In its submission to the Independent Regulatory and Pricing Tribunal, Hunter Water has asked only to vary its rates in line with inflation.

“Hunter Water will do everything possible to ensure its system is ­properly maintained and, where ­needed, expanded as the Hunter’s ­population grows towards one million by 2050,” Hunter Water managing director Kim Wood said.

“Over the next four years I expect Hunter Water’s customers will see no increase in their bill above the rate of inflation, which is just 49 cents per week. If you remove the impact of inflation, the typical water bill will actually decrease over the next four years.”

The Hunter Water submission lodged with IPART on Tuesday evening includes a full breakdown on where it will spend $1.1 billion across the network.

Maitland will receive a $205 ­million share of which $48 million is earmarked for an upgrade to the Farley Wastewater Treatment Works.

This will cater for 8000 new homes forecast in Rutherford, Lochinvar and Aberglasslyn.

Minister for Primary Industries, Lands and Water Niall Blair said for the Hunter Region to hit one million people by 2050, Hunter Water needed to be planning now.

“The Hunter Region is growing and it is so important we put in place the right water infrastructure to cater for that population growth,” Mr Blair said.

“From Medowie to Maitland and the Upper Hunter, water infrastructure will be upgraded the likes of which has never been seen before.”

Hunter Water will hold a hearing on its new price schedule in November and IPART will accept submissions until April 2016.

The final determination is expected in June 2016.