What happens when Melbourne's largest water utility asks customers to set service levels and price?

Yarra Valley Water's Price Review Citizens' Jury

In making a case to government organisations, people often say that they have been trying for some time but that it makes no difference as ‘they just do what they want to do regardless’. But what if the power to decide was handed to an independent group of community representatives?

That’s exactly what Melbourne’s largest water utility, Yarra Valley Water, has done.

Every five years all water utilities undertake a Price Review which establishes their service commitments and prices for the next five-years (1 July 2018 – 30 June 2023).

The Citizens’ Jury of 35 people, will be independently run by newDemocracy, Foundation and MosaicLab.

The Jury will come together to consider detailed evidence about the challenges and opportunities to deliver high quality water and sanitation services to over 1.8 million Victorians.

The Jury will meet for five full days from 13 May 2017 through to the end of July 2017 to deliberate over the question:

We need to find the balance between price and service which is fair for everyone. How can we do this?

Key dates

Saturday 13 May	Meeting 1
Saturday 3 June	Meeting 2
Saturday 17 June	Meeting 3
Saturday 1 July	Meeting 4
Saturday 22 July	Meeting 5 - Final