Water Management
Water sharing plans
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I know if I am in a Water Sharing Plan area?
If you have a licence to extract water from a water source that is covered by a commenced water sharing plan, you would have received letters from the Department to this effect.
You can also view maps of the water sharing plans on the Department's website – Where does the Water Management Act apply?. Alternatively you can enter your Water Act 1912 licence number into the online licence checker.
2. When did the water sharing plans commence?
The plans are being progressively developed. All commenced plans are listed on the Commenced water sharing plans page.
3. What happens if I extract water from a river or aquifer that does not yet have a water sharing plan?
You continue to operate as normal under the conditions of your Water Act 1912 licence.
4. Where can I get a copy of the Water Sharing Plan for my area?
They are available on this Commenced water sharing plans page.
5. I am not in a water sharing plan area, when will I be?
It is the government's intention to have all water sources subject to water sharing plans and consequently the benefits of the new licensing arrangements available under the Water Management Act 2000. A macro planning process has been developed to ensure that water sharing plans are completed for the whole State as soon as possible.
6. Will I receive less water under the new Water Sharing Plan arrangements?
Regulated river water sources
No change for local water utility, domestic and stock and regulated river (high security) categories of water access licence.
Little or no initial change for regulated river (general security) access licences. However, there may be some future reduction if licence holders who currently under-use their available water further develop.
Previous access to off-allocation water will now be by a supplementary water access licence. Changes to rules permitting extractions by supplementary water licences will vary depending on the relevant Plan. In some water sources there will be no change, while in others flow thresholds and or extraction limits have changed.
Unregulated river water sources
The plans introduce new cease to pump conditions to protect the very low flows which may impact on access to water during dry times.
Coastal groundwater sources
No.
Inland groundwater sources
In the six major inland alluvial aquifer systems, entitlements have been reduced to the sustainable yield as part of the water sharing plan. The entitlement reductions took into account each licencee’s previous historical use in determining the final entitlement and financial assistance was provided to assist in adjusting to reduced entitlements.
7. When will the Department make an allocation announcement?
Allocation announcements are now called Available Water Determinations.
For most categories of access licence an Available Water Determination will be made at the start of each water year – 1 July. In the regulated river systems additional determinations may be made as the year progresses if water availability improves.
8. Where can I check what allocation announcements have been made?
Available Water Determinations are advertised in local newspapers.
In addition all determinations are listed in the Available Water Determinations Register.