes, insects, fish and birds also occur in this zone. Under the right conditions, periodic algal growth will occur in ponds. This will trap dissolved excess nutrients and allow them to enter the food chain or settle on the bottom of the pond.341 Figure 6.1 displays Canberra’s stormwater network. In urban areas, the increased proportion of impervious areas has reduced the amount of rain that either infiltrates the ground or is retained by vegetation. Consequently, increased quantities of stormwater run-off enter the drainage system and the receiving waterways. The primary function of a stormwater system is to prevent flooding that threatens life and property. Traditionally, stormwater drainage systems have been constructed to remove stormwater from urban areas as quickly as possible in order to minimise the risk of flooding and to prevent water from becoming stagnant. The increased volume entering waterways can cause scouring (instream erosion) of waterways, and the carrying of gross pollutants, sediments and nutrients. In less modified catchments, the run-off water is released over a longer period of time and with lower peak discharges containing fewer pollutants, thus maintaining healthier water environments.

The actual number of ponds is difficult to determine as there is no consolidated list. This is because ponds are planned, constructed, regulated and managed by different groups. Ponds are planned by ACTPLA and/or developers, DECCEW or Roads ACT. Some are constructed by the LDA and/or developers or contractors, or DECCEW. Some are handed over to Parks Conservation and Lands or Roads ACT for asset management while others are managed by private entities (e.g. golf courses and bodies corporate) and others are filled in at the end of the development phase of the subdivision. Some are regulated by the EPA.

Water Figure 6.1: Canberra’s stormwater network342

The policy for the design of stormwater assets in Canberra has evolved over time. Prior to the early 1960s, most house roof drainage was directly connected to the kerb and gutter in the street (blocks on the high side of the street) or connected to one or several rubble soakage pits located within the block. These arrangements still exist in Canberra’s older suburbs. After the early 1960s, all streets were built with a municipal underground pipe network that enabled the house pipe drainage system to connect directly to it at a service tie. Until the mid-1970s, the trunk drainage system was constructed using concrete and stone-pitched lined channels. Water levels in lined channels can rise very fast and flows can reach velocities up to 12m/s (approximately 40kph) which has the potential to be extremely hazardous to the public. After the mid-1970s, the growing emphasis on water quality management and landscape amenity resulted in the increased use of grassed floodways and natural waterways for major drainage. The average flow velocity in grassed floodways is limited to 2m/s to prevent erosion, and the floodway sides are limited to a maximum slope of one to six (vertical to horizontal) so that grass can be maintained.343 With the increasing emphasis on protecting water quality in the urban area and downstream receiving waters over the last few decades, there has been increased use of retention facilities, wetlands, ponds and lakes, and structural devices such as gross pollutant traps, litter baskets, and sediment traps. Current stormwater use Canberra extracts stormwater from its three lakes and smaller ponds, mostly for irrigation of sportsgrounds and parklands. Recent developments that have increased the volume of stormwater used include:  Recommissioning of the old pump station and infrastructure at Point Hut Pond so that a minimum of 95% of the irrigation requirement for nearby sportsgrounds is now supplied by stormwater344  Constructing a dam at the Federal Golf Club to capture and use stormwater for irrigation purposes ($250,000, completed in 2009)

Stormwater 

Constructing the Flemington Road (Gungahlin) stormwater harvesting ponds that are the start of a network of stormwater ponds, aquifer storage and recovery schemes that will distribute water suitable for irrigation via pump and pipes to irrigators in the area including EPIC, the racecourse and a golf course.345 The 2009/10 ACT Budget allocated $2.5 million for stormwater extraction at Exhibition Park.346

Water is extracted from Lake Burley Griffin for use in the Parliamentary Zone, the Governor General’s residence, Black Mountain Peninsula, Yarralumla Nursery, the Australian National Botanic Gardens and the Royal Canberra Golf Club. Extraction arrangements are specified in the Lake Burley Griffin Abstraction Plan (2005). The National Capital Authority is currently allocated a capped amount of water that can be taken from the lake in order for the lake level to remain relatively constant.347 Responsibility for management of water extraction from Lake Burley Griffin has recently been transferred to the ACT Government. 6.2.2

Policy and governance The ACT’s stormwater policy is based on the ACT Government’s 2004 strategy Think water, act water: A strategy for sustainable resource management in the ACT. It stated that the objective for stormwater is to:  Ensure that the level of nutrients and sediments entering ACT waterways will be no greater than that from a well managed rural landscape  Reduce the peak flow and volume of urban stormwater flows in newly developed areas so that the run-off event that occurs, on average, once every three months, is no larger than it was prior to development.348 As part of the National Water Initiative, the ACT Government, under joint funding with the Australian Government, commissioned the Canberra Integrated Urban Waterways study. This study investigated the use of stormwater across Canberra including the potential for:  Harvesting and reticulation of stormwater as a non-potable water supply  Pumping of harvested stormwater into underground aquifers during wet periods, and extraction from those aquifers during dry periods.349 The study identified a range of stormwater harvesting sites together with supply/demand options to produce two Masterplans for 85% and 95% reliability.350 Building on its findings, the Water Management Plan for ACT Sportsgrounds (2009) report detailed the stormwater options. The report has led to a number of projects that are discussed in 6.2.1 Growth in harvesting stormwater section. A key driver in sportsground use of stormwater is the ACT Government’s 2007 strategic goal that by 2013, no sportsground in the ACT would rely solely on potable water to guarantee sporting operations.351 Part of the reason for this was the concern that Stage 4 water restrictions would come into effect at some time in the future and that maintaining high value sportsgrounds was essential. There is no single document defining the ACT’s stormwater management strategy. Rather, the strategy is defined in a number of pieces of legislation, policy and guidelines. Key documents are:  Design Standards for Urban Infrastructure: No. 1 Stormwater  Waterways: Water Sensitive Urban Design Code  Environmental Flow Guidelines  Asset Management Plan 2004–07 (TAMS)  Canberra Urban Lakes and Ponds: Plan of Management  Environment Protection Act 1997  Water Resources Act 2007  Public Health Act 1997. Key stormwater stakeholders consist of: 89

Water 

Department of Territory and Municipal Services (ACT Government). Roads ACT. Roads ACT owns the majority of the stormwater structural components within the ACT. Roads ACT is responsible for managing, monitoring and maintaining the physical condition of the municipal stormwater network, for setting standards for the construction of new stormwater assets, and for ensuring the safe and effective functioning of the stormwater network as a whole.352 It is also responsible for stormwater fault logging.  Parks, Conservation and Land (PCL). PCL, formerly Canberra Urban Parks and Places, is responsible for, and owns, the urban waterway corridors, ponds, wetlands and lakes. PCL also organises bacterial monitoring of several water bodies and informs the community of their safety.353 Environment Protection Authority (EPA) (ACT Government). The EPA, within the Department of Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water (DECCEW), conducts analysis of the water quality for blue-green algae at various sites in the ACT. ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA). ACTPLA is responsible for the master planning and development of new stormwater networks at the sub division level354 and for the policy development and implementation of water sensitive urban design within the ACT. Land and Property Services (LAPS) (ACT Government). LAPS is responsible for the ACT Government’s land release program and through the Land Development Agency. National Capital Authority (Australian Government). The National Capital Authority manages the Australian Government-owned stormwater assets on National land. Its responsibilities include repair, renewal and replacement. It also is responsible for managing blue-green algae and bacterial monitoring of Lake Burley Griffin. Private land developers. These private sector organisations are responsible for constructing the stormwater network within suburbs detailed in the Design Standards for Urban Infrastructure – Section 1 – Stormwater.355 Catchment Groups. There are a number of community-based catchment groups that aim to restore creek lines, tributaries and catchments to a more natural state. These include the Sullivans Creek Catchment Group, the Ginninderra Creek Catchment Group and the Southern ACT Catchment Group.356 



 



6.2.3

Sector trends

6.2.1

Growth in harvesting stormwater In Canberra, stormwater could potentially be a significant source of new water such as in South Australia where there is an aim for some 20GL/year to be harvested for non-drinking purposes in Greater Adelaide by 2013.357 However, there are a number of challenges in achieving this including:  Stormwater that varies in quality, and the pollutants that it carries  Water storage that requires large areas if ponds are used, or expensive storage mechanisms such as tanks and aquifers  There is a lack of a framework for the pricing, treatment, distribution, and health and safety issues associated with stormwater. To address the potential for stormwater use, the ACT commissioned the Canberra Integrated Urban Waterways project, and the subsequent Water Management Plan for ACT Sportsgrounds. These studies have led to a limited number of stormwater harvesting initiatives under the Canberra Integrated Urban Waterways Project (CIUWP). The objective of the project is to replace 1.5GL/year of potable water used for irrigation with alternative water sources by 2010, increasing to 3GL/year by 2015. These projects would also improve water quality, flood protection, landscape enhancement and increase habitat for aquatic wildlife. It is stated that the CIUWP will eventually transform the 1970s concrete stormwater drains in Yarralumla Creek (Woden), Weston Creek, Ginninderra Creek and Sullivans Creek into more natural waterways with surrounding natural areas.358 Currently underway is the Sullivans Creek Catchment improvement project, which

Stormwater includes the recently completed Flemington Road Ponds, and the currently under-construction Dickson and Lyneham Ponds and stormwater reticulation system. The ACT Government has allocated over $50 million and the Australian Government $10 million.359 Table 6.2 below lists the recent ACT Government budget appropriations for harvesting projects. Table 6.2: ACT Government budget appropriations for harvesting projects360 Funded Agency

Project

Funds Appropriated

ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA)

North Weston Pond – design

ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA)

North Weston Pond – constructiont

$20,000,000

Sport and Recreation Services (SRS)

North and South Tuggeranong Stormwater Schemesu

$14,650,000

ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA)

Existing Lakes Stormwater Harvesting – design

ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA)

Dickson and Lyneham Ponds – design and construction

$13,870,000

Total

$50,145,000

$625,000

$1,000,000

The North and South Tuggeranong Stormwater Schemes will use water from Lake Tuggeranong to irrigate high priority sportsgrounds in the area. It is stated that the North Tuggeranong scheme will be able to irrigate 27.4ha of sportsgrounds, with the potential to also provide water for a golf course. The South Tuggeranong scheme will be able to irrigate 22.5ha of sportsgrounds, with the potential to supply a further 9.3ha of ovals.361 The drawdown in Lake Tuggeranong is limited to 200mm for aesthetic reasons, and if additional water is required, this may be obtained from Tuggeranong Weir and Isabella Pond.362The design contract for the North and South Tuggeranong Stormwater Schemes has been let and a decision to proceed with construction is likely to be made during 2010. In the 2010/11 ACT Government budget, a total of $11.5 million was allocated for new stormwater harvesting projects in Gungahlin and the Molonglo Valley. $5 million will be spent on constructing stormwater reticulation infrastructure from the North Weston Pond, which will supply water to irrigate sports grounds and schools in Weston Creek, Coombs and Wright in the Molonglo Valley. $6.5 million will be spent on constructing three connected ponds on Ginninderra Creek at the corner of Gungahlin Drive and the Valley Avenue in Gungahlin. These ponds will provide nonpotable water for irrigation through the construction of reticulation infrastructure to meet irrigation demands at the Gungahlin Centre Town Park, Gungahlin College, Gungahlin Enclosed Oval and Burgmann Anglican School.363 Another area of growth in stormwater harvesting is rainwater tanks. An estimated 8,600 households have rainwater tanks as a source of water in the ACT. Figure 6.2 displays the growth in the number of ACT rainwater tanks.

This involves construction a pond in the North Weston precinct for the capture, quality improvement and reuse of runoff water from new development areas and the existing suburbs of the Weston Creek district. It also includes a new road bridge over Weston Creek. u Stormwater irrigation schemes from Lake Tuggeranong.

Water

Rainwater tanks

Figure 6.2: ACT households with rainwater tanks as a source of water364 10000 9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0

Rainwater tanks as a source of water in the ACT

1994

1998

2001

2004

2007

In early 2010, a $2.9 million Australian Government-funded project commenced to pipe water from Lake Burley Griffin to the Australian National Botanic Gardens. This pipe will be designed with a capacity to deliver 170ML of lake water per year.365 Growth in Water Sensitive Urban Design Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is increasingly being applied in the ACT as a way of minimising the impacts of urbanisation on waterways. WSUD involves techniques to treat, store, and infiltrate stormwater runoff onsite rather than simply facilitating rapid discharge of stormwater to the environment. The increase in the application of WSUD is being driven by the need for developments to meet the requirements of the Waterways: Water Sensitive Urban Design Code and specific water sensitive urban design requirements contained within each development code within the Territory Plan, which describes provisions for all types of development within the ACT. These codes came into effect in March 2008 and have been subject to minor revisions since this date. The codes aim to reduce mains water consumption by 40% for all new residential neighbourhoods and estates, redevelopments, multi-unit housing, commercial and industrial developments. For developments 2 larger than 2000m , mandatory stormwater quality outcomes are listed in Table 6.3. Table 6.3: Targets for stormwater quality management366 Factor

Reduction required for development or redevelopment sites

Regional or catchment wide reduction

Reduction in average annual suspended solids (SS) export load

60%

85%

Reduction in average annual total phosphorus (TP) export load

45%

70%

Reduction in average annual total nitrogen (TN) export load

40%

60%

WSUD targets for reducing the frequency and quantity of stormwater runoff are listed in Table 6.4. Table 6.4: Performance targets for stormwater quantity367

Goal

Performance target

Reduction of runoff peak flow to no more than the pre-development levels and release captured flow over a period of 1 to 3 days

3 month ARI

Reduction of peak flows to pre-development levels

5 year to 100 year ARI

Stormwater

6.3

Performance Performance measures for stormwater systems relate to their: ď&#x201A;ť Ability to convey major storm events and eliminate/minimise flooding and consequential damage to private property or critical infrastructure ď&#x201A;ť Ability to maintain the long-term sustainability of natural systems from a water quality perspective, by minimising the discharge of pollutants and generally improving the quality of stormwater discharge. Assessing the performance of the stormwater system is difficult. There is no consolidated data on stormwater assets and performance, such as the quality of stormwater runoff entering our natural waterways. Inspection of stormwater pipes across the system is an economically prohibitive activity and not normally undertaken except in areas with a relatively high incidence of blockages or other failure. In 2005, Roads ACT stated that it had data on the condition of only 1% of its stormwater network368 and this figure is believed to not have increased since then. However, it is considered that this information is critical to enable a move away from the current unsatisfactory maintenance regime used for stormwater assets which is run to failure rather than implementing a preventive maintenance program. There is a need to establish a more rigorous asset management approach to the maintenance of stormwater assets. Information on assets is entered into the Integrated Asset Management System for Territory and Municipal Services (IAMS).v In 2005, attributed data on pipes, culverts and manholes (age, size, length) existed for about 40%369 of the spatial elements. There is a large backlog of data that must be entered into IAMS. The current service standards for stormwater assets, as specified by Roads ACT, indicate that the target service standards are not being met, as seen in Table 6.5. Table 6.5: Service standards for stormwater assets370 Issue/Attribute

Service Standards Current

Target

Reactive and some planned, based on routine inspections

Fully planned based on annual inspections

Programmed Maintenance Above ground

Inspections every 6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;12 months, based on asset type Below ground

Reactive during and after storms to clear chokes

Pro-active using historical defect data

Dam maintenance

Safety inspections annually

Comprehensive inspections every 5 years

Major event inspections after earthquakes and floods

Hydrology and hydrometric

Continuous monitoring

Gross pollutant traps

Clean twice yearly or when sediment >50%

Clean twice yearly plus when sediment >50%

Empty trash racks when blocked >30%

Reactive, based on complaints and reports of system failure

Based on surveillance and reaction to public complaints

Emergency

95% attend within 1 hour

99% within 1 hour

Minor overflows

95% corrected within 14 days

Within 2 days

Routine Maintenance

Response Time

IAMS information on stormwater assets was migrated from the Stormwater Asset Management Information System (SWAMIS).

Water Issue/Attribute

Service Standards Current

Target

Major overflows

95% corrected within 14 days

Within 1 day

Written complaints

Within 10 working days

Programmed Maintenance

The current asset management plan for stormwater was written in 2005, and covered the period 2004/2007. A new version is expected by mid-2010. Physical stormwater asset failure is linked to two main causes. Firstly, the age of the asset. The design life of most concrete-based stormwater assets is between 20 and 80 years, as seen in Table 6.6. Much of the ACT’s stormwater system is approaching the end of its design life. Secondly, root intrusion causes pipe blockages and this increases with drought conditions. Stormwater capacity failure occurs when the design flow of some parts of the stormwater system is exceeded. This is a particular problem in older suburbs that have either no underground stormwater systems or systems that are well below the capacity required by current standards. This problem is further exacerbated by the increased runoff arising from increased impervious areas of infill developments in these areas. Table 6.6: Stormwater asset and design life371 Asset

Design life

Stormwater pipes Lined channels Stormwater sumps Manholes Dams Weir structures Gross pollutant traps Retarding basins

50–80 years 50–80 years 20–50 years 20–50 years 50–80 years 50–80 years 20–50 years 50–100 years

In 2005, to address stormwater failures, the ACT Government announced that for the following five years, $10.0 million will be invested on upgrades to stormwater infrastructure in existing areas.372 Following the severe storms of December 2006 and March 2007, over $5 million was spent on stormwater system restoration work.373 Recent stormwater augmentation projects have occurred in Fyshwick South, Griffith, Rivett, Deakin and Turner. While the age profile of the Roads ACT-owned stormwater assets indicates that a number of the systems are more than 80 years old, these are generally considered to be functioning satisfactorily, with Roads ACT not reporting any significant differences in the number of complaints between older and newer suburbs.374 The National Capital Authority was asked to provide information on its stormwater assets but was unable to do so due to a lack of asset data. 6.3.1

Environmental sustainability Effective stormwater management can contribute to environmental sustainability by minimising the degradation of water quality and reducing changes to natural environmental flows. This is a core outcome required from the Waterways: Water Sensitive Urban Design Code that specifies reduction targets for a range of pollutants, as well as a reduction in runoff volume. One measure of the performance of stormwater assets is the impact on the water quality of the receiving waters. Water quality in ACT streams and lakes is assessed against the water quality standards specified

Stormwater in the Environment Protection Regulations 1997. The standards specify physical, chemical, and biological indicators.w The ACT Water Report 2008/2009 describes the quality of the ACT’s waterways, excluding Lake Burley Griffin. Environmental conditions in urban waterways remain at the degraded condition of previous years, continuing to suffer stress from drought-induced low flows and development disturbances. Sites outside the urban area have displayed resilience to these events; they appear to have recovered from the impacts of the 2003 bushfires and are accommodating the ongoing periods of low flow. Sites in urban and peri-urban areas appear to be faring worse than non-urban sites. Urban sites are commonly impacted by human actions such as altered flow regimes, nutrient enrichment, weed infestation and increased pollutants. Recently, urban water quality is thought to have remained poor because, with drought conditions, stream flows are generally low and any pollutants entering waterways are not diluted and frequently do so as part of storm events. Long dry periods combined with sudden storm events can allow the development of heavy silt loads in runoff water from urban areas under development. If warm, dry weather follows rains in spring that have brought in nutrients from the catchments, phytoplankton growth normally occurs in Canberra urban lakes. This includes both cyanobacteria and blue green algae. In the absence of flows, the dispersal of the bloom may not occur. The condition of water quality over 2008/09 is defined in Table 6.7.375 Table 6.7: Summary of Water Quality in the ACT, 2008/2009376 Parameter

Reg. Limit

Sources

Consequences of exceeding limits

Incidents in reporting period

Total Phosphorus

<0.1mg/mL

Soil and humus

With high TN, turbidity, water temperature and low flow, may lead to cyanobacterial bloom.

