A golf club in Launceston has requested compensation from TasWater after spending $30,000 on water infrastructure changes that were rendered unnecessary due to a policy reversal. The Mowbray Golf Club initially doubled its water bill to around $40,000 following a policy change but then reduced the connection size and raised member fees by 10% upon advice from TasWater. When another policy adjustment lowered charges significantly, the club's costly changes became irrelevant, prompting calls for compensation or refunds from TasWater.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Mowbray Golf Club in Launceston, Tasmania faced a sudden $30,000 expense when it made water infrastructure changes based on TasWater's policy that charged higher rates for larger pipe connections. The club had initially paid about $20,000 annually but saw this double to nearly $40,000 due to the new billing system in July 1. To avoid these costs, Mowbray Golf Club severed its large 100mm water connection and connected their facilities to a smaller 50mm pipe instead.
However, after incurring these expenses, TasWater changed its policy again, offering refunds for bills paid since July and reducing the fixed sewerage charges from $20,000 to under $1,000, essentially invalidating Mowbray's costly infrastructure changes. The club is now seeking compensation for their incurred costs, arguing that TasWater's policy change rendered their upgrades unnecessary.
This situation highlights the financial burden and uncertainty faced by local businesses and sports clubs due to inconsistent regulatory policies from utility companies like TasWater.
Written for “Golf Club Water Changes” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
In short:
Businesses and sporting clubs faced significant bill increases from July 1 after a TasWater policy change on sewerage charges.
asserted
Businesses → face → charges
Some decided to change their water connections, on the advice of TasWater, only for the billing system to then be changed again.
What's next?
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What → decide → TasWater
One golf club is calling for compensation after spending $30,000 on changes that have now been made void following the policy change.
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that → call → change
A golf club in Launceston is calling for compensation from TasWater after spending an estimated $30,000 on water infrastructure works in response to billing changes, which were then essentially reversed.
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which → call → changes
Mowbray Golf Club saw its water bill double from $20,000 to about $40,000 due to a TasWater policy change to charge based on the size of a water pipe connection, rather than sewerage usage, from July 1.
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bill → see → July
The charge was based on the club's 100-millimetre connection, which it says it only uses in drought conditions and instead relies on its own storage for irrigation.
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it → base → irrigation
In response, the club decided to sever the 100mm connection and connect its clubhouse and other services to its 50mm connection at significant cost.
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club → decide → cost
It increased fees for its members by 10 per cent to help pay for the works.
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It → increase → works
Club general manager Hayden Roberts said they chose to go ahead with the works after being told by TasWater that reducing connection size was the easiest method.
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reducing → say → size
"I know we're not the only ones that have done such," he said.
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he → know → such
On Friday, TasWater announced a change in response to concerns from businesses and sporting clubs.
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TasWater → announce → businesses
It would take fixed sewerage charges from $20,000 to under $1,000 and charge 100mm connections as 20mm connections, with refunds offered for bills paid since July 1.
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refunds → take → July
The change came too late for Mowbray Golf Club, however.
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change → come → Club
"Everyone's standing here going, why did we spend all this money?"Mr Roberts said.
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Roberts → stand → ?
"I think it's only reasonable at this point that TasWater remediates these situations, whether it be credit or an outright refund of works completed.
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it → think → works
"We've actually lost an asset in the process of this removal of connection."
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We → lose → connection
TasWater says changes had 'unintended consequences'
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changes → say → consequences
TasWater contacted the club in response to the policy change but had not made assurances regarding compensation.
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TasWater → contact → compensation
TasWater general manager of customers and community Callan Paske said the water authority was aware of other clubs and businesses that had made changes to their connections based on TasWater advice.
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that → say → advice
"We're working with those impacted clubs to ensure that we can work through what the final solution is for them," he said.
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he → work → them
"We understand the customer impact … we need to own that and learn from it."
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we → understand → it
The change in sewerage charging followed an inquiry by the Tasmanian Economic Regulator, which required TasWater to move from an equivalent charging method to a fixed and variable method.
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which → follow → method
This is similar to methods used in other states.
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This → use → states
Mr Paske said it had disproportionately impacted sporting clubs and businesses, which was addressed by the change announced on Friday.
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which → say → Friday
"What this shows is that in any tariff reform there is nuance and we need to fix those outlier impacts that are in unintended consequences of major change," he said.
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he → show → change
Water infrastructure challenges remain
TasWater again faces a challenge in how to fund upgrades to its aging infrastructure.
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TasWater → remain → infrastructure
The changes have hit its bottom line by between $7 million and $14 million, according to Mr Paske.
uncertain
changes → hit → Paske
"We've got aging infrastructure, failing pipes, we've got growth that we need to cater for, and we've got environmental impacts that we're having that are not what Tasmanians want to see," he said.
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he → get → what
The change came following discussions between TasWater, the economic regulator, councils and the state government.
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change → come → TasWater
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said it was a "significant and lasing outcome" for businesses and sporting clubs.
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it → say → businesses
Shadow treasurer Dean Winter said the government had the power to veto TasWater's corporate plan, and questioned why this had not occurred following successive significant price increases.
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this → say → increases
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