Our performance

The chlorination strategy is well underway, with areas of the network with lower chlorine residuals now identified. An additional chlorinator is currently being deployed to address these areas and further monitoring will enable us to establish whether any more action is required. Continuous on-line measuring is also being deployed at the drinking water storage tanks so that chlorine residuals can be monitored and trended. This will allow us to effectively manage operational settings to achieve optimum protection without impacting on the taste and odour of our customers water supply. 

Whilst this one is new metric, we have demonstrated that we are focused on warning and informing our customers of any water off events happening, We have demonstrated that during the agreed hours we are reaching as many customers as possible, with a benchmark of 58% we are on track to exceed the target set. 

Required repairs on the network have been less complex on average this quarter leading to a lower average repair time.

We continue to adapt our operations due to the impacts of Coronavirus COVID-19. Costs are currently being managed within allowances but may be impacted in the later part of 2020-21.

We will start seeing an increase in customers seeking more support. The average bill per quarter has slightly increased and more customers have been seeking more time to pay or long-term payment plans. Number of customers will increase between debt management and hardship.  

Overall Customer Satisfaction continues to perform above target, driven predominately by strong results customers who’ve engaged with our Customer Contact Centre at 91%.

Satisfaction with mySouthEastWater customer portal was slightly lower this year compared to last year driven by a drop when we made changes to upgrade our website, it has since improved.

Our customers tell us that they perceive significant Value-for-Money after engaging with our Faults and Emergencies teams and crews. Our customers have also told us through surveys that there’s strong Value-for-Money in our Contact Centre teams and service offering when they call us for help.

Customers have indicated that they would like some further Value-for-Money from our mySouthEastWater portal and how we manage Unplanned Water Supply Interruptions and we’re developing plans for improvements as a result.  

We’re on track to meet our greenhouse gas emissions targets. Our first solar array projects are generating electricity at Somers and Pakenham water recycling plants and a Combined Heat and Power Unit at Mt Martha will be commissioned by the end of 2021. The unit uses waste biogas from the treatment process to generate energy. We’re also investigating ways to make our operations more energy-efficient, and our joint purchase industry contract with Kiamal Solar Farm is commissioned and reducing our emissions by almost 25 per cent per year.

There were four sewage spills reported to the EPA during quarter 3 and despite this, we are still well under the target. This is due to ongoing proactive maintenance and monitoring programs targeting high risk sewers in the network to avoid significant spills.