Minor spring fluctuations.

Total Nitrogen

N/A.[<150μg/L]

Organic matter breakdown + biological Nitrogen fixation

With high TP, turbidity, water temperature and low flow, may lead to cyanobacterial bloom

Halls Crossing; Dairy Flat Rd.

Suspended Solids

<25mg/L

Disturbance of soil by storm damage, human activity causing catchment disturbance, and in upland river, watercourse creep

Silt slugs; bank scouring; burial of riffles or aquatic vegetation; increased (long-term) turbidity

Localised rain associated events

Turbidity

<10NTU, flowing <30NTU, standing

Soil and country rock clay fraction; humic ‘tea’

Modification of biological light regime; poor aesthetics

Spring and summer storms; silt slug at Angle Crossing in January

Faecal Coliforms

<150cfu (swimming) 1,000cfu/mL

Rural and urban animal waste, fertilisers (sewage0

Closure of recreational waters because of health risk from associated (hard to monitor) pathogens

Localised events associated with low flow.

Conductivity

N/A.

Salts in country rock and ground water; sewage treatment plants

Salinity or corrosion problems, where water is used

N/A

6–9

Catchment geology

Changes to biodynamics; may release toxic metals

N/A

Specifically it is total phosphorus, turbidity, suspended solids, faecal coliforms, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids. Department of Territory and Municipal Services, 2008, ACT Water Report 2007-2008, p. 5.

Water Parameter

Reg. Limit

Sources

Consequences of exceeding limits

Incidents in reporting period

Dissolved Oxygen

>4.0mg/L

Normal plant (including algal) activity and physical exchange with atmosphere through wind and water movement

Hot weather and low flows drive O² out of water, leading to biological stress, with fish kills being the worst outcome

Summer lows at Point Hut Pond; Queanbeyan River at the cemetery

Chlorophyll

‘a’ <10μg/L

Phytoplankton

Poor aesthetics; scums; unpleasant smells (geosmin); blooms outside of normal population fluctuation

Lakes and ski reach closed February– May 2009

During 2008/09, Lake Burley Griffin’s overall bacterial quality was generally good. While it did not affect organised lake events, the swimming beaches were, however, occasionally subjected to elevated bacterial levels that marginally exceeded guideline values. From February 2009 to July 2009, the proliferation of algal blooms resulted in both partial and full closures of the lake. The National Capital Authority has commissioned the Queensland University to investigate the causes of this, and these findings will inform the revision of the Lake Management Strategy.377 Roads ACT has evaluated the climate change impacts on surface drainage and culvert assets. It found that while for low climate change impacts, ‘current practice is sufficient’, for high impacts, ‘improvement works to cope with changes in climate can be undertaken such as retardation basins when impacts occurs’.378

6.4

Future challenges The challenges in achieving improvements in stormwater infrastructure are:  Maintaining a focus on drainage and flood protection functions of stormwater. The last few years have seen a shift in stormwater focus from drainage and flood protection to water quality improvement and stormwater harvesting. Part of the reason for this has been the lack of any significant rain causing flood events over the decade or more, resulting in flooding risks receiving a lower priority. However, flooding risks in Canberra still remain, notably in the inner north and south suburbs, and stormwater works to improve drainage and flood protection in these areas need to continue.  Developing a stormwater strategic plan. Strategic planning is required to ensure that future investment in stormwater infrastructure in the ACT is managed and developed in a manner responding to changing community needs and urban growth, including sustainability and the recognition of stormwater as a valuable resource. It is also required to ensure that the focus remains on increasing stormwater use.  Developing strategies for maintaining water quality in the lakes. Each year, toxic bluegreen algal blooms occur on Canberra’s lakes. While improvements have been made in inflow quality, it is not sufficient to prevent these problems.  Obtaining sufficient funding to maintain and improve asset quality. The quantum of stormwater assets continues to increase as do problems arising from the increase in impervious areas in older suburbs, and the approaching end of life of assets. This will require an increase in funding for stormwater maintenance and renewal. A particular problem that needs to be addressed is the failure to provide a maintenance budget with the installation of new gross pollutant traps. Without continuous cleaning, the traps are ineffective. The amount of investment in stormwater assets needs to reflect the fact that construction costs are rising faster than CPI.  Further implementation of WSUD principles. Due to the expanding size of Canberra and the increased size of impervious ground (which in turn is due to increased roof sizes, more roads, urban infill, etc), the total amount of stormwater runoff is increasing. This has the potential to erode waterways and destroy ecological habitats, as well as to increase the total volume of

Stormwater pollutants such as nutrients, sediment and litter, carried into local waterways, ponds and lakes. Dealing with this requires the widespread use of WSUD principles.  Addressing climate change risks. Climate change science indicates that more extreme rainfall events will occur, resulting in more frequent and severe instances of overland flooding, particularly due to both the heavier rainfall and the large amount of blockage-causing debris which builds up due to less frequent flushings. Managing this risk involves identifying future rainfall patterns, locating areas that are vulnerable to overland flooding, and changing the design specifications of stormwater systems to accommodate the changed rainfall pattern.

6.5

Report Card rating Infrastructure Type Stormwater

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

C+

C-

Based on considerations of planning, funding, and infrastructure capacity and condition, the ACT’s stormwater infrastructure has been rated C+. This rating recognises the increased attention given to stormwater use and water quality improvement and the increased allocation of funding for stormwater upgrades. However, this is offset by the fact that there still remains inadequate funding for maintenance and upgrades of stormwater systems to meet current standards of drainage and flood protection, particularly in the older areas of Canberra. It is also of concern that the current service standards for stormwater assets, as specified by Roads ACT, indicate that the target service standards are not being met. There is a need to establish a more rigorous asset management approach to the maintenance of stormwater assets, based on asset life and condition assessment. Positives that have contributed to the rating are:  Increased uptake of water sensitive urban design  Plans for increased use of stormwater for irrigation  Achieving required levels of drainage and flood protection in areas developed since the late 1960s. Negatives that have contributed to the rating are:  Lack of a long-term stormwater strategic plan  Fragmented governance arrangements for stormwater  Inadequate levels of drainage and flood protection in older areas of Canberra  Limited funds provided for stormwater infrastructure maintenance, renewals and replacements.

Water

ENERGY Energy policy The ACT Government’s focus on energy policy has primarily been on ensuring that energy contributes to its broader policy objectives of environmental sustainability, although issues of economic and social sustainability have been important. This focus is reflected in the Government’s policy documents in the table below. Policies and strategies

Description

The Territory Plan (2008)

This plan is the key statutory planning document in the ACT, and its purpose is to manage land-use change and development. Its strategic directions refer to integrating land use and transport planning to reduce energy consumption and minimise greenhouse gas emissions.379

Weathering the change: The ACT Climate Change Strategy 2007/2025 (2007)

This strategy sets out the approaches that the ACT Government will pursue between now and 2025 to respond to climate change. Detailed action plans will be developed at regular intervals during the life of the strategy. The energy related components of its first Action Plan, which runs to 2011, are: Develop an energy policy Pursue carbon neutrality in government buildings Establish a $1million energy efficiency fund for ACT Government agencies Implement a renewable energy target (RET) in line with the NSW RET Implement energy efficiency improvements in government housing Pursue energy efficiency rating for all buildings Investigate mandatory solar hot water for new houses.

Canberra Plan: Toward Our Second Century (2009)

This Plan provides the Territory’s overarching framework which guides the growth and development of Canberra. It provides the requirement that sustainable practices are adopted to ensure security of energy supplies.

There has been no energy-specific policy developed by the ACT Government until the production of the Draft Sustainable Energy Policy 2010–2020 in late 2009. The draft policy, which continues the emphasis on sustainability, is predicated on the assertion that ‗the way we [the ACT] produce and consume energy is unsustainable‘.380 It highlights the need to integrate the energy policy objectives of ensuring secure, reliable, diverse and equitable supplies of energy with climate change objectives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy use. Much of the draft policy is focused on how energy can achieve the ACT Government’s objective to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% of 2000 levels by 2050.381 The actions in the draft policy would have a significant impact on electricity and gas infrastructure. Important actions are:  Increasing distributed generation by requiring all new ACT greenfield developments and commercial buildings to include a detailed assessment of the benefits and viability of distributed generation options as a default position  Increasing the use of renewable energy to at least 25% of all electricity consumption, with an interim target of 15% by 2012; this may be done by amending the feed-in tariff and building a large-scale solar power facility  Introducing energy efficiency measures such as mandating that energy businesses provide energy efficient products and services  Fast tracking the installation of smart meters if the current trial demonstrates significant positive benefits.

Energy The 2010/11 ACT Budget allocated almost $2.6 million for a series of carbon reduction measures including the establishment of a framework for the ACT Government to become carbon neutral, which was one of the proposals under the Draft Sustainable Energy Policy, and progressing the electric vehicles network.

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Electricity

7.1

Summary Infrastructure Type Electricity

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

B+

C+

B-

This rating recognises that there has been an improvement in the security of supply and infrastructure asset management. However, continual funding for maintenance and renewals is essential to prevent bulk obsolescence of infrastructure over the next decade. More work needs to be done in encouraging an economic, locally generated, sustainable energy supply. Since the last Report Card, the major electricity sector developments have been:  Emerging capacity constraints in parts of the distribution network  Increase in commercial loads and summer peak demand  Increase in capital expenditure for supply augmentation projects  Introduction of a feed-in tariff for small-scale renewable generation  Commencement of programs to build a large-scale solar power facility. Recently completed and in-progress major infrastructure projects include:  Zone substation construction at East Lake and Molonglo, and zone substation augmentation at Civic  The Southern Supply Point Project  Electricity reticulation in new residential estates at Franklin (completed), Kingston Foreshore and Macgregor West (ongoing), and Crace, Casey and Bonner (commenced)  Ongoing replacement of overhead conductors with underground reticulation in the inner suburbs as part of urban redevelopment  Major substation and associated network infrastructure works for major developments including the Attorney-General’s Department Barton office development and the Brindabella Business Park  Supply upgrade to the Cotter pump station and LMWQCC for new clarifiers  Angle Crossing 132kV/11kV substation. Challenges to improving electricity infrastructure include:  Managing the changing demand profile  Funding renewals of assets  Implementing significant demand management measures.

7.2

Infrastructure overview

7.2.1

System description Electricity infrastructure refers to stationary electricity networks that comprise interconnected electricity transmission and distribution systems, together with connected generating systems, facilities and loads. It includes non-renewable and renewable generation. It excludes mobile generators and non-grid-connected electricity systems. The ACT’s electricity infrastructure comprises:  Generation (about 2% of electricity consumed in the ACT is produced here)  Transmission networks (162km of 132kV and 7km of 66kV mains)

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Energy Distribution networks (4,626km of high and low voltage distributor mains, 53,037 poles and 3,224 transformers)  Retail companies (17 licensed retailers but only two active in the residential market). 

ActewAGL Distribution owns and operates the electricity network in the ACT. It is responsible for its planning, design, construction and operations.382 ActewAGL Distribution, originally owned by AGL and ACTEW when it was formed in 2000, is currently owned equally by SPI (Australia) Assets Pty Ltd and ACTEW Corporation via their respective subsidiary companies Jemena Networks (ACT) Pty Ltd and ACTEW Distribution Ltd.383 The physical elements work within a market structure called the National Electricity Market (NEM). The NEM spans Victoria, Queensland, NSW, ACT and SA. There are some 275 registered generators across the NEM that offer to supply power and their output is bought by retailers. The central coordination of the dispatch of electricity from generators is the responsibility of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). Figure 7.1 illustrates the inter-relationship between the physical and financial components of the NEM. While generation and retail have been opened to competition, due to the nature of transmission and distribution networks, these are regulated monopolies. Figure 7.1: Structure of the National Electricity Market (NEM)384 physical electricity flows transmission network

distribution network load dispatch instructions *

plant dispatch instructions

AEMO determines the amount of power required

generators

supply offers

consumers

purchase bids *

electricity settlement payments

financial contracts *Currently no customers submit demand side bids

Generation Very little electricity consumed in the ACT is generated within the Territory. The remainder is sourced from various generators along the east coast of Australia.385 Generators in the ACT are:  Belconnen Landfill Gas Power Plant. This 1MW capacity plant was commissioned in 1999 and uses methane from the adjacent landfill site. The operator is Energy Developments Limited386. This plant produces about 5GWh/year.387  Mugga Lane Landfill Gas Power Plant. This 3.45MW capacity plant was commissioned in 1999 and uses methane from the adjacent landfill site. The operator is Energy Development Limited.x This plant produces about 30GWh/year.388  Mt Stromlo Water Treatment Plant (WTP) mini hydro power plant. This plant was commissioned in 2000 and is attached to the pipeline from the Bendora Dam near the Mt Stromlo WTP.389 The 0.7MW 390 plant is owned by ACTEW.

The plant consists of three gas engine generators, each powered by V16 diesel engines converted for gas. In 2007/08, it generated 23.8GWh. John Thistleton, 2008, ‘Landfill has power to quell controversy’ in Canberra Times, 22 September 2008, http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/landfill-has-power-to-quell-controversy/1278790.aspx, accessed 1 January 2010.

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Electricity Googong Dam mini hydro power plant. This plant was commissioned in 2001. The 0.6MW 391 plant is owned by ACTEW.y  Small-scale renewable generation. Some 905 renewable generators (the vast majority are roof mounted photovoltaic arrays) are connected to the distribution network with an installed capacity of 1.9MW as of 30 September 2009.392 From January to June 2009, its total generation was 514MWh.393  Brindabella Park 4MW trigeneration plant. 394 

ACTEW is currently assessing the technical feasibility of installing a mini hydro system near the outlet structure of the yet-to-be-built Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer pipeline. The system would comprise a turbine and generator, and would be located below ground with some minor above-ground auxiliary components. The power generated will be delivered back to the pump station on the Murrumbidgee River and is expected to provide about 20% to 30% of its power needs.395 The plant under consideration is between 1.8 and 3.8MW.396 In 2008, ActewAGL lodged a Development Application to build a 210MW gas powered power station as part of the Canberra Technology City project in Tuggeranong. Later that year, the project proposal was reduced to a 28MW cogeneration facility.397 ActewAGL is no longer pursuing this development.398 The ACT Government is examining whether a large-scale solar power facility can be developed in the ACT. The ACT Government has stated that it will provide $30 million to assist in the development of the facility, which would generate a minimum of 86GWh/year. Following a call for interest in developing the facility, 23 proposals from 18 consortiums were received. In December 2009, the ACT Government asked 10 of these proponents to prepare detailed technical and financial proposals for further assessment. The assessment of stage two proposals is expected to be completed in mid to late 2010.399 In March 2009, an electricity feed-in tariff scheme commenced operation in the ACT for small-scale renewable electricity generation connected to the grid. The tariff is designed to encourage investment in renewable electricity generation by paying small-scale generators a premium rate for the gross amount of electricity they generate. The premium rate is currently set at 50.05c/kWh, with a new rate to apply from 1 July 2010.400 There are different rates paid according to generator capacity. They are:  Generators of 10kW or less receive 100% of the premium rate  Generators of between 10kW and 30kW receive 80% of the premium rate.401 An extension of the feed-in tariff to generators with a capacity greater than 30kW is currently being considered.z The premium rate is 3.88 times the standard price charged to most ACT households.aa This price makes the ACT’s feed-in tariff arrangements among the most generous in Australia. Details of feed-in tariff schemes for other jurisdictions are listed in Table 7.1.

The plants consists of 300kW Francis turbines with induction generators and control systems. The project design utilises riparian/environmental flows feeding from the water supply reservoir, supplying electricity back into the grid. z The ACT Department of the Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water is currently preparing a discussion paper on a potential Phase 2 of the feed-in tariff scheme. It is understood that a discussion paper will be released shortly and followed by a round of public consultations. Independent Competition And Regulatory Commission, 2009, Electricity Feed-in Renewable Energy Premium: Determination of Premium Rate, Issues Paper, p. 8. aa That is, those on the transition franchise retail tariff price.

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Energy Table 7.1: Feed-in tariff rates in other Australian jurisdictions402 Jurisdiction

Current status

Nature of scheme

Rate

Duration

NSW

Commencing 1 January 2010

Gross

60c/kWh

7 years

VIC

Commenced 1 November 2009

Net

60c/kWh

15 years

QLD

Commenced 1 July 2008

Net

44c/kWh

20 years (subject to review)

Commencing 1 July 2010

Net

40c/kWh

10 years

Commenced 1 July 2008

Net

44c/kWh

20 years

Commenced 1 July 2009 in Alice Springs only

Net

45.76c/kWh (capped at $5 per day, then reverts to 23.11c/kWh)

To be determined

The costs associated with the feed-in tariff are borne by the electricity retailer, which funds 6c/kWh, and ActewAGL Distribution, which initially funds the 44.05c/kWh but then passes the cost through to all ACT electricity customers via increased distribution tariffs. The increase in distribution costs is levied on all ACT electricity customers and results in an increase of 3% in their average price of electricity.bb Transmission The ACT’s transmission network is connected to TransGrid’s NSW transmission network as illustrated in Figure 7.2. Electricity is supplied through two bulk supply points:  Canberra Bulk Supply Point (330kV/132kV) at Holt  Queanbeyan Bulk Supply Point (132kV/66kV) at Oaks Estate.403 Following the completion of the Southern Supply Point Project, an additional bulk supply point at Williamsdale will exist. See Increasing capital works expenditure section below for details. All the bulk supply points and the incoming 330kV transmission lines, along with the 132kV lines between Williamsdale and Cooma are owned and operated by TransGrid.404

This is about 0.34 c/kWh and equal to $27 per year for the average ACT consumer. Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission, 2009, Electricity Feed-in Renewable Energy Premium: Determination of Premium Rate, Issues Paper, p. 16.

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Electricity Figure 7.2: TransGrid transmission network to and around the ACT, incorporating the soon-to-be-completed Southern Supply Point Project405

The transmission network, which is within the ACT, is owned and operated by ActewAGL. This network connects to the TransGrid network, and consists of 132kV sub-transmission lines and 66kV lines from the bulk supply points to 11 zone substations and two major switching stations.406 Zone substations reduce voltage to a level at which the distribution network operates. Its key elements include:  Three 132kV sub-transmission lines from the Canberra Bulk Supply Point  Two 66kV lines from the Queanbeyan Bulk Supply Point.407 Currently, the ACT demand is around 650MW, with most of it supplied from the Canberra Bulk Supply Point, and some 30MW from the Queanbeyan Bulk Supply Point, which is mainly for load in the Fyshwick area.408 With the completion of the Southern Supply Point Project, there will be two 132kV sub-transmission lines from the Williamsdale Bulk Supply Point to the Gilmore/Theodore area. These sub-transmission assets connecting to the bulk supply points are owned by ActewAGL Distribution.409 ActewAGL’s transmission and distribution network is illustrated in Figure 7.3.

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Energy Figure 7.3: The ACT’s transmission and distribution system410

Distribution The ACT’s distribution network consists of:  11kV and 22kV high voltage distribution networks  415/240V low voltage network.

