State Government Office for Recreation and Sport surveying sports clubs to gauge impact of rising utility costs Sports clubs are being asked to give feedback on the impact of utility costs. THE impact of rising water and power bills on sporting clubs is being investigated by the State Government. The Office for Recreation and Sport (ORS) has hired consultant KPMG to survey at least 100 metropolitan and regional clubs to find how their memberships and grounds are being affected by rising power and water costs. The survey will also ask what suggestions clubs have for managing the issue. Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows electricity prices in Adelaide increased by 50 per cent between 2007 and 2012. Water bills rose 22 per cent last year, 23.2 per cent in 2011, 21.7 per cent in 2010 and 17.9 per cent in 2009 . An ORS spokeswoman said clubs would have until the end of the month to register their interest and then respond to an online survey on topics including membership numbers, lease agreements with councils and utility costs. "The purpose of the KPMG review is to ascertain the different approaches and strategies currently being undertaken by a range of Local Government Councils as well as State and Territory governments, in response to these pressures," she said. There has been extensive demand with more than 100 clubs already registering their interest. She said clubs could apply for grants for projects which minimised the impact of utility costs. She said the government had "funded a number of these projects such as upgraded irrigation systems, water recycling or solar systems." Earlier this year, Messenger Community News reported a number of local sporting clubs were struggling to cope under the increased pressure of rising water bills. Reade Croquet Club, formed in 1929, said its annual water bill had increased from $200 a year five years ago, to $2500 in the past year . At the time, club treasurer Mark Waterman said his Colonel Light Gardens-based club was "certainly" in jeopardy if it could not find a solution to the increasing costs. Other clubs to reveal struggles with high water bills included Millswood Croquet Club, which had seen its water bill leap from about $3000 to more than $10,000 in the past three years, Norwood Croquet Club, Modbury Jets Soccer Club and Mitchell Park's football, rugby and cricket clubs. In May, the Local Government Association announced it would lobby the State Government to reduce the cost of watering sporting grounds and public open space. For more information contact the Office for Recreation and Sport on 7424 7677 or at recsport.sa.gov.au. What are rising utility prices doing to your club and what are you doing to cope? Please leave a comment below?