The Essential Services Commission of South Australia (ESCOSA) is the independent economic regulator responsible for ensuring customers of regulated essential services are adequately protected. The Water Industry Act 2012 establishes the regulatory framework for the water and sewerage industry covering economic regulation, technical regulation, water planning and customer complaint handling and governs all water industry entities, including GMB Water, that provide retail services to South Australian customers. ESCOSA's role covers retail pricing, licensing, performance monitoring, consumer protection, and reporting as well as compliance and scheme administration. We are required to submit annual reporting to ESCOSA on our performance against our licence requirements.
The Office of the Technical Regulator (OTR) is responsible for monitoring and regulating the safety, performance and technical standards for electrical, gas and water installations and network infrastructure. The OTR carries out an extensive range of activities that oversee the administration, compliance and performance of individuals, businesses and organisations that operate in these industries. This is to protect the work, the workers, and the public. All entities licensed by ESCOSA are required to periodically submit a Safety, Reliability, Maintenance and Technical Management Plan (SRMTM) to OTR. For water entities, the SRMTM must demonstrate compliance with the Water Industry Act 2012 and Water Industry Regulations 2012.
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) regulates air and water quality as well as control of pollution, waste, noise and radiation. The EPA’s water quality and monitoring activities aim to protect South Australian waters from the adverse impacts of pollution so they can support a variety of organisms, and sustain public health and agricultural applications. The EPA work with its licensees, including GMB Water, to reduce risk to the environment, Licences or environmental authorisations contain conditions to ensure that potential impacts and risks to the environment are minimised. As a licensees we are required to meet our environmental obligations through efficient and effective practices, and report incidents should they occur.
The Department for Health and Wellbeing (DHW) administers the South Australian Public Health Act 2011 and the South Australian Public Health (Wastewater) Regulations 2013 to prevent and manage public health risks associated with human wastewater through the development and administration of policies, prescribed codes and approvals for wastewater collection, treatment, reuse, and disposal.
DHW is responsible for regulated water quality standards and as a licenced water industry entity we are required to meet our public health obligations and report incidents should they occur.