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Electricity Details of the ACT’s transmission and distribution network assets are listed in Table 7.2. Table 7.2: Details of the ACT’s transmission and distribution network assets411 2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

Mains in service (km) Overhead 132kV

159

66kV

22kV

11kV

1,029

1,026

1,024

1,008

1,002

999

Low voltage

1,245

1,233

1,216

1,205

1,201

1,196

2,474

2,459

2,440

2,413

2,403

2,395

132kV

66kV

22kV

11kV

1,199

1,238

1,256

1,274

1,299

1,323

Total length for overhead Underground

945

974

990

1,004

1,028

1,072

Total length for underground

Low voltage

2,149

2,217

2,251

2,283

2,332

2,400

Total length for all mains

4,623

4,676

4,691

4,696

4,735

4,795

Electricity substations

4,379

4,425

4,495

4,518

4,708

4,822

1,228

1,283

66kV

22kV

1,581

1,611

1,658

1,730

1,786

1,848

2,891

2,921

3,024

3,094

3,153

3,224

Transformers 132kV

11kV and below Total number of transformers Sub-transmission line structures

1,325

Distribution and subtransmission poles

53,037

The ACT’s distribution network evolved to meet requirements for:  Supplying mostly residential demand that has very high winter demand peaks due to cold winters  High levels of supply security for installations of national significance  Minimal electricity infrastructure facing the street as demanded by planning requirements. The result is that the ACT’s network is unusual in that:  It has an extensive backyard overhead reticulation system that is expensive to operate due to the cost of inspecting, maintaining and replacing poles. About 50% of the ACT’s poles are untreated compared to the national average of 10%412 and these untreated poles have a higher failure rate than other poles.  It has physical separation between commercial and residential loads.  The majority of ActewAGL Distribution’s electricity network assets have been installed since 1965, with the largest proportion installed during the period 1985 to 1995. Limited refurbishment has occurred since then. For instance, the most recent zone substation (Gold Creek) was commission in 1994.413 Today the average weighted age of assets is 24.88 years. The average 107

Energy life of assets is 46 years. This places ActewAGL Distribution’s assets at about the median average age compared to other Australian utilities.414 The following trends have evolved since the development of the ACT’s network:  The growth in summer load has exposed the network to capacity constraints in certain areas due to the fact that the rating of network equipment is often lower in summer than in winter.415  The introduction of natural gas in the 1980s has reduced winter electricity demand in some zones, which has resulted in load utilisation lower than anticipated at the time of construction.416  The ACT Government now requires that all new greenfield developments are serviced with underground reticulation. Today, 50% of all main lines by length are underground lines. This percentage is significantly higher than the national average of around 12%.417  The commercial load has increased significantly in the last few years as major commercial projects, such as the Canberra Airport, have increased. Commercial consumption increased by 10.4% between 2004 and 2006.418  The lack of new assets has increased the annual cost to maintain ageing zone substations.419 The ACT distribution network is a regulated network, and the current regulatory period runs from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2014. The regulation, as defined by the National Electricity Law, governs price increases over that period, access terms and conditions, tariffs and services, extensions, expansions, trading, queuing, capacity management and tariff policies. The AER in its 2009 determination, allowed ActewAGL Distribution to increase its prices by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 13.82% on 1 July 2009, then CPI plus 4% in each of the following financial years.420 The determination allowed for $275.2 million worth of investment by ActewAGL over the period.421 The increase in prices and the expenditure was justified by the need to invest in four major projects – construction of two new zone substations (East Lake and Molonglo), augmentation of a third substation (Civic) and construction of a second bulk supply point into the ACT from Williamsdale (Southern Supply Point Project).422 Retail Full retail competition for ACT electricity customers was introduced in 1 July 2003, meaning that all customers can chose a retailer from which to buy their electricity. The tariffs offered by these retailers are unregulated. However, the ACT Government has not mandated that customers must choose a retail tariff. Instead, it has instructed the ICRC to set a price direction for a tariff for those customers who wish to remain on a default contract with the incumbent retailer ActewAGL Retail. This tariff is known as the Transitional Franchise Tariff (TFT). The TFT was introduced to allow the ACT Government time to evaluate the need for future price protection. Although the ICRC found that the retail market was sufficiently competitive to remove the TFT in 2007, the ACT Government has still not deregulated all electricity prices.423 Table 7.3. lists the price increases in the TFT. About 78% of ACT customers are on the TFT.424 Table 7.3: Summary of real changes to the transitional franchise tariff425 Year

2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

Real price increase (adjusted for inflation)

4.50%

0.50%

0.00%

12.90%

2008/09 1.98%

2009/10* 2.11%

*This is a draft decision as of April 2010.

The Ministerial Council on Energy has agreed to proceed with a review of the effectiveness of retail competition for the ACT in 2010.426 As of April 2010, there were 18 licensed electricity retailers427 in the ACT but only ActewAGL Retail (the host retailer) and TRUenergy are active in servicing the residential customer market.428

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Electricity Electricity demand Between 1989/90 and 2004/05 the growth rate of electricity consumption averaged 1.5% per annum.429 Demand over the last few years is listed Table 7.4. This table also shows that renewable power as a percentage of system throughput has steadily increased. Table 7.4: Electricity customer numbers and demand430 Electricity

2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

Network customers and connections

Not reported prior to 2005/06

154,510

156,359

158,455

161,061

2,749

2,757

2,910

2,933

2,967

3,011

99.8

89.2

108.8

173.4

216.3

Renewable power as a percentage of system throughput

3.4%

3.0%

3.7%

5.4%

7.2%

Annual growth in ACT electricity sales431

0.41%

-5.78%

0.94%

0.08%

1.19%

System throughput (GWh) Amount of energy supplied from renewable sources (GWh)

While the average electricity consumption per customer is relatively low in the ACT due to the absence of an industrial base, the average consumption per residential customer is relatively high due to Canberraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cold winters and the high disposable incomes of Canberra households.432 Historically, peak demand has been in winter due to space heating. However, the last decade has seen a significant increase in summer demand due to the increasing use of reverse cycle airconditioning in homes, and the growing increase in commercial loads that also have a high cooling requirement. It is expected that the ACT will transition from a winter peaking load to a summer peaking load in 2009/10.cc Figure 7.4 illustrates the maximum demand for summer and winter over the last 15 years. Figure 7.4: The winter and summer maximum demand for the ACT, 1998 to 2008433 700

Summer Demand Winter Demand

650

600 550 500 450

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

400

PoE refers to probability of exceedence. For example, PoE10 means 10% probability of exceedence, or that the load would exceed the forecast once in every ten years. Similarly PoE50 means that the forecast will be exceeded every second year. ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009â&#x20AC;&#x201C;14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 94.

109

Energy 7.2.2

Policy and governance A key component of the ACT Government’s vision for its electricity sector is reflected in its agreement to the National Electricity Objective. This is to promote efficient investment in, and efficient operation and use of, electricity services for the long-term interests of consumers of electricity with respect to price, quality, safety, reliability and security of supply of electricity; and the reliability, safety and security of the national electricity system.434 The overarching regulatory framework for the ACT’s network is provided through the National Electricity Rules, which are made under the National Electricity Law. The National Electricity Law is applied as law in the ACT by the Electricity (National Scheme) Act 1997. The National Electricity Rules provide the detailed standards that govern participation in, and the operation of, the NEM. The NEM is continuing to evolve with the most recent change occurring on 1 July 2009, when the management of the electricity spot market and the central coordination of the dispatch of electricity moved from the National Electricity Market Management Company (NEMMCO) to the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). The role of the ACT and Australian Governments in controlling electricity infrastructure is now very constrained compared to the past, as they have transferred control to independent regulators and authorities within a market framework. However, it can indirectly influence costs and demand through mechanisms such as applying a price to carbon and encouraging energy efficiency. Planning for electricity infrastructure is principally the responsibility of ActewAGL Distribution. Its long-term planning documents are:  Network Ten Year Augmentation Plan  Ten Year Customer Initiated Capital Investment Plan  Asset Management Plan  Technology and Information Management Strategy  Metering Asset Management Plan.435 Key multi-jurisdictional bodies and government agencies are:  Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC). The AEMC became responsible for rulemaking, market development and policy advice on the NEM from 1 July 2009.  Australian Energy Regulator (AER). The AER has responsibility for the enforcement of and compliance with the National Electricity Rules, as well as responsibility for the economic regulation of electricity transmission and distribution. The AER issues infringement notices for certain breaches of the National Electricity Law and Rules, and is the body responsible for bringing court proceedings in respect of breaches.436 It is part of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.  Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). The AEMO operates the National Electricity Market (NEM) as well as the retail and wholesale gas markets of south-eastern Australia.  Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC). The ICRC regulates nonprice energy distribution and retail functions, including standard contracts and consumer protection. These are scheduled to be transferred to the AER with the establishment of a new National Energy Customer Framework. The transfer of functions to the AER is expected to commence in September 2011, with each jurisdiction implementing the new framework in accordance with an individual implementation plan. Until this process is complete, the ICRC will continue to provide the licensing of utilities supplying electricity and natural gas.437  ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA). The ACTPLA is the technical regulator. The key ACT piece of legislation relating to electricity is the Utilities Act 2000. This Act gives a utility service provider the power to own, operate and maintain an electricity distribution network in the ACT. The Utilities Act requires a utility service provider to hold a Utility Services Licence. It also requires a utility to pay an annual licence fee, determined by the ICRC. The licence fee currently

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Electricity covers the associated costs of the ICRC, as well as ACTPLA.438 Regulations made under the Act are the Utilities (Electricity Restrictions) Regulation 2004 and the Utilities (Electricity Transmission) Regulation 2006. Other related documents are the Consumer Protection Code, Ring-fencing Guidelines, and Management of Electricity Network Assets Code. 7.2.3

Sector trends Growing electricity demand Electricity demand is driven by economic activity, population growth, price, domestic air-conditioner penetration, the comparative cost of natural gas and several less important factors. The growth in the population and hence household numbers is the most important factor in residential demand. For commercial loads, the most significant drivers are economic activity and population growth.439 Between 2009 and 2014, the average yearly growth is expected to be 1.6%.440 The expected consumption forecasts for different economic growth levels over the next few years are listed in Table 7.5. Table 7.5: System consumption forecast for high and low economic projections441 Year

High (GWh)

Low (GWh)

2009/10

2,940

2,839

2010/11

3,006

2,869

2011/12

3,076

2,897

2012/13

3,145

2,924

2013/14

3,220

2,948

Increasing capital works expenditure ActewAGL divides its capital expenditure into three categories:  Asset renewal/replacement, driven by business and regulatory requirements relating to safety, reliability, asset protection and the environment  Customer initiated work, driven by residential land development, commercial property development, major commercial/industrial customers, major government initiatives and government planning agencies  Augmentation work, driven by the need to meet network security criteria and network supply and reliability standards. Over the next regulatory period (2009/10 to 2013/14) ActewAGL will spend some $275.2 million on capital works as detailed in Table 7.6. Table 7.6: ActewAGL’s capital expenditure allowance as approved by the AER442 $ million (2008/09) Net capital expenditure

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

63.1

57.7

56.4

50.1

47.9

Total 275.2

The next five years will see a 70%443 increase in capital expenditure compared to the preceding regulatory period as seen in Figure 7.5. The major reason for this increase is the development of four augmentation projects:  Zone station construction and augmentation projects  The Southern Supply Point Project  The pole replacement program.

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Energy Figure 7.5: Components of current and next period capital expenditure444 Customer Services Business Support Non-system assets

350 300

Network IT Systems

250

Reliability and quality improvements Augmentation

200 150

Customer initiated 100 Asset renewal / replacement 50 0 2005/09

2010/14

Zone station construction and augmentation projects will cost $43.8 million445 and consist of:  New East Lake 132/11kV zone substation. This new zone substation will service parts of south Canberra that are experiencing significant growth, in particular Canberra International Airport, Fyshwick and Kingston, and remove some load from the Telopea Park Zone Substation.  Molonglo Valley 132kV/11kV zone substation. This new substation will service the Molonglo Valley residential land development.  Civic zone substation upgrade. This project involves upgrading the Civic zone substation that has serviced the western part of Civic for over 40 years. Demand in this area has increased significantly and there is a need to enhance the security of supply and capacity. The project will involve installing a third 132kV/11kV transformer and replacement of the existing 11kV distribution boards over the next three years.446 The Southern Supply Point Project addresses a major vulnerability to continuity of supply – the ACT has only one major bulk supply point. If there is a failure at this supply point, the ACT will not be able to be supplied adequately. Because of this vulnerability, in 2006 the ACT Government imposed a requirement on TransGrid to provide the ACT with better security of supply.447 dd The Southern Supply Point Project addresses the security of supply problem. It is mainly a TransGrid project, but also has a significant ActewAGL component. ActewAGL has budgeted some $22.5 million,448 while TransGrid has budgeted around $170 million449 for their work. The project will consist of the following:  Establishment of a new 330/132kV substation at Williamsdale equipped with two 375MVA transformers  Upgrading of an existing line between Canberra and Williamsdale to 330kV operation  Establishment of two new 132kV lines between Williamsdale and Theodore  Establishment of a new 330kV switching substation at Wallaroo (north-west of Canberra) on the route of the Yass–Canberra 330kV transmission line No. 9  Formation of 330kV circuits from Yass to Wallaroo and from Wallaroo to Canberra  Construction of a short section (approx 3km) of 330kV line from Wallaroo to the route of the Canberra–Williamsdale 330kV line  Connection of the new line at Wallaroo and to the Canberra–Williamsdale 330kV line  Upgrading by ActewAGL of its existing Gilmore to Theodore 132kV lines.450 dd

Specifically it has required TransGrid to: By 30 June 2011, provide two or more geographically separate connection points at 132kV and above to supply the ACT By 30 June 2012, ensure that the combined supply points are capable of supplying 375MVA to the ACT following a Special Contingency Event; a Special Contingency Event involves the unexpected disconnection of multiple elements at a single geographical location for an extended period From 30 June 2012 onwards, ensure that each supply point should be capable of supplying the expected ACT maximum demand within 48 hours of a Special Contingency Event. Transgrid and ActewAGL, 2009, Proposed New Large Transmission Network Asset; Proposed New Small Distribution Network Asset – Development of the Southern Supply to the ACT – Final Report, p. 6.

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Electricity The work is illustrated in Figure 7.6. Figure 7.6: Major elements of the Southern Supply Point Project451

Until the Southern Supply Point Project is complete, the contingency plan in place should the Canberra Bulk Supply Point fail, is for ActewAGL Distribution to conduct switching/reconfiguration to take supply into the ACT from the 132KV Yassâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Canberra line. This can be achieved within 48 hours and could provide around 200MW to the ACT.452 The normal power requirement is around 650MW.453 The pole replacement program is also a significant component of the capital expenditure program. $51.1 million has been allocated over the next regulatory period.454 ActewAGL has some 53,000 power poles of which 39,000 are wooden. Almost half of the poles in the network are untreated natural round wood poles that are particularly susceptible to deterioration of their structural integrity over time. Options to address pole failure due to a loss of strength in the buried section of the pole near ground level caused by rot, termites or bushfire, are to replace them entirely or reinforce them. Pole reinforcement (nailing) can extend the life of the pole by up to 20 years. Between May 2003 and November 2007, 4,297 poles were replaced and 8,753 reinforced. ActewAGL Distribution estimates that 5,492 poles will be replaced in the 2009 to 2014 regulatory period.455

7.3

Performance

7.3.1

Distribution Performance on the distribution network is measured by reliability and quality of supply, which in turn is measured by:

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Energy System average interruption duration index (SAIDI). The sum of the duration of each sustained customer interruption (in minutes), divided by the total number of distribution customers. SAIDI excludes momentary interruptions (one minute or less duration)  System average interruption frequency index (SAIFI). The total number of sustained customer interruptions, divided by the total number of distribution customers. SAIFI excludes momentary interruptions (one minute or less duration)  Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI). The sum of the duration of each sustained customer interruption (in minutes) divided by the total number of sustained customer interruptions (SAIDI divided by SAIFI). CAIDI excludes momentary interruptions (one minute or less duration).456 

Table 7.7 lists the performance measures for ActewAGL. Overall SAIDI levels have been high in the last few years, driven mainly by increases in planned outages brought about by the pole replacement/reinforcement program. This program has resulted in ActewAGL Distribution’s SAIDI levels being higher than the industry average.457 Table 7.7: ActewAGL Distribution reliability performance458 Parameter SAIDI

2002 /03

2003 /04

2004 /05

2005 /06

2006 /07

2007 /08459

2008 /09460

Overall

67.4

77.2

87.6

93.6

83.6

89.3

91.7

Planned

37.3

40.6

46.6

49.5

51.4

63.6

58.6

Unplanned SAIFI

CAIDI

Targetee 91

30.1*

36.6

31.0

44.1

32.2

25.6

33.0

Overall

0.8

0.9

0.8

1.0

0.8

0.81

0.87

1.2

Planned

0.2

0.25

Unplanned

0.6

0.7

0.6

0.8

0.6

0.56

0.62

Overall

83.2

99.5

90.9

104.5

110.1

105.6

Planned

168.7

190.5

215.5

215.2

243

254.8

234.8

49.3

50.9

51.5

55.1

54.7

45.7

53.5

Unplanned

74.6

*Excludes unplanned outages directly attributable to the fires of 18 January 2003

An indication of future performance is provided in the recent review by ActewAGL Distribution of its network capacity, performance and peak demand. It found that:  The sub-transmission lines have sufficient capacity to cope with load growth in the foreseeable future under the current operational regime.  Most zone substations have adequate capacity to cope with the current summer and winter peak load. However, demand at five zone substations will exceed their two-hour emergency ratings within 10 years. New zone substations and zone substation expansions are required to cope with the increase in demand.  The 11kV distribution network has been able to meet the maximum demand in all parts of the network under normal operational conditions. However, an increasing number of feeders have reached or exceeded feeder firm ratings in summer. Network capacity augmentations and network reconfigurations will continue to be required to address the distribution network capacity shortage.461 The average age of ActewAGL’s electricity assets has been increasing over the last decade. By 2014, the average age of its assets will have increased from 24.88 (2007/08) to 27.53 years. The implication of this is that there will need to be an increase in refurbishment/replacement capital expenditure over the next decade to return the assets to today’s average asset age.462

In accordance with the Electricity Distribution (Supply Standards) Code, these targets exclude interruptions of less than one minute and extended interruptions due to storms. Storms are those interruptions where 10% or more of customers in an area are affected or having an impact on SAIDI of three minutes or more. ActewAGL, Electricity supply reliability targets 2008, webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/electricity/networks/reliability.aspx, accessed 6 January 2010.

114

Electricity 7.3.2

Environmental sustainability Electricity consumption in the ACT produces 2.56 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year. This is 64% of the Territory’s greenhouse gas emissions.463 The ACT Government has a range of initiatives to both reduce electricity consumption and increase renewable energy uptake. These include:  Introduction of the feed-in tariff  The requirement, from April 2009, that all ACT electricity retailers offer to all classes of customers access to accredited green energy products;464 in October 2009, ActewAGL’s Greenchoice program had reached 15,000 customers465  Mandated building energy efficiency. Specific environmental improvements pursued by ActewAGL include:  Reducing transmission losses  Reducing the carbon footprint of the organisation  Educating its staff on ways to reduce energy consumption, e.g. ActewAGL’s Be Green campaign, which has reduced electricity consumption by some 139MWh since the program started  Demand management measures focusing on introducing time-of-use charges; interval meters have been installed as standard since March 2007 and some 7,700 have been installed to date (5% of meters)466  Smart metering pilot project that involves trialling smart meters for electricity, gas and water; this trial is known as Project MIMI and aims to improve the understanding of the costs and potential benefits associated with smart metering, customer behavioural responses and identifying any change management and communication barriers to a full deployment of smart meters across the ACT. A national cost-benefit analysis is also scheduled for 2012.467 Electricity companies manage their environmental risks through an Environmental Management System (EMS), typically certified to the International Standard ISO 14001. For distributors, key environmental risks are:  Management of assets containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)  Oil and chemical spill responses  Electro-magnetic field enquiries  Noise management  Recycling and waste management  Effect of work on flora and fauna.

