Water Licensing
Domestic and stock water rights
Rural landholders who own or occupy land on a riverbank, lakefront or overlying an aquifer can take water (without a licence) from the river, lake or aquifer:
- for domestic purposes (eg cooking, washing, watering house gardens), and
- to water stock on the property (but not intensively housed animals).
This water cannot be used for irrigating crops or garden produce that will be sold or bartered; for washing down machinery sheds; or for intensive livestock operations. Landscape and recreational dams are not considered to be domestic uses of water. These dams may be part of your harvestable rights.
Note: When accessing water from an aquifer, you must still obtain consent from Department of Water and Energy to construct your bore or well. These consents help the Department protect your access right from being affected by other users.
When accessing water from a river or lake for your domestic and stock rights, approval is not required for the pumps, pipes, troughs and tanks needed. Approval is required to construct any dam on a river.