Strategic and advisory support to Sydney Water for 2025-30 Price Proposal
Customer Requirements
A two-year engagement (2023 -2025) addressing all aspects of the Price Proposal planning and development, and the determination review by IPART. This scope included strategic advice to Executive and Board, and direction and support for:
- Strategic objectives and targets
- Long-term capital and operating plan
- Customer engagement program
- Demand forecast
- Asset management plans
- 2020 - 25 performance review
- Operating expenditure development
- Capital expenditure development
- Business case review
- Capital deliverability capability assessment
- QA of cost allocation, revenue and price modellingPrice path and service levels
- IPART engagement.
Solution
Ricardo provided strategic, technical, and assurance support to strengthen the coherence and credibility of Sydney Water’s 2025 -30 Price Proposal. The Ricardo team was embedded into Sydney Water and provided advice and support across the internal teams. This included the coordination of activities and directing roles and responsibilities across the strategy and planning, finance, regulation, asset management, capital planning, capital delivery and strategic communication teams.
We developed price path scenarios, aligned capital and operating programs with regulatory expectations, refined expenditure narratives, and strengthened documented evidence. We drafted key sections, conducted full quality assurance of the submission, and ensured consistency across financial models, investment cases, and supporting evidence. Our embedded approach improved clarity and defensibility while building Sydney Water’s capability to manage future regulatory processes.
Customer Benefit
- Delivered a clear, evidence-based submission aligned with IPART expectations and best-practice regulation
- Strengthened Board and Executive confidence in strategic, financial, and regulatory alignment
- Reduced regulatory risk through early identification of gaps and inconsistencies
- Improved investment governance and internal assurance processes
- Received positive regulator feedback confirming stronger clarity, defensibility, and overall submission quality.