7.4

Future challenges The challenges to achieving improvements in electricity infrastructure are:  Managing the changing demand profile. The demand profile of the ACT network is changing and this is posing challenges for a network that was designed for a different profile.  Funding renewals of assets. The ACT network is getting older, and the accumulated postponement of network renewals will require a significant increase in expenditure over the next 10 years.  Implementing significant demand management measures. Demand management has significant potential to reduce peak demand. However, typical approaches, such as paying large consumers to scale back demand on peak electricity demand days, will not work in the ACT due to its different demand profile. Techniques specific to the ACT need to be employed for demand management to have a significant impact.

115

Energy

7.5

Report Card Rating Infrastructure Type Electricity

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

B+

C+

B-

Based on considerations of planning, funding, and infrastructure capacity and condition, the ACT’s electricity infrastructure has been rated B+. This rating recognises that there has been an improvement in the security of supply and infrastructure asset management. However, continual funding for maintenance and renewals is essential to prevent bulk obsolescence of infrastructure over the next decade. More work needs to be done in encouraging an economic, locally generated, sustainable energy supply. Positives that have contributed to the rating are:  Building a second bulk supply point  Increase in supply augmentation projects  Low level of unplanned electricity interruptions  Continued improvement in asset management, such as implementing mobile computing maintenance applications468  Increased attention on reducing demand  Increase in local generation  Support by ActewAGL of distributed generation. Negatives that have contributed to the rating are:  Insufficient renewals and refurbishments to maintain the current age profile of assets  A lack of major local generation.

116

Gas

8.1

Summary Infrastructure Type Gas

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

A-

C+

This rating recognises the high quality of the relatively young gas network and significant improvements in the security of supply. However, the ACT’s gas supply is still vulnerable to loss of supply due to upstream disruptions. Since the last Report Card, the major gas sector developments have been:  A decline in gas consumption per capita  A project to increase security of supply  Increasing peak winter demand. Recently completed and in-progress major infrastructure projects include:  New high-pressure facilities in Canberra’s southern suburbs and Macgregor to meet peakdemand requirements, ensure system reliability, and cater for future load increases  Looping of the Hoskinstown to Fyshwick trunk main to increase security of supply. Challenges to improving gas infrastructure include:  Managing security of supply  Providing appropriate infrastructure in the face of future climate change and evolving energy policy.

8.2

Infrastructure overview

8.2.1

System description The ACT’s gas infrastructure comprises the following components:  Transmission (two transmission pipelines supplying the ACT)  Distribution (3,759km of primary and distribution mains, and 107,565 residential metre sets)  Retail companies (eight licensed retailers but only two active in the residential market). Gas infrastructure refers to that used to provide reticulated natural gas. This section covers the ACT and capital region gas network that encompasses Canberra, Queanbeyan and Bungendore (henceforth referred to as the ACT network). The ACT network is constructed, operated and regulated as one network.ff This section does not address liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), biomass and other fuel gases. ActewAGL Distribution owns and operates the gas network in the ACT and capital region.469 It is responsible for planning, design, construction, and operations of the networks and technical and management support functions. Its overarching business philosophy is to provide the local community and businesses with the choice of an alternative energy source via the delivery of a safe and reliable supply of natural gas.470

Economic regulation of the NSW portions of the gas distribution network in Queanbeyan and the neighbouring region was crossvested to the ACT regulator. ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 11.

117

Energy ActewAGL Distribution outsources its asset management functions to Jemena Asset Management Pty Ltd (JAM).471 ActewAGL Distribution holds the ACT’s only gas distribution licence under the Utilities Act 2000 (ACT). It also holds a Reticulator’s Authorisation under the Gas Supply Act 1996 (NSW) for its gas distribution systems in the capital region and a pipeline licence for the Eastern Gas Pipeline interconnector from Hoskinstown in NSW to the ACT border.472 ActewAGL Distribution is an equal partnership, originally owned by AGL and ACTEW when it was formed in 2000, but currently owned equally by SPI (Australia) Assets Pty Ltd and ACTEW Corporation via their respective subsidiary companies Jemena Networks (ACT) Pty Ltd and ACTEW Distribution Ltd.473 Supply Natural gas supply to the ACT is via two pipelines:  Moomba–Sydney Pipeline (MSP) that transports gas from the gas fields in South Australia across regional NSW to Sydney. There is a 68km, 273mm diameter pipeline spur at Dalton on the MSP that connects with the Watson Custody Transfer Station in the ACT. The pipeline and spur are owned by APA Group.474  The Eastern Gas Pipeline (EGP) supplies gas from Longford in Victoria, up the east coast to Sydney. It is owned by Jemena. There is a 30.3km, 250mm diameter475 trunk main pipeline that connects the EGP at Hoskinstown with the Fyshwick Trunk Receiving Station in the ACT. Figure 8.1 shows the regional gas transmission pipelines. Figure 8.1: Regional gas transmission pipelines476

Most of the ACT’s gas supply comes from the Moomba–Sydney Pipeline, however, gas is also obtained from the Eastern Gas Pipeline during periods of high demand, principally in winter. There are no gas storage facilities in the ACT that could provide a reserve to be injected into the system during periods of high demand. However, the transmission and distribution pipelines

118

Gas themselves provide storage, known as linepack. Currently the ACT network has about 8TJ of linepack, equivalent to just one hour of gas during the winter peak period.477 Distribution Gas from the two pipelines is delivered to the ACT’s primary network (operates at 3 to 4MPa) at the:  Watson Custody Transfer Station from the transmission line to the Moomba–Sydney Pipeline  Fyshwick Trunk Receiving Station on the Hoskinstown to the Fyshwick trunk main. These stations supply the secondary network, which operates at 1,050 to 52kPa, through four Primary Regulator Sets (PRSs) at Watson, Phillip, Gungahlin and Narrabundah (called Jerrabomberra). This network then supplies the medium pressure network, which operates at 210kPa, through Secondary District Regulator Sets (SDRSs).478 The secondary distribution network is generally a radial network rather than a looped system that allows for multiple supply points. However, the local reticulation network would normally be connected to more than one secondary main, allowing gas to be re-routed if a supply point is not available.479 The secondary network supply feeds the local reticulation network at 210kPa, which carries gas to individual consumers via plastic pipes. Large-use customers who require greater volumes of gas are connected to the higher pressure mains, while domestic and most industrial and commercial customers are connected to the medium pressure system.480 The distribution network in the ACT is extensive and some 98.5% of all residences in the ACT are within 30 metres of a gas main.481 All residential areas in Canberra except the village of Tharwa are served by the natural gas network. The local reticulation system is a dual mains482 type, meaning that it has mains on both sides of streets. This provides a higher degree of reliability to customers in the event of a break in the local mains, in which case gas can be back fed, resulting in customers adjacent to the incident normally retaining supply.483 Figure 8.2 details the gas distribution network. In 1982, gas became available in the ACT following the construction of a high pressure backbone network.484 The network has progressively expanded, firstly into existing established areas and then in the 1990s into greenfield areas. As gas penetration has increased across Canberra, the high pressure network has been upgraded to meet increased demand. Today, the proportion of existing homes and businesses connected to the gas network has plateaued. Thus network investment has mainly been directed towards new estates and infill developments.485 Table 8.1 shows the recent growth in the network. Table 8.1: ACT gas infrastructure mains growth486 ActewAGL (excluding Nowra) Primary mains (km)

2002/03

2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10 (planned)

261

265

245

233

248

249

236

257

Distribution mains (km)

3,155

3,188

3,376

3,420

3,461

3,510

3,782

3,883

Total mains (km)

3,416

3,453

3,621

3,653

3,709

3,759

4,108

4,140

Projects over 2008/09 year included the:  Relocation of some 2km of high-pressure mains around the Pialligo and Canberra Airport precincts, as well as some 0.5km at Russell to accommodate future roadworks associated with Kings Avenue and Parkes Way

119

Energy ď&#x201A;ť

Installation of several new high-pressure facilities to meet peak-demand requirements, ensure system reliability and cater for future load increases in the southern suburbs of Canberra and in the Belconnen suburb of Macgregor.487

Figure 8.2: Transmission pipelines, primary pipelines and gas coverage areas of the ACT488

The construction of the ACTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gas network in the 1980s and 1990s means that it is relatively young compared to other States. It also means that the ACT network does not have any cast iron pipes that are prone to cracking, particularly in reactive clay (soil that shrinks and swells with changes in moisture content), and suffer from water ingress. Figure 8.3 shows the age profile.

120

Gas Figure 8.3: Age profile of ACTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medium pressure mains489 400 350

Length (km)

300 250 200 150 100 50 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Age Distribution

The investment in gas infrastructure over the last decade is shown in Figure 8.4. Figure 8.4: Gas distribution network investment490 18

ActewAGL

2008 $ million

14 12 10 8 6 4 2 2009/10

2008/09

2007/08

2006/07

2005/06

2004/05

2003/04

2002/03

2001/02

2000/01

1999/00

The ACT network is a regulated network, and the current regulatory period runs from 1 January 2005 to 30 June 2010. The determination at the beginning of the regulatory period set the price increases over that period, access terms and conditions, tariffs and services, extensions, expansions, trading, queuing, capacity management and tariff policies that third parties may access. With the commencement of the National Gas Law on 1 July 2008, responsibility for economic regulation transferred from the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER). The next access arrangement will operate for the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2015.491 Retail The ACT retail gas market has not been regulated since 1 July 2004,492 meaning that customers can choose their gas supplier. Retail gas prices are not regulated,493 however, the ICRC determines the maximum prices for small customers on a standing offer contract.494 As of June 2009, the ACT had eight licensed retailers but only ActewAGL Retail and TRUenergy were active in the residential and small business market.gg

Other retailers are Energy Australia, Country Energy, Dodo Power & Gas, Australian Power & Gas, Sun Retail and Jackgreen. Australian Energy Regulator, 2009, State of the Energy Market 2009, p. 209.

121

Energy Demand The ACT customer base is dominated by residential customers. These customers constitute 97% of all customers and account for 65% of total gas sales. Business consumption makes up a smaller component as seen in Table 8.2. Table 8.2: Customer profile in the ACT495 Type of customer

Customer numbers

Customer percentage

Residential customers Business customers Large contract customers

Gas sales

97%

65%

2.6%

21%

14%

Table 8.3 shows the absolute numbers of customers over the last decade. Table 8.3: ACT customer numbers496 2000 /01

2001 /02

2002 /03

2003 /04

2004 /05

2005 /06

2006 /07

2007 /08

2008 /09

Domestic customers

82,643

86,598

90,497

93,913

96,472

99,249

101,839

106,917

106,848

I & C tariff customers

2,033

2,075

2,121

2,160

2,182

2,211

2,656

2,874

3,563

Tariff customers

84,676

88,673

92,618

96,073

98,654

101,460

104,495

109,791

110,411

TOTAL customers

84,676

88,673

92,618

96,073

98,654

101,460

104,495

109,791

110,411

Gas consumption per tariff customer GJpa

65.5

63.0

61.4

64.5

61.8

61.5

57.7

58.1

58.3

Gas consumption growth is seen in Table 8.4. Table 8.4: Natural gas distribution consumption figures497 2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

Tariff demand (TJ)

6,050

6,584

5,889

6,370

6,654

Contract demand (TJ)

1,018

1,082

1,038

1,020

1,100

Total

7,068

7,666

6,927

7,390

7,754

8.5

-9.6

6.7

4.9

Growth (%)

The dominance of residential customers in the ACT is seen in the hourly and seasonal profile of gas demand. In winter, domestic heating peaks are most pronounced in the morning and evening. In summer, domestic consumption is mostly due to cooking and is only about 10% of the winter peak as seen in Figure 8.5.

122

Gas Figure 8.5: Winter and summer diurnal throughput profiles498

8.2.2

Policy and governance The ACT gas network is part of an interconnected east coast network. The overarching regulatory framework for this network is provided through the National Gas Law (NGL) and National Gas Rules (NGR), which took effect on 1 July 2008. The NGL governs third party access to natural gas pipeline services and some broader elements of natural gas markets. The NGR cover operation of the National Gas Market Bulletin Boardhh that publishes pipeline capacity, forecasts demand and market information and the future operation of the Short Term Trading Market, which sets a daily wholesale price for natural gas.499 Planning for gas infrastructure is principally the responsibility of the owners of the infrastructure, rather than the ACT Government. To assist the owners in developing plans, the Australian Energy Market Operator produces the National Gas Statement of Opportunities (NGSOO). This is an annual document that provides demand and supply data so that owners are better able to develop capital investment plans. The roles of the ACT and Australian Governments are limited as their previous controlling powers have been transferred to independent regulators and authorities within a market framework. However, they can indirectly influence costs and demand through applying a price to carbon and encouraging energy efficiency. Key multi-jurisdictional bodies and government agencies are: ď&#x201A;ť Australian Energy Markets Operator (AEMO). The AEMO became the independent system operator of gas networks in the ACT and all other States (except Western Australia) from 1 July 2009. ď&#x201A;ť Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC). The AEMC became responsible for rulemaking, market development and policy advice concerning access to natural gas pipeline services and elements of the broader natural gas markets from 1 July 2009. ď&#x201A;ť Australian Energy Regulator (AER). The AER is the economic regulator for the National Gas Law covering natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines in all States and Territories and

The National Gas Market Bulletin Board facilitates trade in gas and tracks capacity flows on all major gas production fields, major demand centres and natural gas transmission pipeline systems.

123

Energy enforces the National Gas Law and National Gas Rules. The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) took responsibility for economic regulation of the gas distribution networks from 1 July 2008.500 The AER took over regulating third party access to the ACT gas network from the ICRC  Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC). ICRC regulates non-price energy distribution and retail functions, including standard contracts and consumer protection. These are scheduled to be transferred to the AER with the establishment of a new National Energy Customer Framework. The transfer of functions to the AER is expected to commence from September 2011, with each jurisdiction implementing the new framework in accordance with an individual implementation plan. Until this process is complete, the ICRC will continue to provide the licensing of utilities supplying electricity and natural gas.501  ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA). The ACTPLA is the technical regulator and is responsible for monitoring ActewAGL Distribution’s compliance with the Gas General Metering Code and Gas Safety and Operating Plan Code.502 Key ACT gas legislations are the:  Utilities Act 2000. This Act regulates electricity and gas distribution licensing, as well as safety, technical and environmental regulation.503  National Gas Act 2008. This Act establishes a framework to enable third parties to gain access to certain natural gas pipeline services, through the NGL and NGR. 8.2.3

Sector trends Slow growth in gas consumption Growth in gas consumption will increase, slowing over the next five years as seen in Table 8.5. Table 8.5: Forecast gas sales 2010/11 to 2014/15504 Terajoules

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

Tariff

6,545

6,525

6,565

6,642

6,736

Residential tariff

4,992

4,973

5,003

5,039

5,080

Business tariff

1,553

1,552

1,563

1,602

1,656

Contract

1,166

1,171

1,179

1,192

1,210

System total

7,711

7,696

7,744

7,834

7,946

The reason for this slow growth is that customer penetration is already high, and while further growth will result from new urban developments, these new customers generally consume less gas due to their use of more efficient appliances and better insulation. Customers in new developments consume on average 13GJ/year less than existing customers.505 Other drivers of gas demand are economic activity, gas prices and energy policy initiatives. Any carbon pricing system will also affect gas demand by making it more or less competitive to electricity. As a consequence of the decline in demand growth, ActewAGL Distribution is pursuing a twopronged strategy to encourage the:  Installation of gas heaters for those existing gas consumers who do not have gas heating  Replacement with new gas heaters when existing gas heaters reach the end of their useful lives. ActewAGL Distribution estimates that its strategy will increase by 18TJ per annum (cumulatively) over the 2010 to 2015 period.506

124

Gas Reducing the security of supply risk Over the last few years, the ACT has experienced several instances where security of supply was threatened. The problems were caused by a combination of factors including upstream gas supply disruption, constraints of the ACT infrastructure network, and high demand on winter days. For example, in June 2006, there was a significant shortage of gas in the ACT due to demand exceeding supply. In winter, the peak demand is around 70TJ/day, and most of this is met by supply from the Moomba to Sydney Pipeline that can supply up to 56TJ/day. The difference is made up from the Eastern Gas Pipeline. As the demand peaks in the morning and afternoon, the Hoskinstown to Fyshwick trunk main is packed prior to each peak and its linepack is drawn down during the peak. The pipeline is then repacked after the peak. In June 2006, demand during the morning peak did not subside as quickly as it normally does, resulting in the packing of the pipeline not commencing until 1.00pm. This did not leave sufficient time for the gas to be replaced, resulting in insufficient gas being available in the afternoon. ActewAGL Distribution requested consumers to reduce demand voluntarily which averted any forced loss of supply.507 Another example occurred from 22 to 24 June 2000 when across NSW the major pipeline had insufficient gas to meet demand. Supply to smaller retail customers continued by loadshedding large industrial and commercial customers across the region.508 In light of the threats to the security of supply, in 2008 the ACT Chief Minister wrote to ActewAGL requesting that it examine how greater security of gas supply can be achieved. This resulted in ActewAGL Distribution proceeding with a project to provide contingency supply to the ACT in the event of a supply imbalance or shortage upstream of the network. When completed, this project will allow the ACT network to withstand an upstream disruption to supply during the winter peak for 16 hours, up from the current one hour. The project has two phases:  Phase 1: Hoskinstown to Fyshwick loop. This involves the looping of ActewAGL’s network between Hoskinstown and Fyshwick, by laying a 21km, 1,050mm diameter gas pipeline from Hoskinstown to within a kilometre of the NSW/ACT border near Queanbeyan. This will provide 88TJ of storage. This phase will cost $134.3 million to be spent across 2011/12 and 2012/13.509  Phase 2. Canberra Primary Main Loop. This involves the looping of the Canberra primary main by laying 20km of pipe from Belconnen, across the Molonglo Valley to Phillip. This phase is not expected to occur until after 2015 and will be done in conjunction with the development of the Molonglo Valley.510 Incremental expansion and improvement of the ACT gas network Expenditure to expand and enhance the ACT gas network is categorised into:  Market expansion expenditure, which is that work required to meet the growth in customer numbers and connections. Expenditure expected to occur before 2015 consists of providing infrastructure to new estates in the Molonglo District and North Weston (ACT) and Googong (NSW) and for infill in Swinger Hill (ACT).  Capacity development expenditure, which is that work required to meet load growth on the existing network. Expenditure expected to occur before 2015 consists of the:  Construction of the Tuggeranong Primary Mains extension and Tuggeranong Primary Regulating Station in 2010/11 and 2011/12 to support capacity growth and security of supply in the Tuggeranong district 3  Installation of a permanent 50,000m /hr trunk receiving station in Queanbeyan during 2010/11 as part of the progressive installation of capacity in the Queanbeyan area to meet demand in Queanbeyan, Jerrabomberra, Fyshwick, Hume, and the proposed new developments of Googong and Tralee  Construction of the Griffith/Red Hill secondary mains extension in 2014/15 to provide capacity for growth and supply reliability to customers supplied from the South Canberra

125

Energy medium pressure network in the suburbs of Red Hill, Deakin, Griffith, Narrabundah and Forrest.511  Stay-in-business capital expenditure, which is that renewal and replacement required to meet compliance requirements relating to safety, reliability and asset protection.512 Expenditure expected to occur before 2015 consists of the:  Replacement of aged residential and industrial and commercial gas meters  Upgrade of the Fyshwick Trunk Receiving Station  Installation of scraper stations on the Canberra Primary Main and pigging facilities on the Hoskinstown to Fyshwick trunk main.513 Operating and maintenance expenditure over the 2010/11 to 2014/15 period will increase by 37% compared to the 2004/5 to 2009/10 period. This increase is mainly due to meeting enhanced technical standards and required maintenance of ageing assets, together with additional maintenance on new and augmented facilities.514 Table 8.6 details the planned capital expenditure by ActewAGL Distribution over the next five years. Table 8.6: Forecast capital expenditure 2010/15 by justification515 $ million (2008/09)

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

Total

Market expansion

8.78

7.13

7.07

6.23

5.88

35.09

Capacity development

4.81

13.64

0.68

0.32

2.12

21.57

Stay in business

10.32

52.47

86.99

3.79

3.03

156.60

Total

23.91

73.24

94.74

10.34

11.03

213.26

8.3

Performance

8.3.1

Distribution In assessing the performance of a gas distributor network, it is necessary to consider multi-year trends rather than single years. This is because gas distribution infrastructure is sensitive to environmental conditions, such as heavy rain entering low pressure pipes, and the renewal program, which increases planned interruptions in the short-term but reduces them significantly in the medium to long-term.516 Two key factors in assessing the quality of a distribution network are reliability and network integrity. Reliability is measured in terms of the average frequency and duration of supply interruptions, which can be either planned or unplanned. Planned interruptions occur when a supply is deliberately disconnected to undertake maintenance or construction work. Unplanned interruptions mainly occur because of leakages or damaged pipes requiring immediate repair. Unplanned outages are often caused by third parties damaging pipes, or by water entering low pressure pipes.517 Key reliability measures are:  System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI). SAIDI measures the total minutes, on average, that a customer could expect to be without gas over the reporting period. Total SAIDI comprises both planned and unplanned minutes-off-supply.  System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI). SAIFI measures the number of occasions per year when each customer could, on average, expect to experience an interruption. It is calculated as the total number of customer interruptions, divided by the total number of connected customers averaged over the reporting period.  Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI). CAIDI measures the average time taken for supply to be restored to a customer when an interruption has occurred. It is calculated as the sum of the duration of each customer interruption (in minutes), divided by the total number of customer interruptions (SAIDI divided by SAIFI).518

126

Gas Table 8.7 details SAIDI, SAIFI and CAIDI of the ACT network over the last five years. Table 8.7: ActewAGL Distribution gas network reliability performance against targets519 Parameter

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

SAIDI

0.30

0.37

0.41

0.30

0.26

SAIFI

1.24

1.51

1.35

1.24

0.93

<10

240

246

303

240

279

520

CAIDI

2009/10 target

2010/2015 target

<10

Figure 8.6 compares SAIFI figures of ActewAGL’s ACT network to other distribution networks around Australia. Figure 8.6: SAIFI for ActewAGL’s ACT network and other distributors around Australiaii

Figure 8.7 details SAIFI figures using ActewAGL’s Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, where there are different figures used for SAIFI from those above because the annual report reflects the number per 1,000 properties as opposed to events that involved >5 customers per 1,000 properties.521 Figure 8.7: SAIDI for ActewAGL522

2005/06

2006/07

1.5

1.53

Target

2.1

2008/09

1.9

2007/08

1.8

2004/05

<10

Figures based on unplanned outages for greater than or equal to five customers per 1,000 customers. ActewAGL, 2009, ActewAGL Gas Network Performance Benchmark Study FY2000–FY2008, p. 33.

