A publicly owned water utility in Victoria, Greater Western Water (GWW), has issued an apology due to a significant billing error stemming from an IT upgrade. This issue has led to some customers receiving substantial back bills, with one resident, Matthew Schulz from Sunshine, reporting a staggering charge of $2,641 for approximately 18 months of water usage.
Schulz expressed his confusion and dismay upon receiving the bill, stating he hadn’t planned for such a large expense. Initially, he was informed that he had to pay the entire sum, but GWW later arranged for a payment plan for affected customers. This situation arose from a $100 million IT project that failed to execute direct debit payments properly, resulting in many residential accounts remaining unpaid for an extended period.
GWW’s Managing Director, Cameron Fitzgerald, acknowledged the failure and stated that the company is actively working to rectify the situation, collaborating with regulators to enhance their systems. Fitzgerald encouraged customers affected by the backdated bills to reach out for assistance. Subsequently, GWW has committed $130 million in relief measures, including the establishment of payment plans for those in distress.
General Manager of Customer Experience, Terence Alvares, noted that most customers are now back on standard billing cycles, while also expressing regret over the frustration caused by these billing discrepancies. In total, the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV) has received nearly 4,000 complaints about GWW since late 2024, with over 120 related to backdated bills reported in March alone.
EWOV Chief Executive Catherine Wolthuizen remarked that customers have faced various issues regarding billing, customer service, and payment struggles, highlighting instances of significant bill shock from retrospective charges. While regulations normally restrict backbilling to four months, GWW received clearance to pursue these outstanding amounts in 2025 as part of addressing the billing complications.
The situation serves as a reminder of the impacts of system improvements gone awry, prompting both GWW and regulators to reevaluate their processes to prevent future billing issues. The utility’s ongoing commitment to customer support and transparency remains crucial as it seeks to regain the community’s trust following this incident.