Three categories of fees and charges are levied for the water management services provided by the NSW Office of Water:
- Water management charges recover the cost of the Office of Water's resource management activities. Water management charges for 2012-13 are shown below.
- Application fees recover the cost of processing applications. For more information on these fees go to Applications and fees.
- Metering charges recover the cost of reading and servicing water meters. For details of these charges go to Metering.
These fees and charges are determined by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of NSW (IPART). For more detailed information on the charges and how they are set, go to Setting fees and charges.
Fees and charges are exempt from GST.
Water management charges 2012-13
Water management charges are applied to a water user's licensed entitlement, as well as to the volume of water extracted where a consumption-based tariff is in place, during the financial year concerned.
Regulated river licence holders pay their charges by quarterly instalments in arrears. Unregulated river and groundwater licence holders pay their charges in one instalment annually in arrears. State Water invoices licence holders for the charges on Office of Water's behalf. Information on payment arrangements can be obtained from State Water, see contact details below.
Water management charges for the year 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013 are shown in the following tables. The charges were set by IPART in its 2010 determination and include adjustment for movements in the Consumer Price Index.
Regulated river water management charges
Regulated river water management charges are shown in the table below and apply as follows:
- For high security and general security licence holders, an access charge (a) based on entitlement in megalitres (ML) plus a usage charge (b) based on the usage for the year
- For supplementary water access licence holders, a usage charge (b) based on usage for the year.
| Regulated river water management charges 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013 |
| River Valley |
Access Charge
(a)
$/ML of entitlement |
Usage Charge
(b)
$/ML |
| Border |
$2.23 |
$1.71 |
| Gwydir |
$1.30 |
$1.20 |
| Namoi |
$2.32 |
$1.59 |
| Peel |
$1.90 |
$3.01 |
| Lachlan |
$1.51 |
$1.74 |
| Macquarie |
$1.70 |
$1.63 |
| Murray |
$1.44 |
$0.93 |
| Murrumbidgee |
$1.18 |
$0.75 |
| North Coast |
$4.55 |
$4.50 |
| Hunter |
$2.22 |
$1.43 |
| South Coast |
$4.07 |
$4.56 |
Unregulated river water management charges
Unregulated river water management charges are billed annually in arrears. 2011/12 charges are billable during 2012/13. These charges are shown in the table below and apply as follows:
- Licence holders with an entitlement and a meter, an access charge (a) based on entitlement in megalitres (ML) plus a usage charge (b) based on usage for the year
- Licence holders with an entitlement but without a meter, an access charge (c) based on entitlement in ML only
- Licence holders with an area only, will be charged an area based charge (d) based on hectares
- Licence holders without an area or entitlement, whose usage is metered, a usage charge only will apply.
| Unregulated river water management charges 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013 |
| River Valley |
Access charge
(with meter)
(a)
$/ML of entitlement |
Access charge
(without meter)
(c)
$/ML of entitlement |
Usage charge
(b)
$/ML |
Area based charge
(d)
$/ha |
| Border |
$3.03 |
$4.34 |
$1.30 |
- |
| Gwydir |
$3.03 |
$4.34 |
$1.30 |
- |
| Namoi |
$3.03 |
$4.34 |
$1.30 |
- |
| Peel |
$3.03 |
$4.34 |
$1.30 |
- |
| Lachlan |
$5.40 |
$7.71 |
$2.31 |
- |
| Far West |
$4.38 |
$6.25 |
$1.88 |
$29.28 |
| Macquarie |
$5.40 |
$7.71 |
$2.31 |
- |
| Murray |
$5.59 |
$7.98 |
$2.39 |
- |
| Murrumbidgee |
$6.74 |
$9.64 |
$2.89 |
- |
| North Coast |
$6.51 |
$9.29 |
$2.79 |
- |
| Hunter |
$2.18 |
$4.24 |
$2.06 |
- |
| South Coast |
$2.12 |
$3.52 |
$1.40 |
- |
Groundwater water management charges
Groundwater water management charges are billed annually in arrears. 2011/12 charges are billable during 2012/13. These charges are shown in the table below and apply as follows:
- Licence holders with a meter, an access charge (a) based on entitlement in megalitres (ML) plus a usage charge (b) based on usage for the year
- Licence holders without a meter, an access charged (c) based on entitlement in ML only
- Supplementary licence holders with a meter, an access charge (a) based on allocated share of water under the available water determination plus a usage charge based on usage for the year
- Supplementary licence holders without a meter, an access charge (c) based on allocated share of water under the available water determination only.
| Groundwater water management charges 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013 |
| River Valley |
Access charge
(with meter)
(a)
$/ML of entitlement |
Access charge
(without meter)
(c)
$/ML of entitlement |
Usage charge
(b)
$/ML |
| Border |
$4.04 |
$5.79 |
$1.73 |
| Gwydir |
$4.04 |
$5.79 |
$1.73 |
| Namoi |
$4.04 |
$5.79 |
$1.73 |
| Peel |
$4.04 |
$5.79 |
$1.73 |
| Lachlan |
$4.50 |
$6.43 |
$1.93 |
| Far West |
$4.50 |
$6.43 |
$1.93 |
| Macquarie |
$4.50 |
$6.43 |
$1.93 |
| Murray |
$4.32 |
$6.16 |
$1.85 |
| Murrumbidgee |
$2.02 |
$2.88 |
$0.86 |
| North Coast |
$3.93 |
$5.71 |
$1.79 |
| Hunter |
$3.93 |
$5.71 |
$1.79 |
| South Coast |
$3.93 |
$5.71 |
$1.79 |
Minimum charge
The minimum annual charge payable by a licence holder for 2012/13 is $102.80.
Where can I get more information?
For billing enquiries contact State Water on 1800 353 091, or visit their website at the State Water Corporation.
For licensing enquiries contact your local NSW Office of Water water regulation officer.
For a copy of IPART's determination visit the IPART website.