127

Energy Figure 8.8 compares SAIDI figures of ActewAGL’s ACT network to other distribution networks around Australia. Figure 8.8: SAIDI for ActewAGL and other distributors around Australiajj

Network integrity can be measured by the quantity of leaks (loss of containment) and unaccounted for gas. Their levels generally reflect the distributors’ quality of operational and maintenance activities. Table 8.8 provides key network integrity data. Table 8.8: Network integrity parameters for the ACT distribution network, 2001/02 to 2008/09523

Publicly reported leaks Leakage survey leaks

2001 /02

2002 /03

2003 /04

949

888

853

1,225

101

868

894

1,750

2,154

1,633

378

Leaks repaired Leakage survey (km) TOTAL leaks All leaks per km mains Publicly reported leaks per 1,000 customers Leaks per km mains surveyed

0 949

2004 /05

2005 /06

2006 /07

2007 /08

1,154

974

943

431

521

211

322

397

609

989

1,721

2,119

1,585

1,495

1,154

0.29

0.50

0.59

0.43

0.40

0.31

9.6

8.9

12.4

11.4

9.3

8.6

0.27

0.00

2.78

5.26

1.31

0.35

2008 /09

Figure 8.9 compares all leaks per km mains for ActewAGL’s ACT network to other distributors around Australia.

Figures based on unplanned outages for greater than or equal to five customers per 1,000 customers. ActewAGL, 2009, ActewAGL Gas Network Performance Benchmark Study FY2000–FY2008, p. 32.

128

Gas Figure 8.9: All leaks per km mains for ActewAGLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ACT network and other distributors around Australia524

Unaccounted for gas (UAFG) is a measure of the difference between the gas entering the system and the amount delivered. This difference indicates how much of the gas injected into the network is lost in transit. This can be due to system leaks, theft, inaccurate meters, differences in times that meters are read, accounting errors, gas compressibility factors, temperature or heating value discrepancies, line pack differences and losses in commissioning of new or replacement pipes.525 Figure 8.10 compares UAFG for ActewAGLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ACT network to other distributors around Australia. Figure 8.10: Unaccounted for gas for ActewAGLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ACT network and other distributors around Australia526

Security in infrastructure associated with gas relates to maintaining the reliability of supply. Critical points, therefore, are major junctions, particularly those on the main distributor lines. These areas require protection from advertent and inadvertent events that may occur because of inadequate attention to security. Other potential risks include security of supply arising from disruptions and decisions to supply from the Moomba to Sydney Pipeline and the Eastern Gas Pipeline. 8.3.2

Environmental sustainability Natural gas as an energy source has significant environmental benefits compared to electricity generated from coal. For example, coal used in producing electricity generates 80% more carbon

129

Energy dioxide emissions than natural gas. Only about 9% of the ACT’s 4 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year come from natural gas.527 Gas companies actively promote the environmental benefits of natural gas, including ActewAGL Distribution, which is doing this under the campaign called Natural gas: the natural choice. The campaign is designed to encourage the updating of gas domestic space and water heating. While the ACT Government has not specified substituting gas for other energy sources as part of its draft Sustainable Energy Policy 2010–2020 or in its Weathering the Change 2007 Action Plan, increased gas usage is likely to be required to meet the ACT’s greenhouse targets. An example of this is the use of Compressed Natural Gas rather than diesel in ACTION buses. ACT and Australian Government initiatives likely to reduce gas consumption per capita include:  Improving household energy efficiency through mechanisms such as requiring all new housing to achieve minimum energy efficiency under the ACT House Energy Rating Scheme (ACTHERS), and encouraging consumers to purchase more efficient gas space heaters and gas water heaters.  Improving gas appliance efficiency through initiatives such as the Switch on Gas program, resulting in the development of a nationally consistent regulation scheme for energy efficiency and the Electricity Safety Amendment Regulations 2002 (ACT) that gives force to the national Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and Energy Rating Labelling (ERL) in the ACT. Other conservation initiatives are also likely to reduce consumption indirectly such as the subsidised provision of water-efficient showerheads that reduces water consumption and hence requires less gas heating. Environmental policy decisions that have been flagged by governments and that would reduce consumption include:  Providing a solar hot water rebate  Making solar hot water for new houses mandatory528  The carbon emissions reduction program. While demand management options to reduce gas peaks are limited, one option being examined by both ACTEW and ActewAGL is installing smart gas meters on customer premises. The project, started in June 2009, is a 12-month pilot scheme to test the ability to improve customers’ energy consumption by providing them with immediate consumption data, and to test various meters.529 Gas companies have also sought to minimise the risks of their operations, and in particular to reduce their environmental risks. Examples of this include:  Minimising ground disturbance by using common trenching with other utilities, and directional boring to prevent damage to the root systems of trees  Using long-life materials to minimise the need for future maintenance activities  Minimising line purging operations and if necessary, using flaring to minimise the environmental impact.

8.4

Future challenges The challenges to achieving improvements in gas infrastructure are:  Managing security of supply. While the development of the Fyshwick to Hoskinstown loop will increase the ability of the ACT to maintain supply if there are upstream disruptions, it will only increase the ability from one to 16 hours during the winter peak. Given the increasing gas demand across the nation driven by gas powered electricity generation plants, industry growth and liquid natural gas exports, plus the potential of less warning time for security of supply

130

Gas events,kk the ACT appears to be increasingly vulnerable to security of supply events. ACTEW and ActewAGL have very limited ability to address upstream disruptions or decisions that affect supply from outside the ACT. Of concern is the projection by the Australian Energy Market Operator that under a medium economic growth scenario, the capacity of the transmission pipelines that supply the ACT and NSW is projected to be exceeded from 2012 under winter peak day one in 20 probability of exceedence (POE) conditions and from 2018 under one in two POE conditions.530  Providing appropriate infrastructure in the face of future climate change and evolving energy policy. The ACT’s gas infrastructure has developed to meet demand and supply changes that have been mostly predictable since the 1990s. The future shape of national and international energy and climate change policies are likely to significantly change demand, supply and consumption patterns. However, the actual shape of the policies cannot be predicted with confidence, resulting in it being extremely difficult to design the gas network today, to be able to cope with unknown future developments.

8.5

Report Card Rating Infrastructure Type Gas

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

A-

C+

Based on considerations of planning, funding, and infrastructure capacity and condition, the ACT’s gas infrastructure has been rated A-. This rating recognises the high quality of the relatively young gas network and significant improvements in the security of supply. However, the ACT’s gas supply is still vulnerable to loss of supply due to upstream disruptions. Positives that have contributed to the rating are:  The age of assets is low  Plans to loop the Hoskinstown to Fyshwick trunk main to increase security of supply  The number of outages is lower than any other Australian gas utility  Leaks per km mains is much lower than any other Australian gas utility  Unaccounted for gas is also lower than all other utilities.531 Negatives that have contributed to the rating are:  Supply vulnerabilities remain due to upstream disruptions.

ActewAGL expects that there will be less transparency in relation to shippers’ nominations on the upstream pipelines as a result of the introduction of the Short Term Trading Market (STTM) Sydney Hub (expected from 1 July 2010) due to the ACT’s position at the end of the supply chain. ActewAGL Distribution considers that this development could lessen the already short lead-time for it to become aware of a possible security of supply event due to retailer under-nomination. ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 122.

131

Energy

132

TELECOMMUNICATIONS 9.1

Summary Infrastructure Type

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

Telecommunications

B-

Not rated

This rating recognises that there has been improvement in mobile and broadband infrastructure, but there are still a number of blackspots where services are inadequate. In 2007, Engineers Australia rated telecommunications in the Telecommunications Infrastructure Report Card 2007. It is not possible to compare its rating with the one in this chapter due to their different rating methodologies. Statistical Division Name Canberra

Fixed Infrastructure Rankings (2007)

Mobile Infrastructure Rankings (2007)

Developments since 2007 have continued the trends of:  Increasing demand for high speed broadband services  Continual growth in mobile phone ownership  Increasing capability of mobile telephone networks including increases in coverage, reliability, function and capacity  Increasing competition in the provision of telecommunication services. Recent and in-progress infrastructure projects include:  Deploying a Fibre to the Premise (FTTP) network in greenfield developments in the north-east suburbs of Forde, Crace, Bonner and parts of Franklin  Construction of the ACT’s first dedicated FTTP gateway, which offers 100Mbps download speed services  The Australian Government’s National Broadband Network (NBN). Challenges to improving telecommunications infrastructure include:  Creating a value proposition for ubiquitous high speed broadband  Accessing investment in the post global financial crisis  Selecting optimal technologies  Addressing the lack of clarity in regulation and access arrangements  Addressing inadequate high speed broadband in north Canberra.

133

Telecommunications

9.2

Infrastructure overview

9.2.1

System description The ACT’s telecommunications infrastructure consists of fixed infrastructure related to customer access networks (CAN) and backhaul transmission networks. The key elements rated in this chapter are:  Fixed line CAN infrastructure  Mobile CAN infrastructure  Backhaul infrastructure. The provision of telecommunications services operates within a market structure comprising:  Carriers, the owner of a network used to supply carriage services to the public  Carriage service providers, the organisations that use a carrier service to supply telecommunications services to the public using carrier-owned networks; internet service providers (ISPs) are carriage service providers  Content service providers, the organisations that supply broadcasting and on-line services to the public. This section does not address satellite telecommunications infrastructure, government radio networks or content service providers. Private telecommunication systems that have no impact on public telecommunications are also not considered. Table 9.1 lists the infrastructure that this section assesses. Table 9.1: Infrastructure assessed in the Report Card532 Type

Purpose

Technologies

Customer Access Network (CAN) Fixed line Mobile

Connects customer to an aggregation point

Copper twisted pairs DSL Access Multiplexers (using twisted pairs, possibly in the form of ULL or LSS) FTTK (fibre-to-the-kerb) technology with VDSL over the final mile Access fibre networks (fibre to the premises/home)

Backhaul

Connects aggregation points to major nodes in capital cities or regional centres, and provides highcapacity links between capital cities, or from regional centres to capital cities

Cellular 2G, 2.5G and 3G mobile networks Transmission fibre Fibre trunks Microwave links

Fixed line CAN infrastructure The fixed line CAN represents the link between the telephone exchange and the customer. Fixed line infrastructure includes twisted pair copper wire, broadband cable, fibre to the home/premises, and FTTK (fibre-to-the-kerb) technology with VDSL over the final mile. It provides telephony, data transfer and internet connections. Copper wire is the standard medium for connecting fixed line services to end-user premises. The largest fixed line CAN in the ACT is owned by Telstra, although TransACT is connected to 20% of homes.533 Mobile CAN infrastructure Mobile CAN infrastructure supports mobile telephone, data and multimedia services to mobile handsets. There are three mobile carriers operating six separate mobile networks in the ACT. 134

Telecommunications These networks use either 2G/2.5G (henceforth known as GSM) or 3G services. From an infrastructure perspective, there are really only four discrete networks as GSM and 3G share substantial common network systems. The networks are owned by Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and Hutchison. GSM networks are operated by:  Telstra  Optus  Vodafone (TransACT’s mobile and mobile broadband services are available on the Vodafone network).534 3G networks in the ACT are operated by:  Telstra (Next G™ Network)  Hutchison ‘3’ (Hutchison/Telstra network)  Optus/Vodafone (shared network infrastructure). The GSM networks were primarily designed for voice services but are capable of supporting data services at a lower rate than 3G networks. The 3G network allows much higher data transfer rates than the GSM networks, allowing consumers to access a wider range of applications. The 3G technology allows carriers to offer a wider range of service to consumers and achieve a more efficient use of spectrum that allows for greater network capacity. 3G networks provide access to data and the internet through either a mobile handset or a data card that is inserted into a computer. The 3G networks can provide peak download speeds of up to 14.4 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 1.9 Mbps. However, it should be noted that mobile broadband capacity is typically shared amongst multiple simultaneous users and is therefore subject to contention. The growth in mobile phones has been substantial over the last decade as seen in Figure 9.1. It shows that the number of mobile phones exceeded fixed-line phones from 2000. Figure 9.1: Take-up of fixed-line and mobile phones (Australia-wide)535 Mobile phone

Fixed-line phone

Millions of services

20 15 10 5

2007/08

2006/07

2005/06

2004/05

2003/04

2002/03

2001/02

2000/01

1999/00

While the primary use of mobile phones and other devices is voice, increasingly, non-voice services are providing a greater share of total revenue. The main uses of mobile phones are:  Short Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Message Service (MMS)  Email  Web browsing and other data services  Personal aids include personal digital assistants (PDAs), GPS-enabled navigation and USB drives  Mobile TV and video streaming  Mobile commerce, interactive services and location-based services.536

135

Telecommunications The growth in mobile broadband speed is significant and likely to accelerate the update of mobile phones for applications that require large amounts of data in near real-time. It is expected that by 2012, mobile networks will theoretically be capable of speeds of 100Mbits/s537 given sufficient bandwidth allocation, however, user speed will generally decline at peak times. Backhaul infrastructure Backhaul infrastructure connects telecommunication aggregation points to major nodes in capital cities or regional centres, and provides high-capacity links between capital cities, or from regional centres to capital cities. Backhaul is provided by fibre or microwave technologies, and while fibrebased infrastructure provides the highest bandwidth, construction is more capital intensive. 9.2.2

Policy and governance The Australian Government’s strategic vision for telecommunications reflects that while telecommunications can be an enormous contributor to the economy and to the lifestyle, health and safety of the community, telecommunications provision and innovation are primarily driven by market forces. Consequently, the Australian Government considers that its major role in the area is to encourage the uptake of telecommunications and the development of telecommunications goods and services. The key to achieving this is a supportive regulatory framework and selective intervention when markets fail to deliver competition or appropriate services. In July 2009, the Australian Government released its Australia‘s Digital Economy: Future Directions paper, which aims to develop the digital economy. The ACT Government has not developed a policy blueprint or strategic position on the development of the ACT’s telecommunication infrastructure. Australia’s telecommunications industry is subject to a regulatory framework defined by the Telecommunications Act 1997. Its core aim is to promote the long-term interests of end-users of telecommunications services. The framework relies on industry self-regulation to develop codes and standards in all areas that apply to the sector. However, Government regulators have the power to intervene if industry selfregulation is not working effectively in specific instances. The key types of framework documents developed under self-regulation are:  Industry Codes, which are rules or guidelines governing particular aspects of telecommunications, developed by industry  Industry Standards, which are rules or guidelines similar to industry codes, but determined by the ACMA  Technical Standards, which cover the technical parameters of customer equipment, such as cables and networks.538 Two other key elements of the regulatory framework are the:  Telecommunications (Consumer Protections and Service Standards) Act 1999, which legislates a number of consumer protection matters, particularly the Universal Service Regime, the National Relay Service, and continued access to untimed local calls  Trade Practices Act 1974, which includes two telecommunications-specific parts, Parts XIB and XIC, covering anti-competitive conduct provisions and a telecommunications-specific access regime respectively.ll The radio spectrum framework is defined in the Radiocommunications Act 1992 that sets out the tools to manage the spectrum including frequency planning, licensing and technical standards.

The access rules under this legislation provide a framework for determining the services to which content service providers have a right to access for the purpose of providing their own competing services, and the cost at which such services will be provided to them.

136

Telecommunications In September 2009, the Australian Government announced that it would be seeking major telecommunication reforms as the existing telecommunications anti-competitive conduct and access regimes are cumbersome, open to gaming and abuse, and provide insufficient certainty for investment. The proposed reforms involve:  A structural separation of Telstra that primarily involves separating the network operations/wholesale functions from the retail functions  Streamlining the competition regime to provide more certain and quicker outcomes for telecommunications companies  Strengthening consumer safeguards, notably the Universal Service Obligation, Customer Service Guarantee and Priority Assistance  Removing redundant and inefficient regulatory red tape.mm The Commonwealth Telecommunications Act 1997 exempts low-impact and certain other telecommunications facilities from most planning requirements under Territory legislation.nn However, for other facilities, the ACT Government planning schemes apply. To facilitate the efficient development of telecommunications infrastructure, the ACT Government in 2005 introduced the Guideline for Telecommunications (MobilePhone) Networks. This guideline outlines the procedure for the exemption of certain telecommunication infrastructure from development approval. Key multi-jurisdictional bodies and government agencies are:  Australian Government, Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE). The DBCDE has a leading role in outlining the strategic direction of the telecommunications sector, and providing advice on all regulatory policy aspects of the telecommunications and radiocommunications sectors. Its Telecommunications Industry Division also provides advice on legislative and administrative arrangements for Telstra and Australia Post.  Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The ACMA is a regulator of the Australian communications industry, with specific responsibilities for the regulation of broadcasting, the internet, radiocommunications and telecommunications consumer and technical matters.  Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The ACCC regulates competition in the telecommunications industry with specific responsibilities for the administration of the regulation of anti-competitive conduct, and the approval and arbitration of access codes developed by the industry.  Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO). The TIO provides an independent dispute resolution forum for complaints made by residential and small business consumers of telecommunications services. The TIO is funded through charges levied on carriers and service providers on the basis of complaints received against them.  Communications Alliance Ltd. The Communications Alliance is the peak communications industry body and has primary responsibility for developing technical, operational and consumer industry codes and standards for the industry.539  ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA). The ACTPLA publishes the ACT guidelines for installation of telecommunication facilities. In 2007, the ACT Government introduced the Utilities Network Facilities Tax (UNFT), which is charged at a rate per kilometre of infrastructure. All telecommunication providers in the ACT are subject to this tax. The tax is passed on to customers, and for TransACT’s residential fixed line customers it equates to $3.30 per month.540 mm

Draft legislation was released on 13 September 2009. http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/088. These facilities are described in the Telecommunications Act 1997, the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 1997, and the Telecommunications Code of Practice 1997. nn

137

Telecommunications 9.2.3

Sector trends Growth in TransACT provision TransACT Communications Pty Limited (TransACT) is an ACT-based, privately owned telecommunications company, formed in 2000. The major shareholder is TVG TransAct Holdings SCA and ACTEW Corporation. TransACT’s original mission was to be an access-only provider with services provided by third party providers. This resulted in it developing an open access telecommunications network so that a range of service and content providers could operate across it. Today some 11 internet service providers (ISPs) offer services across it. Over the last 10 years, TransACT has developed its telecommunications products and services offerings, which include:  Fixed-line and mobile telephony  High speed broadband  Broadcast subscription television services featuring a wide choice of channels  Video on demand (VOD) featuring a wide variety of content. TransACT direct-connect services are now available across Canberra and Queanbeyan.541 The TransACT network evolved as described in Table 9.2. Table 9.2: Development of the TransACT network Phase

Description

Phase 1: Initial FTTN/FTTC roll-out 2000 to 2004)

This phase involved developing parallel voice and data networks based on fibre to the node/curb (FTTN/FTTC) network. Work involves installing optical fibre to transmission equipment (such as an ONU or DSLAM) near to the end-user. In TransACT’s FTTN network, optic fibre is taken to within 300 metres of the connection to the home, from which very high speed DSL (VDSL) is used to carry data and video transmissions over copper to the customer premises. For voice, optic fibre is taken up to 1200 metres from the premises to an ONU where copper is then used to distribute a range of voice services including POTS and ISDN to the customer. Each optical fibre cable services a small area of around 45 to 65 homes and businesses for data and video, or up to 400 premises for voice services.542 This deployment offers telephony and broadband data connections from 256kbps through to 10Mbps, as well as video services. This network passes approximately 60,000 homes. The areas chosen for this phase were mainly those which had overhead electricity supply so that fibre could be strung on poles rather than placed underground.

Phase 2: Utilising Telstra’s ULLS (2003 onwards)

In late 2003, TransACT started to use Telstra’s unconditioned local loop service (ULLS) to deliver voice and data services to end customers. This involved locating Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexers (DSLAMs) within Telstra exchanges, and using TransACT fibre infrastructure to connect from the exchanges back to TransACT’s data centre in Dickson. This deployment offers telephony and broadband data connections (from 256kbps through to 20Mbps). The Telstra exchanges targeted for this deployment were those that covered the residences not serviced by the initial Phase 1 roll-out.

Phase 3: FTTP greenfield developments (2007 onwards)

This phase involves deploying a FTTP network in various greenfield developments most notably in the northern suburbs of Forde, Crace, Bonner and parts of Franklin. It started in May 2007 when TransACT announced the roll-out of a FTTP network in Forde designed to provide download speeds up to 100Mbits. This deployment is supported by TransACT’s first FTTP gateway, opened in November 2009 in Forde, which is a 100% fibre-based, copper free building dedicated to delivering voice, ultra high speed broadband of up to 100Mbps, IPTV and radio frequency (RF) overlay products and services over TransACT’s gigabit passive optical-fibre networks (GPON).543

It also offers a fixed-wireless phone and broadband service called Skydata using Motorola ® Canopy wireless technology. This service is designed to support those customers that are not able to access ADSL in Amaroo, Charnwood, Dunlop, Franklin, Gungahlin, Harrison, Ngunnawal, Nicholls and Palmerston.544 138

Telecommunications In early 2009 TransACT began fitting select medium density developments (both existing and new) with VDSL2 DSLAMs supporting voice, data and video products. A program to roll-out FTTP to approximately 1,000 existing homes is being considered by the TransACT board to allow a better understanding of the costs of brownfield FTTP development.545 Growth in broadband uptake Broadband is a class of data transmission technologies, including optic-fibre (FTTx), xDSL (such as ADSL, ADSL2+ and VDSL), HFC cable and wireless (such as WiMAX, HSPA and LTE).546 Broadband speed is continuing to increase with the faster speeds being delivered by fixed line followed by wireless networks. Figure 9.2 illustrates the speed comparisons for different broadband technologies. The speeds listed are peak speeds. The actual speed experienced by users depends on the quality of the line/connection, number of simultaneous users, traffic congestion on the internet, physical location, distance from an exchange/node, and broadband speed caps applied by internet providers. While higher speeds are often in excess of what is needed by customers currently, over time, new applications will invariably be developed that will utilise the high speed. Figure 9.2: Digital data speed comparison547 oo

NBN Fibre connection connection to 90% of Australians in the future

100

Digital Data Speed Mbps

90 80 70 60

NBN wireless and satellite connection to 10% of Australia

50 40 30 20 10

Digital Data Service Obligation

ADSL2+ ADSL2

0 Broadband Technologies

The combination of increased speed and increased demand has resulted in continual growth in broadband connections. Figure 9.3 displays both the ACTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take-up of ISP subscriptions.

Fibre can provide speeds in excess of 100Mbps but is constrained by the cost of the electronics at both the supplier and user end.

139

Telecommunications

9,000

Australia

8,000

ACT

7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 Jun-09

Mar-09

Dec-08

Sep-08

Jun-08

Mar-08

Dec-07

Sep-07

Jun-07

Mar-07

Dec-06

Sep-06

0 Jun-06

Total ISP Subscriptions ('000)

Figure 9.3: Total ISP subscriptions548

The percentage of connections using different broadband technologies is shown in Figure 9.4. Figure 9.4: Type of broadband connection549 Don't know, 12%

Satellite, 1%

Wireless, 12%

Cable, 19% DSL/ADSL, 56%

The past growth in broadband is expected to continue. The availability of reasonably-priced fourth generation (4G) cellular and other wireless telecommunication technology and the roll-out of the NBN will accelerate this. In September 2009, TransACT announced that it would offer 100Mbps download speeds to its customers on its FTTP network.550 It should be noted that 100Mbps on a HFC network is shared and sometimes heavily contested capacity. It can be shared amongst a community of several hundred users. In contrast, 100Mbps users on an FTTP network are typically sharing 1 or 2Gbps between at most 32 users. Roll-out of Government broadband infrastructure In response to the increasing demand for high-speed broadband services, and need to provide broadband services in regional and other areas with limited access, the Australian Government has initiated a number of projects to develop broadband networks. National Broadband Network

In early 2009, the Australian Government announced that it would be building the National Broadband Network (NBN). The NBN aims to connect 90% of Australian homes, schools and workplaces with 100Mbps broadband services through FTTP (fibre to the premises) connections. The remaining 10% will each be provided with a 12Mbps wireless or satellite broadband service. The network will be built and operated by a new company specifically established by the Australian Government for the project. Investment in the company will, according to preliminary estimates, 140

Telecommunications total up to $43 billion over eight years. Funding for the company will come primarily from the Australian Government through the Building Australia Fund, which will be the majority shareholder. The Australian Government expects private sector investment in the company through the Australian Government issuance of Aussie Infrastructure Bonds (AIBs). The Australian Government intends to sell its interest in the company after the network is built and fully operational. The Australian Government claims that the NBN will lead to a significant reform in the telecommunication industry as it will create a complete separation between the infrastructure provider and the retail service providers. This separation may or may not lead to greater retail competition and lower prices. TransACT has signed a confidentiality agreement with the National Broadband Network (NBN) Company on 24 November 2009 to explore potential involvement. Fibre in Greenfield Estates

The Australian Government has announced that all greenfield estates that receive planning approval after 1 July 2010 will require fibre-to-the-premises infrastructure. This initiative is designed to ensure that homes built in new developments or major redevelopments are connected via fibre infrastructure. In December 2009, the Australian Government released an exposure draft of a bill to implement the changes.551 TransACT may roll out fibre to greenfield sites in Canberra if it and the developer reach an appropriate agreement. In December, TransACT signed an agreement with the ACT Land Development Agency to provide FTTP services to medium density units along the Flemington Road corridor in north-east Canberra, between Franklin and Harrison and up to Gungahlin.552

9.3

Performance

9.3.1

Fixed line CAN infrastructure performance Fixed line telephone provision is universal as it is a requirement for Telstra, under the Australian Government’s universal service obligation (USO), to ensure that standard telephone services are reasonably accessible to all people in Australia on an equitable basis.pp The cost of supplying lossmaking services that are required to fulfil the USO is shared among all carriers. ACMA’s surveys identify that the majority of Australians are largely satisfied with their fixed-line service. As seen in Table 9.3, over 80% of people stated that their fixed line phone service met or exceeded their expectations.553 This perception did not appear to differ by the caller’s location or the call’s destination. Table 9.3: Household consumer satisfaction with fixed-line service providers by location Australia-wide, January– June 2008554 Service provider type Consumer opinion

Local Metro

Long distance

Non-metro

Metro

Non-metro

International Metro

Non-metro

Exceeded my expectations

Mostly met my expectations

73%

74%

75%

73%

Sometimes met my expectations

14%

13%

15%

12%

15%

13%

Rarely met my expectations

The details of Telstra’s fulfilling its obligations as universal service provider is contained in the Telstra policy statement and marketing plan approved by ACMA. These are available from http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/commitments/uso.cfm.

141

Telecommunications Figure 9.5 identifies the nature of complaints relating to fixed lines. Figure 9.5: Fixed line complaints Australia-wide, 2008/09555 4%

Customer service

20%

Billing and payments Faults

Complaint handling Provisioning Contracts

Credit management 25%

Customer transfers Others

15% 10%

Evaluating the performance of broadband involves assessing the grade and quality of services. This normally involves assessing not only infrastructure issues, such as coverage and capacity, but also market issues such as pricing and packages offered. However, the Report Card focuses on infrastructure issues and while making comment on the existence of multiple broadband infrastructure providers in a market, does not rate the affordability of broadband. In the ACT, fixed line broadband is provided either via Telstra’s or TransACT’s infrastructure. This is one of the few jurisdictions where there is a serious competitor to Telstra’s dominance of the access network. Determining the coverage and capacity of broadband provision is very difficult using publically-available information. Public information is often insufficiently detailed to provide an accurate picture. For instance, while ADSL coverage maps are available, these tend to overstate the ADSL coverage area, as the shaded areas assume that the exchange results in the entire telephone exchange area receiving ADSL services. In reality, ADSL performance reduces the further the distance from the exchange, and during periods of high traffic demand. It should be noted that TransACT provided considerable information in the preparation of this Report Card in contrast to the other major telecommunication providers. Within Canberra, nearly all suburbs, with the exception of the Gungahlin area, have adequate coverage and capacity. However, even in the well-served areas there are pockets that do not have reliable coverage.556 To address these problems, investment would be required in removing or upgrading Pair Gain systems, but this will only occur where providers can make a commercial return on the investment. However, in developed areas where the vast majority of demand is met, addressing small-scale blackspots is not a priority. The Gungahlin area is mainly served by ADSL, although the new areas of Forde and Franklin have access to FTTP provided by TransACT. This is a fast-growing region with significant unsatisfied demand. While the upgrade of Remote Integrated Multiplexers (RIM) to Customer Multiplexer (CMUX) between 2005 and mid-2008 resulted in nearly all the residents of the greater Gungahlin area having access to ADSL, these consolidation points are all terminating in one exchange. The CMUX infrastructure deployed in this area has insufficient port availability and back haul capacity to serve the area at a reasonable service level, particularly at peak times.557 The majority of the ACT’s broadband connections are provided by copper wire fixed lines. About 70% of broadband connections are DSL, and the most common form is ADSL. ADSL uses Telstra’s copper phone network to connect to the home from exchanges.558 Figure 9.6 shows the physical ADSL-capable exchanges in the ACT that are owned by Telstra.

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Telecommunications Figure 9.6: ADSL enabled exchanges in the ACT (red signifies ADSL1 and green ADSL 2+ exchanges)559

Upgrading of exchanges is continuously occurring and details of the availability of ADSL ports in exchanges and by CMUX are available from Telstra Wholesale at http://telstrawholesale.com/products/data/adsl-reports-plans.htm and on ADSl2exchanges.com.au under the RIM section.

Figure 9.7 shows TransACTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coverage, which includes both their initial Phase 1 and 2 but not the Phase 3 deployments. By November 2009, TransACT had rolled out a FTTP network covering 16,000 homes and a FTTC network covering 60,000 homes.

143

Telecommunications Figure 9.7: Indicative TransACT Network Coverage (January 2010)560

9.3.2

Mobile CAN infrastructure performance GSM network coverage by each of the three providers is extensive across the Territory with the only significant area of poor coverage being the Namadgi National Park region in the south. Figure 9.8 identifies the number and type of complaints with mobile phones. Of the complaints, 13,056 of these complaints were relating to faults in the mobile network. With the introduction of the 3G services, the level of complaints has fallen significantly.

144

Telecommunications Figure 9.8: Mobile complaints issued by category, 2008/09561 Customer service

26%

Billing and payments 11%

Faults Complaint handling Provisioning Contracts

20%

14%

Customer transfers

1% 1%

1% 10%

9.3.3

Credit management Others

16%

Backhaul infrastructure In assessing backhaul, the key issue is if there is at least one backhaul link. A single backhaul link is obviously necessary to provide high speed connectivity between areas. More than one backhaul link is normally required to provide competition for without it, the monopoly supplier will exploit its power and charge high access rates. Additional backhaul links also provide redundancy so that if one is cut, typically by a backhoe, then communication can be rerouted preventing telecommunication loss. Canberra has multiple backhaul providers that meet demand, provide redundancy and offer competitively priced services.

9.4

Future challenges 



Creating a value proposition for ubiquitous high speed broadband. The NBN aims to provide universal high speed broadband access, and it is claimed that this will deliver significant improvements in business efficiency and innovation, and quality of life improvements. However, while there is no doubt that its higher speed and universal access will be welcome, the cost of it will be significant. Already the vast majority of all businesses have high speed access, as do the majority of urban Australians if they wish to purchase it. Thus a challenge facing the NBN will be in creating an appropriate value proposition that is sufficiently attractive for customers to make the infrastructure investment justified. In the ACT, TransACT is already offering the NBN targeted 100Mbps download speed to certain areas. Accessing investment in the global financial crisis. Following the global financial crisis, capital availability has not returned to pre-crisis levels. As telecommunication companies are capital intensive, reduced capital availability slows upgrade and expansion plans. Selecting optimal technologies. There are many technologies that telecommunications companies can deploy. All have tradeoffs such as cost, risk, capability and compatibility. The selection of technologies is critical in preventing stranding of assets, particularly for smaller telecommunication companies that do not dominate the market, and for those wishing to be compatible with the NBN. Addressing the lack of clarity in regulation and access arrangements. A lack of clarity in regulation and access arrangements has slowed telecommunication companies investing in infrastructure. For example, TransACT has slowed its DSLAM deployments in the ACT due to uncertainty about ULLS pricing. TransACT has been concerned that its significant investment in deploying DSLAMs will effectively become stranded before a satisfactory commercial outcome for the investment can be obtained.562 Consequently, the nature of the Australian Government’s current telecommunication reforms will be critical in providing the certainty required for telecommunication investment. Addressing inadequate high speed broadband. Some area of Gungahlin and Queanbeyan are under-served by ADSL. 145

Telecommunications

9.5

Report Card Rating Infrastructure Type

ACT 2010

ACT 2005

National 2005

National 2001

Telecommunications

B-

Not rated

Based on considerations of planning, funding, and infrastructure capacity and condition, the ACT’s telecommunication infrastructure has been rated B-. This rating recognises that there has been improvement in mobile and broadband infrastructure, but there are still a number of blackspots where services are inadequate. Positives that have contributed to the rating are:  Increased quality of broadband services for the majority of Canberra’s population  Multiple backhaul providers  NBN vision to provide fibre to premises or wireless broadband capability for all Australians  Improvements to Gungahlin and other under-served areas. Negatives that have contributed to the rating are:  Existence of high speed, broadband blackspots in Canberra and the surrounding region, in particular, Gungahlin and areas of Queanbeyan  Lack of clarity on converting the NBN vision into reality, and the role that TransACT’s infrastructure will have in the NBN  Risk to the future of existing telecommunication providers arising from the NBN.

146

APPENDICES

147

Appendix A: Rating methodology The rating methodology is designed to provide a standardised approach to developing evidencebased rating of infrastructure that is credible, defendable, and explainable. The Report Cardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rating scheme is predicated on the principle that infrastructure policy, regulation, planning, provision, operation and maintenance are optimal if the infrastructure meets the current and future needs of the community, economy and environment in terms of sustainability, effectiveness, efficiency and equity. The infrastructure rating principles are based on the view that: 1. Infrastructure needs to be optimised in a systems context which requires: Complementary in national, state/territory and local government decisions Best-practice governance arrangements across the infrastructure policy, regulation, planning, provision, operation and maintenance activities Competitive and efficient markets (which includes infrastructure reflecting the true cost of provision including externality costs and benefits) A minimum set of sector legislation, regulation and standards The efficient use of existing infrastructure and resources (requires long-term focus on maintenance, renewals and demand management) A sustainability approach that gives due regard to economic, social and environmental factors Planning that is based on data, evidence and informed decision-makers working in partnership with stakeholders. 2. Infrastructure should be planned, designed, built, operated and maintained in a sustainable, cost-effective, efficient and equitable manner over its life-cycle, which is typically 30 to 100 years depending on the infrastructure. 3. Decisions on infrastructure need to recognise that it both shapes and is shaped by the social, economic and environmental objectives set by the community. 4. Infrastructure decisions should balance the costs and benefits on the economy, society and environment by simultaneously optimising the following objectives: Economic growth, efficiency and effectiveness Health, safety and security Access and social justice Environmental responsibility Liveability, connectivity and amenity. 5. Infrastructure should be provided by both the public and private sectors to optimise taxpayer and infrastructure stakeholder best value. 6. Governments and infrastructure organisations should have the relevant skills to effectively oversee the provision of infrastructure, whether the actual infrastructure policy, regulation, planning, provision, operation and maintenance are done by the public or private sector. 7. Infrastructure decisions should reflect current and anticipated challenges, such as demographic shifts, ageing, climate change adaptation, greenhouse gas mitigation and resilience. 8. Infrastructure decisions should be accountable and transparent. Stages to determine ratings The stages to determine ratings are: ď&#x201A;ť Updating material in the existing Report Cards with special attention to the implementation of recommendations

148

Appendix A: Rating methodology        

Interviewing key infrastructure stakeholders Obtaining published and unpublished data Visiting key infrastructure sites and collecting case study information Synthesising information Drafting infrastructure sectors that provide the information on which the ratings are based Drafting ratings for each infrastructure sector Validating the ratings and normalising them across sectors and jurisdictions Finalising the Report Card’s ratings.

Rating scheme The rating scheme is based on a cascading structure that details, at various levels of granularity, the key elements deemed to be essential to optimal infrastructure policy, regulation, planning, provision, operation and maintenance. The scheme has two high level Categories – future infrastructure and existing infrastructure. For each of these, there are three Components, which further divide into Element Blocks and finally Foundation Elements. This is illustrated in the figure below.

149

Appendix A: Rating methodology Rating scale Ratings given are based on the scale below: Rating scale Letter grade

Designation

Definition*

Very good

Infrastructure is fit for its current and anticipated future purposes

Good

Minor changes required to enable infrastructure to be fit for its current and anticipated future purposes

Adequate

Major changes required to enable infrastructure to be fit for its current and anticipated future purposes

Poor

Critical changes required to enable infrastructure to be fit for its current and anticipated future purposes

Inadequate

Inadequate for current and anticipated future purposes

*Defined as infrastructure meeting the current and future needs of the community, economy and environment in terms of sustainability, effectiveness, efficiency and equity.

150

Appendix B: Acronyms ACCC

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

ACT

Australian Capital Territory

ACTPLA

ACT Planning and Land Authority

AEMC

Australian Energy Market Commission

AEMO

Australian Energy Market Operator

AER

Australian Energy Regulator

AGO

Australian Greenhouse Office

ARI

Average Recurrence Interval

CAN

Customer Access Network

CBD

Central Business District

CGBT

Cotter Googong Bulk Transfer

COAG

Council of Australian Governments

DIRN

Defined Interstate Rail Network

DITRDLG

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, formally DOTARS

EPA

Environment Protection Authority

FSTP

Fyshwick Sewage Treatment Plant

Gigawatts

ICRC

Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission

IRI

International Roughness Index

ITS

Intelligent Transport Systems

KPI

Key Performance Indicator

LMWQCC

Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre

LNG

Liquefied Natural Gas

MRET

Mandated Renewable Energy Target (scheme)

Megawatts

NBN

National Broadband Network

NCA

National Capital Authority

NCP

National Capital Plan

NCWRS

North Canberra Water Reuse Scheme

NEM

National Electricity Market

NFT

Network Facilities Tax

NWC

National Water Commission

NWI

National Water Initiative

PCL

Parks, Conservation and Land

PTS

Principal Transmission System (gas)

SAIDI

System Average Interruption Duration Index

SAIFI

System Average Interruption Frequency Index

SRGP

Sport Recreation Grants Program

SWPP

Source Water Protection Program

TAMS

Department of Territory and Municipal Services

WAC

Water Abstraction Charge

WMA

Water Management Areas

WSAA

Water Services Association of Australia

WTP

Water Treatment Plant

151

Appendix C: Glossary Roads Maintenance: Pavement maintenance can be divided into the following classes:  Routine maintenance which is reactive, addressing minor defects. This includes fixing potholes and rough patches on the pavement. Cost is about $0.30 per square metre.  Periodic maintenance to resurface and reseal the pavement to prevent water infiltrating the pavement structure, to address some aspects of surface roughness and to improve the traction of the pavement surface. Cost is between $4.50 and $20 per square metre.  Rehabilitation which involves a more significant treatment to improve the structural condition of the pavement and bring the surface back to within an acceptable level of roughness and traction at a cost of between $35.00 and $100.00 per square metre.563 Road infrastructure: Road infrastructure consists of:  The road pavement – the structure that carries traffic  Other structures – bridges, pathways, barriers, walls  Roadside assets – including engineering features such as traffic signs and guideposts, cuttings and embankments, and environmental features such as vegetated areas situated within the boundaries of the road reserve  Roadside traffic signs – which regulate speed, warn of hazards and provide information  Pavement markings – designating the edges of the road and traffic lanes and providing directional and warning information.564

Rail Above rail: Those activities required to provide and operate train services such as rolling stock provision (i.e. trains, carriages), rolling stock maintenance, train crewing, terminal provision, freight handling and the marketing and administration of the above services. Below rail: Those activities associated with the provision and management of rail infrastructure, including the construction, maintenance and renewal of rail infrastructure assets, and the network management services required for the safe operation of train services on the rail infrastructure, including train control services and the implementation of safe working procedures. Rail infrastructure: Consists of both above and below rail infrastructure. Standard gauge: The distance of 1435mm (4’8½”) between two rails.

Airports Aeronautical uses: The use of an airport for aviation-related purposes, including aircraft movements and maintenance and any facilities at an airport enabling people to travel. Airport Master Plan: Airport Master Plans are a requirement of the Airport Acts 1996 and are prepared by major Australian airports every five years to provide a clear direction for the growth and development of the airport. Airport Operator: The airport lessee or owner. Curfew: A restriction on flights that can take off or land from specified airports at designated times. General aviation: All civil operations other than Regular Public Transport operations. Leased federal airports: The 21 Australian airports covered by the Airports Act 1996 where the Airport Operators lease the airport land from the Australian Government. Non-aeronautical developments: Non-aviation commercial developments, such as retail outlets and office buildings, on airport sites.

Electricity Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS): The CPRS is the Australian Government's emissions trading scheme which has two distinct elements, the cap on carbon pollution and the ability to trade. Contingency events: Events that affect the power system’s operation. Their categories are:  credible contingency events, events whose occurrence is considered ‘reasonably possible’ in the circumstances. For example, the unexpected disconnection or unplanned reduction in capacity of one operating generating unit, or the unexpected disconnection of one major item of a transmission plant.  non-credible contingency event, events whose occurrence is not considered ‘reasonably possible’ in the circumstances. Typically, a non-credible contingency event involves simultaneous multiple disruptions, such as the failure of several generating units at the same time. Demand–side management (DSM): The planning, implementation and monitoring of utility activities designed to encourage consumers to modify patterns of electricity usage, including the timing and level of electricity demand.

152

Appendix C: Glossary Generator â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Baseload and peaking: Baseload generators provide the continuous ongoing electricity supply while peaking generators provide supplemental power to meet energy demand peaks. Interconnector: Transmission line/s that connect transmission networks in adjacent regions. Load shedding: Reducing or disconnecting load from the power system either by automatic control systems or under instructions from the AEMO. Reliability of supply: The likelihood of having sufficient capacity (generation or demand-side response) to meet demand. Reliability Standard: The requirement that there is sufficient generation and bulk transmission capacity so that, over the long-term, no more than 0.002% of the annual energy of consumers in any region is at risk of not being supplied, i.e. the maximum USE is 0.002%. Unserved energy (USE): The amount of energy that cannot be supplied because there are insufficient supplies (generation) to meet demand.

Gas Linepack: Gas maintained in a gas transmission line to maintain pressure but also as a buffer to provide an uninterrupted flow of gas to customers. Liquid Natural Gas (LNG): Natural gas that has been converted temporarily for ease of storage or transport. LNG takes up about 1/600th the volume of natural gas in the gaseous state. Natural gas: Gaseous fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane but including significant quantities of ethane, butane, propane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, helium and hydrogen sulphide. Unaccounted for gas (UAFG): The difference between metered injected gas supply and metered and allocated gas at delivery points. UAFG comprises gas losses, metering errors, timing, heating value error, allocation error and other factors.

Water Annual Exceedence Probability (AEP): The statistical likelihood of occurrence of a flood of a given size or larger in any one year, usually expressed as a percentage. Carrier: A conduit for the supply or drainage of water. The key types are lined channel (an earthen channel lined with a low permeability material), unlined channel (an earthen open channel without internal lining), natural waterway (a stream or other naturally-formed watercourse), and pipe (a closed conveyance or carrier regardless of material, size or shape that conveys water, typically for supply service). Catchment: An area of land where run-off from rainfall goes into one river system. Consumptive use: The use of water for private benefit consumptive purposes including irrigation, industry, urban, stock and domestic use. Effluent: Treated sewage that flows out of a sewage treatment plant. Greywater: Water from the kitchen, laundry and bathroom. It does not include toilet waste. Headworks: Dams, weirs and associated works used for the harvest and supply of water. Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) water: Recycled water used as a source of potable water, typically by injecting it into a water reservoir. Integrated urban water cycle management: The integrated management of all water sources so that water is used optimally within a catchment resource, in a state and national policy context. This approach promotes coordinated planning, sustainable development and management of the water, land and related resources linked to urban areas, and the application of water sensitive urban design principles. Interconnected water grid: A network of pipes that allows water to be moved across a given region. Irrigation: The artificial application of water to land for the purpose of agricultural production. Potable: Suitable for drinking. Recycled water: Water derived from sewerage systems or industry processes, treated to a standard appropriate for its intended use. Reticulation: The network of pipelines used to take water into areas of consumption; includes residential districts and individual households. Run-off: Precipitation or rainfall that flows from a catchment into streams, lakes, rivers or reservoirs. Sewage: The waste and wastewater discharged into sewers from homes and industry. Sewerage: Infrastructure system for the collection, removal, treatment and disposal of sewage. Stormwater: Rainfall that runs off roofs, roads and other surfaces where it flows into gutters, streams, rivers and creeks or is harvested. Third pipe systems: A reticulated pipe network that distributes recycled water for use in gardens, etc. Trade waste: Industrial and commercial liquid waste discharged into the sewerage system. Urban runoff: Water deposited by storms or other sources that passes through stormwater drains or is harvested. Urban runoff may contain substantial level of pollutants such as solid wastes, petroleum-based compounds, heavy

153

Appendix C: Glossary metals, nutrients, pathogens, sediment, organic chemicals, pesticides, insecticides and other lawn care and cleaning materials. Wastewater: Water that, following capture or use by the community, does not currently have a form of beneficial recycling; includes greywater, sewage and stormwater. Water allocation: The specific volume of water allocated to water access entitlements in a given season, defined according to rules established in the relevant water plan. Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD). The integration of urban planning with the management, protection and conservation of the urban water cycle, ensuring that urban water management is sensitive to natural hydrological and ecological processes. This involves the integration of water cycle management into urban planning and design so that it minimises the risks to the water bodies that supply water or receive the stormwater or recycled water. Wholesale market: A competitive market where a commodity such as water can be sought from multiple suppliers.

Telecommunications 2G: Second generation mobile telecommunications, digital mobile service that provides voice communications and a low level of data transmission. 3G: Third generation mobile telecommunications, digital mobile service that provides voice communications, high-speed data transmission and Internet access. Asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL): A technology that converts telephone lines to paths for high-speed data services; enhancements to this technology include ADSL2 and ADSL2+. Backhaul networks: Backhaul transmission networks connect the central point of an access network (such as telephone exchange, HFC hub or mobile tower) to the rest of the network. Backhaul transmission is provided on either optical fibre or microwave. The majority of backhaul transmission networks are provided by Telstra and Optus with other operators including AAPT, Amcom, Ergon, Nextgen, PIPE Networks, Primus, QLD Rail and Soul. While there is competition in backhaul networks between all capitals and within many inter-exchange routes, many regional routes are served by Telstra alone. Bandwidth: The maximum data transmission rate, measured in bits per second (bps) Broadband: ‘Always on’ high data speed connection. Technologies used to deliver broadband include ADSL, HFC, fibreoptic cable, wireless and satellite. Broadband over power line (BPL). A communications technology that uses electricity networks for the transmission of data, voice and video. Customer Access Network (CAN): The link between the telephone exchange and the consumer. Code division multiple access (CDMA): A digital standard that separates calls from one another by code. Digital subscriber line (DSL): A transmission technology that enables digital data services. DSL describes several technologies including ADSL, ADSL2 and ADSL2+. DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer). Technology located at exchanges or in roadside cabinets that take the copper lines from a customer premises and convert signals on/off them into a high speed pipeline to the internet. Fibre-to-the-x (FTTx): A generic term for the configuration of a broadband network that uses optical fibre to replace all or part of the usual metal connection to the consumer.  (FTTB) Fibre-to-the-building: fibre reaches the boundary of the building.  (FTTH) Fibre-to-the-home: fibre reaches the boundary of the living space.  (FTTK) Fibre-to-the-kerb: fibre reaches typically within 300m of the consumer’s premises.  (FTTN) Fibre-to-the-node: fibre reaches a street cabinet typically further than 300m from the consumer’s premises. Global system for mobile communication (GSM): A digital cellular standard operated by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Hybrid fibre coaxial cable (HFC): A telecommunication connection that consists of optical fibre on major routes and coaxial cable connections to consumers. Long Term Evolution (LTE). LTE is an advanced mobile telecommunications standard and considered a pre-4G system. Microcell: An antenna and associated box that supplements the mobile network in heavy usage areas. A microcell may minimise the need for a larger facility. Public switched telecommunications network (PSTN): The network of the world's public circuit-switched telephone networks. Speed: Typical speeds are kilobits per second (kbps) and Mbps (Megabits per second). Telecommunication facility: Any part of the infrastructure of a telecommunications network; or any line, equipment, apparatus, tower, mast, antenna, tunnel, duct, hole, pit, pole or other structure or thing used, or for use, in or in connection with a telecommunications network. Voice over internet protocol (VoIP): A protocol for transmitting voice over data networks, also known as ‘Voice over DSL’. WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access). A wireless digital communications system which can provide broadband wireless.

154

Appendix D: References

Engineers Australia, 2009, Engineering Construction on Infrastructure: ACT, updated by Andre Kaspura in October 2009. Department of Treasury, Publications, webpage, http://www.treasury.act.gov.au/about/publications.shtml, accessed 8 June 2010. 3 Government, 2010, 2010-11 Budget Paper No. 5, p. 33. 4 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009, Australian Demographic Statistics, Bulletin 3101.0, March Quarter 2009, Tables 4 and 9, pp. 15 & 22. 5 ACT Government, 2009, Budget 2009/10, Budget Paper No 2: Investing in Our Community, p. 16. 6 Department of the Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water, Climate Change in the ACT, webpage,http://www.environment.act.gov.au/climate_change/climate_change_in_the_ACT, accessed 8 June 2010. 7 Adapted from the ACT Government, 2009, Strategic Public Transport Network Plan – Executive Summary, p. i. 8 National Capital Authority, 2009, Public Forum Information Pack for 26 November 2009, pp. 4-5. 9 National Capital Authority, 2009, Public Forum Information Pack for 26 November 2009, pp. 4-5. 10 Department of Territory and Municipal Services, Annual Report 2008–2009, pp. 163-166. 11 Australian Bureau of Statistics, ACT in focus, 2007. 12 Australian Bureau of Statistics, ACT in focus, 2007. 13 Department of Territory and Municipal Services, 2005, Roads ACT Asset Management Plan 2004 – 2007, p. 34. 14 Australian Bureau of Statistics, ACT in focus, 2007. 15 Department of Territory and Municipal Services, 2005, Roads ACT Asset Management Plan 2004 – 2007, p. 34. 16 National Capital Authority, 2009, Consolidated National Capital Plan Incorporating Amendments, p. 3. 17 National Capital Authority, 2009, Consolidated National Capital Plan Incorporating Amendments, p. 14. 18 Adapted from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2007, Australian Capital Territory at a Glance 2006, p. 2. 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Over the last few years, this system has transferred 17GL. 146 ActewAGL, 2008, Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 2008–09, p. 8. 147 Data supplied by ACTEW, 7 January 2010. 148 ACTEW, 2009, Annual Report 2008/09, p. 6. 149 ACT Chief Minister’s Department, 2007, ACT Infrastructure: Five-Yearly Report to the Council of Australian Governments, p. 46. 150 ACT Chief Minister’s Department, 2007, ACT Infrastructure: Five-Yearly Report to the Council of Australian Governments, p. 46. 151 ActewAGL, Water consumption webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/water/facts/statistics.aspx, accessed 4 January 2010. 152 Adapted from ActewAGL, Water distribution webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/water/networks/distribution.aspx, accessed 4 January 2010. 153 ACT Chief Minister’s Department, 2007, ACT Infrastructure: Five-Yearly Report to the Council of Australian Governments, p. 41. 154 ActewAGL, 2008, Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 2008–09, p. 12. 155 ACT Chief Minister’s Department, 2007, ACT Infrastructure: Five-Yearly Report to the Council of Australian Governments, p. 46. 156 ACTEW, 2004, Options for the next ACT Water Source, p. 3. 157 ActewAGL, Water distribution webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/water/networks/distribution.aspx, accessed 4 January 2010. 158 ActewAGL, Water distribution webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/water/networks/distribution.aspx, accessed 4 January 2010. 159 ActewAGL, 2008, Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 2008–09, p. 17. 160 ActewAGL, Water distribution webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/water/networks/distribution.aspx, accessed 4 January 2010. 161 ActewAGL, Water distribution webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/water/networks/distribution.aspx, accessed 4 January 2010. 162 ActewAGL, 2008, Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 2008–09, p. 4. 163 ACTEW Corporation, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, p. 1. 164 ACTEW, 2008, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, pp 1-2. 165 ACTEW, 2008, Response to the Technical Regulator’s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, pp. 1-2. 166 ACTEW, 2009, Annual Report 2008/09, p. 8. 167 ACTEW, 2009, Annual Report 2008/09, p. 8. 168 ACT Chief Minister’s Department, 2007, ACT Infrastructure: Five-Yearly Report to the Council of Australian Governments, p. 51. 169 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. iii. 170 ActewAGL, Water abstraction charge webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/water/networks/wac.aspx, accessed 4 January 2010. 171 Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory, 2006, Utilities (Network Facilities Tax) Bill 2006: Explanatory Statement, http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/act/bill_es/uftb2006370/uftb2006370.html, accessed 10 December 2009. 113 114

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ACT Revenue Office, Utilities tax webpage, http://www.revenue.act.gov.au/other_levies_and_taxes/utilities_network_facilities_tax, accessed 4 January 2009. 173 Adapted from Table 11.1 Table 11.3 in ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. 127, and ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 63. 174 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. 136. 175 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. iv. 176 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 63. 177 ActewAGL, Water standards webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/water/standards/default.aspx#intro, accessed 4 January 2010. 178 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 4. 179 ActewAGL, Water standards webpage http://www.actewagl.com.au/water/standards/standards2.aspx, accessed 4 January 2010. 180 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 4. 181 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. 13. 182 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. 13. 183 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. 19. 184 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. 13. 185 ACT Chief Minister’s Department, 2007, ACT Infrastructure: Five-Yearly Report to the Council of Australian Governments, p. 48. 186 Independent Competition and Regulation Commission, About us webpage, http://www.icrc.act.gov.au/aboutus, accessed 4 January 2010. 187 Australian Government, Murray Darling Basin Authority, webpage, http://www.mdba.gov.au/about_the_authority, accessed 4 March 2010. 188 Australian Government, Murray Darling Basin Authority, webpage, http://www.mdba.gov.au/basin_plan, accessed 4 March 2010. 189 Data supplied from ACTEW, 7 January 2010. 190 Data supplied from ACTEW, 7 January 2010. 191 Data supplied from ACTEW, 7 January 2010. 192 ActewAGL, 2008, Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 2008–09, p. 10. 193 ActewAGL, 2009, 2009 Review of planning variables for water supply and demand assessment, p. 35. 194 ACT Government, 2004, Think water, Act water: Volume 1: Strategy for sustainable water resource management in the ACT, p. 3. 195 ACT Government, 2007, Think water, Act water: Strategy for sustainable water resource management in the ACT: 2005-06 Progress Report. 196 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. 152. 197 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. 152. 198 ACTEW, 2009, Annual Report 2008/09, p.10. 199 ACTEW, 2009, Scheme Of Temporary Restrictions On The Use Of Water From ACTEW Corporation Water Supply System, http://www.actew.com.au/publications/TemporaryWaterRestrictionsScheme.pdf, accessed 4 May 2010. 200 ACTEW, 2008, Water security for the ACT and Region: Progress Report and Recommendations to ACT Government, December, p. iv. 201 ACTEW, 2007, Water Security for the ACT and Region: Recommendations to ACT Government, pp. 1-2. 202 ACTEW, 2007, Water Security for the ACT and Region: Recommendations to ACT Government, p. 9. 203 ACTEW, Water security program webpage, http://www.actew.com.au/WaterSecurity/News/ArticleDetail.aspx?id=1059, accessed 5 January 2010. 204 ACTEW, 2007, Water Security for the ACT and Region: Recommendations to ACT Government, p. 9. 205 ACTEW, Water security program webpage, http://www.actew.com.au/WaterSecurity/MajorProjects/enlarging_cotter_dam.aspx, accessed 5 January 2010. 206 ACTEW, Water security program webpage, http://www.actew.com.au/WaterSecurity/MajorProjects/enlarging_cotter_dam.aspx, accessed 5 January 2010. 207 ACTEW, Water security program webpage, http://www.actew.com.au/WaterSecurity/MajorProjects/enlarging_cotter_dam.aspx, accessed 5 January 2010. 208 ACTEW, 2008, Water security for the ACT and Region: Progress Report and Recommendations to ACT Government, December, p. vi. 209 ACTEW, Water security program webpage, http://www.actew.com.au/WaterSecurity/MajorProjects/murrumbidgee_googong.aspx, accessed 5 January 2010. 210 ACTEW, 2008, Water security for the ACT and Region: Progress Report and Recommendations to ACT Government, December, p. 28. 211 ACTEW, Water security program webpage, http://www.actew.com.au/WaterSecurity/MajorProjects/offsetting_greenhouse_gases.aspx, accessed 5 January 2010. 212 ACTEW, Water security program webpage, http://www.actew.com.au/WaterSecurity/News/ArticleDetail.aspx?id=1059, accessed 5 January 2010. 213 ACTEW, 2008, Water security for the ACT and Region: Progress Report and Recommendations to ACT Government, December, p. 28. 214 ACTEW, Water security program webpage, http://www.actew.com.au/WaterSecurity/MajorProjects/tantangara_transfer.aspx, accessed 5 January 2010. 215 Investigation into prices for water and wastewater services in the ACT. Final Report and Price Direction, ICRC, March 2004, p. 21. 216 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 51. 217 National Water Commission, 2009, National Performance Report 2008–09: Urban water utilities, Part A, p. 21. 218 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 51. 219 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 51. 220 ACTEW, 2008, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, p. 8. 221 National Water Commission, 2009, National Performance Report 2008–09: Urban water utilities, Part A, p. 46. 222 Data supplied from ACTEW, 7 January 2010. 223 National Performance Report 2007/08, ACTEW, p 15 224 ACTEW, 2009, Annual Report 2008/09, p. 7. 225 Estimates for 2009/10 and 10/11 include Water Security Projects such as Enlarged Cotter Dam and Murrumbidgee to Googong Pump Station and pipeline. 226 ACTEW, 2008, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, p. 8. 227 ACTEW, 2008, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, p. 8. 228 ACTEW, 2008, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, p. 9. 229 ACTEW, 2008, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, p. 8. 230 ACTEW, 2008, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, p. 8.

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ActewAGL, 2009, Monthly Water and Wastewater Report, June, p. 3. ActewAGL, 2009, Monthly Water and Wastewater Report, June, p. 3. 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Personal communication, Andreas Marquardt, Manager Water & Sewerage Asset Management, ActewAGL, 02 6242 1178, 21 December 2009. 252 ACTEW, 2009, Annual Report 2008/09, pp.11-12. 253 ACTEW Corporation, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, p. 4. 254 ACTEW Corporation, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, p. 4. 255 Environment Protection Authority, 2003, Guidelines for Environmental Management: Use of Reclaimed Water, Victorian Government, pp. iv-vii. 256 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 87. 257 Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia, 2009, Water Management Plan for ACT Sportsgrounds, Commissioned by Sports and Recreation Services, p. iv. 258 Also called sewage sludge. 259 ACT Chief Minister’s Department, 2007, ACT Infrastructure: Five-Yearly Report to the Council of Australian Governments, p. 45. 260 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 12. 261 ActewAGL, North Canberra Water Reuse Scheme webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/wastewater/treatment/NcEffluentReuse/default.aspx, accessed 5 January 2010. 262 Melbourne Water, Recycling Water for a Greener Future, webpage, http://www.waterrecycling.vic.gov.au/default.asp, accessed on 28 September 2009. 263 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 86. 264 National Water Commission, 2009, National Performance Report 2008–09: Urban water utilities, Part B, pp. 7-8. 265 Includes water provided to the incinerator scrubber at Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre. 266 Includes water provided to the incinerator scrubber at Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre. 267 Includes water provided to the incinerator scrubber at Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre. 268 Includes water provided to the incinerator scrubber at Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre. 269 Includes water provided to the incinerator scrubber at Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre. 270 Includes water provided to the incinerator scrubber at Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre. 271 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 86. 272 Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia, 2009, Water Management Plan for ACT Sportsgrounds, Commissioned by Sports and Recreation Services, p. iv. 273 ACTEW, Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre, http://www.actewagl.com.au/wastewater/treatment/default.aspx, accessed 4 January 2010. 274 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 29. 275 ACTEW, 2007, Water Security for the ACT and Region: Recommendations to ACT Government, p. 74. 276 ActewAGL, North Canberra Water Reuse Scheme webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/wastewater/treatment/NcEffluentReuse/default.aspx, accessed 5 January 2010. 277 ActewAGL, Southwell Park water mining project webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/wastewater/reuse/southwellwatermining.aspx, accessed 5 January 2010. 278 ActewAGL, North Canberra Water Reuse Scheme webpage, http://www.actewagl.com.au/wastewater/treatment/NcEffluentReuse/default.aspx, accessed 5 January 2010. 279 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. 139. 280 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. iv. 281 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. iv. 282 ActewAGL, 2005, Annual and Sustainability Report 2005, p. 37. 283 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p 140. 284 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 63. 285 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 63. 286 This is instead of total nitrogen (TN) and total dissolved solids (TDS). 287 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. 147. 288 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. 147. 289 ACT Government, 2004, Think water, Act water: Volume 1: Strategy for sustainable water resource management in the ACT, p. 4. 290 ACT Government, 2007, Where Will We Play? 291 ACTEW, 2009, Annual Report 2008/09, p.23. 292 Information supplied by ACTEW, 5 May 2010. 232 233

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Sewerage disruptions refers only to sewer blockages and other failures occurring in mains or property connections, but does not cover failures in sanitary drains of properties. 310 National Water Commission, 2009, National Performance Report 2008–09: Urban water utilities, Part A, p. 40. 311 National Water Commission, 2009, National Performance Report 2008–09: Urban water utilities, Part A, p. 40. 312 National Water Commission, 2009, National Performance Report 2007–08: Urban water utilities, Part A, p. 59. 313 ACTEW Corporation, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, p. 11. 314 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 29. 315 ACTEW Corporation, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, p. 11. 316 Information supplied by ActewAGL. 317 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. 24. 318 ACTEW Corporation, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, pp. 1112. 319 ACTEW Corporation, Response to the Technical Regulator‘s Submission to the ICRC Water and Wastewater Price Review, p. 13. 320 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. xvii. 321 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, p. 24. 322 Information supplied by ActewAGL. 323 ActewAGL, 2006, Annual Report 2005/06, p. 19. 324 ActewAGL, 2007, Annual Report 2006/07, p. 22. 325 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 27 326 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 12. 327 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008/09, p. 81 328 ICRC, 2008, Water and Wastewater Price Review: Final Report and Price Determination, pp. 154-55. 329 ActewAGL, 2009, Monthly Water and Wastewater Report, June, p. 13. 330 ACTEW, 2009, Annual Report 2008/09, pp. 11-12. 331 Information supplied by ActewAGL. 332 ACTEW, 2007, Water Security for the ACT and Region: Recommendations to ACT Government, p. iii. 333 Lake Burley Griffin, Lake Ginninderra, Lake Tuggeranong. 334 ACT Natural Resource Management Council, 2009, Bush Capital Legacy: Plan For Managing The Natural Resources of the ACT, p. 40, based on ‘Think water, Act water: A strategy for sustainable water resource management in the ACT’, Volume 3, ‘State of the ACT’s water resources and catchments’, April 2004. 335 Urban Services, 2005, Design Standards for Urban Infrastructure: No. 1 Stormwater, p. 1-1. 336 Data supplied by the National Capital Authority, 7 January 2010. 337 Territory and Municipal Services, Storm Water Network webpage, http://www.tams.act.gov.au/move/roads/stormwater/stormwater, accessed 5 January 2010. 338 Department of Territory and Municipal Services, 2003, Design Standards for Urban Infrastructure: No. 16 Urban Wetlands Lakes and Ponds, pp. 16.3-16.4. 339 Department of Territory and Municipal Services, 2003, Design Standards for Urban Infrastructure: No. 16 Urban Wetlands Lakes and Ponds, p. 16-1. 340 Department of Territory and Municipal Services, 2003, Design Standards for Urban Infrastructure: No. 16 Urban Wetlands Lakes and Ponds, p. 16-4. 341 Department of Territory and Municipal Services, Storm Water Network webpage, http://www.tams.act.gov.au/move/roads/stormwater/stormwater, accessed 5 January 2010. 342 Updated from ACTPLA, 2008, WaterWays: Water Sensitive Urban Design General Code, p. 10. 343 Department of Territory and Municipal Services, Storm Water Network webpage, http://www.tams.act.gov.au/move/roads/stormwater/stormwater, accessed 5 January 2010. 344 Department of Territory and Municipal Services, 2009, Where will we play? 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PCL places the bacterial monitoring results on the web, and alters the warning signs located at various swimming areas to ‘Open’ or ‘Closed’ as required. 354 Department of Territory and Municipal Services, Storm Water Network webpage, http://www.tams.act.gov.au/move/roads/stormwater/stormwater, accessed 5 January 2010. 355 Department of Territory and Municipal Services, Storm Water Network webpage, http://www.tams.act.gov.au/move/roads/stormwater/stormwater, accessed 5 January 2010. 356 Department of Territory and Municipal Services, Storm Water Network webpage, http://www.tams.act.gov.au/move/roads/stormwater/stormwater, accessed 5 January 2010. 357 SA Government, 2009, Water for Good, p. 21. 358 Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra Integrated Urban Waterways webpage, http://www.environment.gov.au/water/policy-programs/water-smart/projects/act02.html, accessed 5 January 2010. 359 Department of Territory and Municipal Services, 2009, Where will we play? 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Updated by TransGrid. 405 Adapted from TransGrid, 2009, New South Wales Annual Planning Report 2009, p. 43. 406 Purdon Associates Pty Ltd, 2009, East Lake Electrical Infrastructure Implementation Site Selection Report, p. 5 407 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 9. 408 Australian Energy Regulator, 2008, Minutes of the ACT roundtable on ActewAGL Distribution‘s regulatory, http://www.aer.gov.au/content/item.phtml?itemId=720352&nodeId=25dd017728113729ee1c7020ecbd9df7&fn=Minutes.pdf, accessed 6 January 2010. 409 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 9. 410 Purdon Associates Pty Ltd, 2009, East Lake Electrical Infrastructure Implementation Site Selection Report, p. 3 411 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008-09, p. 86. 412 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 10. 413 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 10. 414 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 115. 415 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 94. 416 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 9. 417 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 10. 418 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 23. 419 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 10. 420 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008-09, p. 7. 421 Australian Energy Regulator, ACT distribution determination 2009–14 webpage, http://www.aer.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/720330, accessed 5 January 2010. 422 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008-09, p. 60. 423 Independent Competition And Regulatory Commission, 2009, Retail Prices for Non-contestable Electricity Customers – 2009-2010, Issues Paper, p. 2. 424 Independent Competition And Regulatory Commission, 2009, Retail Prices for Non-contestable Electricity Customers – 2009-2010, Issues Paper, p. 4. 425 ICRC, 2010, Draft Decision—Retail prices for non-contestable electricity customers 2010–12, pp. 2, 40. 426 Australian Energy Regulator, 2009, State of the Energy Market 2009, p. 19. 427 ICRC, 2010, Draft Decision—Retail prices for non-contestable electricity customers 2010–12, p. 3. 428 Non-active residential retailers are Aurora Energy, Dodo Power & Gas, ERM Power, Integral Energy, Jackgreen, Powerdirect, Red Energy, Australian Power & Gas, Sun Retail and Origin Energy. 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This has been done by the ACT Government promulgating Network Service Criteria applying to TransGrid’s network supplying the ACT. They are contained in the Australian Capital Territory Disallowable Instrument, Utilities Exemption 2006 No 1 under Utilities Act 2000. Transgrid and ActewAGL, 2009, Proposed New Large Transmission Network Asset; Proposed New Small Distribution Network Asset – Development of the Southern Supply to the ACT – Final Report, p. 6. 448 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. xiv. 449 Information from TransGrid, 8 January 2009. Updated by TransGrid. 450 Transgrid and ActewAGL, 2009, Proposed New Large Transmission Network Asset; Proposed New Small Distribution Network Asset – Development of the Southern Supply to the ACT – Final Report, p. 8. 451 Transgrid and ActewAGL, 2009, Proposed New Large Transmission Network Asset; Proposed New Small Distribution Network Asset – Development of the Southern Supply to the ACT – Final Report, p. 9. 452 Australian Energy Regulator, 2008, Minutes of the ACT roundtable on ActewAGL‘s distribution regulatory proposal, http://www.aer.gov.au/content/item.phtml?itemId=720352&nodeId=25dd017728113729ee1c7020ecbd9df7&fn=Minutes.pdf, accessed 5 January 2010. 453 Australian Energy Regulator, 2008, Minutes of the ACT roundtable on ActewAGL‘s distribution regulatory proposal, http://www.aer.gov.au/content/item.phtml?itemId=720352&nodeId=25dd017728113729ee1c7020ecbd9df7&fn=Minutes.pdf, accessed 5 January 2010. 454 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. xiv. 455 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 109. 456 Australian Energy Market Commission, 2009, Annual Electricity Market Performance Review 2009 457 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 38. 458 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 38. 459 Australian Energy Market Commission, 2009, Annual Electricity Market Performance Review 2008, p. 73. 460 Australian Energy Market Commission, 2009, Annual Electricity Market Performance Review 2009, p. 63. 461 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 105-6. 462 ActewAGL, 2008, ActewAGL Distribution Determination 2009–14: Regulatory proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (June), p. 115-116. 463 Department of the Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water, 2009, Draft Sustainable Energy Policy 2010–2020, p. 3. 464 Independent Competition And Regulatory Commission, 2009, Electricity Feed-in Renewable Energy Premium: Determination of Premium Rate, Issues Paper, p. 8. 465 ActewAGL, 2009, ActewAGL‘s Greenchoice reaches its 15,000th customer Media Release 2 October 2009, http://www.actewagl.com.au/news/Article.aspx?id=1080, accessed 6 January 2010. 466 ActewAGL, 2008, Presentation to the AER Public Forum, 29 July 2008, http://www.aer.gov.au/content/item.phtml?itemId=720352&nodeId=b88ccdd996abb8610a6d6056ef1d5537&fn=ActewAGL%20Prese ntation.pdf, accessed 6 January 2010. 467 Department of the Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water, 2009, Draft Sustainable Energy Policy 2010–2020, p. 17. 468 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008-09, p. 12. 469 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008-09, p. 4. 470 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 23. 471 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 23. 472 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008-09, p. 24. 473 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008-09, p. 4. 474 East Australian Pipeline Limited, 2009, Application for revocation of coverage of parts of the Moomba-Sydney Pipeline System, http://www.ncc.gov.au/images/uploads/REGaMoAp-001.pdf, accessed 1 January 2010. 475 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, pp. 119-123. 476 Adapted from APA map webpage, http://www.apa.com.au/media/150041/nsw.jpg accessed 4 January 2010. 477 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, pp. 119-123. 478 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 13. 479 Infrastructure Report Card, 2005. 480 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p.

13 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 13. 482 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 17. 483 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 70. 484 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 13. 485 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 23. 486 ActewAGL, 2009, ActewAGL Gas Network Performance Benchmark Study FY2000–FY2008, p. 51. Updated by Stephanie Luelf, ActewAGL 487 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008-09, p. 26. 488 Supplied by ActewAGL, via Stephanie Luelf, ActewAGL. 489 ActewAGL, 2009, ActewAGL Gas Network Performance Benchmark Study FY2000–FY2008, p. 28. 490 Australian Energy Regulator, 2009, State of the Energy Market 2009, p. 285. 491 Australian Energy Regulator, Access arrangement proposal (30 June 2009), webpage, 481

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Updated by Stephanie Luelf, ActewAGL. 497 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 75. 498 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 78. 499 Australian Energy Market Operator, About AEMO, webpage, http://www.aemo.com.au/aboutaemo.html, accessed 30 September 2009. 500 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008-09, p. 7. 501 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008-09, p. 16. 502 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 52. 503 ActewAGL, 2009, Annual and Sustainability Report 2008-09, p. 16. 504 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 91. 505 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 87. 506 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. 91. 507 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, pp. 119-123. 508 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, pp. 119-123. 509 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. xv. 510 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, pp. 119-123. 511 ActewAGL Distribution, 2009, Access arrangement information for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Palerang gas distribution network, p. xv. 512 AER, 2009, Review of expenditure of ACT & NSW gas DNSPs: ActewAGL Distribution network, 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544

TransACT, Skydata network webpage, http://www.transact.com.au/broadband/Skydata.aspx, access 4 January 2010. TransACT Capital Communications, 2009, Submission on National Broadband Network: Regulatory Reform for 21st Century Broadband, Discussion Paper, p. 7. 546 ACMA, 2008, Top Six Trends in Communications and Media Technologies, p. 4. 547 Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, National Broadband Network: 21st century broadband webpage, http://www.dbcde.gov.au/funding_and_programs/national_broadband_network, accessed 16 November 2009. ACMA, Digital Data Service Obligation webpage, http://www.acma.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WEB/STANDARD/1001/pc=PC_1722, accessed 16 November 2009. 548 ABS, 8153.0 – Internet Activity, Australia, Jun 2009, Subscribers by states and territories by ISP size, for ISPs with more than 1,000 active subscribers. 549 ACMA, 2009, Convergence and Communications Report 2, p.13. 550 TransACT, News webpage, http://www.transact.com.au/news/Article.aspx?id=1055, accessed 4 January 2010. 551 The proposed Act is called Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Fibre Deployment) Act 2010. Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Fibre in Greenfields Estate webpage, http://www.dbcde.gov.au/broadband/national_broadband_network/fibre_in_greenfield_estates, accessed 4 January 2010. 552 TransACT, News webpage, http://www.transact.com.au/news/Article.aspx?id=1117, accessed 4 January 2010. 553 ACMA, 2008, Telecommunications Today Report 4: Consumer Satisfaction, p.12. 554 ACMA, 2009, Convergence and Communications, p. 9. 555 Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, 2009, Annual Report Part 1, p. 5. 556 Correspondence with Russell Gillon, ACT Broadband, 8 January 2010. 557 2010, Broadband in North Canberra website, http://www.actbroadband.net, accessed 4 January 2010. 558 ACCC & ACMA, 2008, Communications Infrastructure and Services Availability in Australia, p. 28. 559 ADSL2Exchanges, ACT ADSL webpage, http://www.adsl2exchanges.com.au/providerexchanges.php?Location=ACT, accessed 23 December 2009. 560 Figured supplied by TransACT. 561 Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, 2009, Annual Report Part 1, p. 5. 562 TransACT, 2006, Submission to the ACCC, A Strategic Review of the Regulation of Fixed Network Services, pp. 2-3. 563 Victorian Auditor-General’s Office, 2008, Maintaining the State‘s Regional Arterial Road Network, p. 7. 564 Victorian Auditor-General’s Office, 2008, Maintaining the State‘s Regional Arterial Road Network, p. 1. 545

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