Background
The Water Management (General) Regulation 2018 (2018 Regulation) was automatically repealed on 1 September 2025 under the Subordinate Legislation Act 1989, following two one-year postponements of its scheduled repeal in 2023 and 2024.
This was done as part of the staged repeal process, under which NSW regulations are automatically repealed after five years unless they are remade.
To ensure ongoing support for the operation of the Water Management Act 2000, the department completed a remake of the 2018 Regulation. The 2018 Regulation has been replaced by two new regulations: the Water Management (General) Regulation 2025 and the Water Management (Water Supply Authorities) Regulation 2025.
Timeline
-
September 2023
- The 2018 Regulation repeal postponed to 2024
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September 2024
- The 2018 Regulation repeal postponed to 2025
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March 2025
- Proposed Water Management (General) Regulation 2025 and Water Management (Water Supply Authorities) Regulation 2025 on public exhibition
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April 2025
- Public exhibition period finished
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August 2025
- What we heard report released
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1 September 2025
- 2018 Regulation ended
- Water Management (General) Regulation 2025 and Water Management (Water Supply Authorities) Regulation 2025 came into effect
About the project
Most of the content of the two regulations is similar to the 2018 Regulation; however, the department introduced a number of changes to:
- modernise water management system processes to improve user experience, customer service and administration, which includes allowing more processes to happen online and simplifying some requirements
- cut red tape by creating additional exemptions from approval requirements
- improve water management outcomes by strengthening environmental protection requirements, including by limiting some existing exemptions, and
- streamline and clarify the regulations to improve understanding and compliance.
What we heard
Report
The department undertook a 4-week public exhibition to seek feedback on the proposed changes. A What we heard report has been prepared, summarising the feedback received during the consultation period.
Public exhibition documents
Documents published as part of the public exhibition:
- Draft Water Management (General) Regulation 2025
- Draft Water Management (Water Supply Authorities) Regulation 2025
- Regulatory Impact Statement – Remake of the Water Management General Regulation
- Summary of all proposed changes to the regulations
- Proposed changes to water access licence (WAL) exemptions
- Proposed changes to specific purpose access licences (SPALs)
- Proposed changes to water supply work approval exemptions
- Proposed changes to water use approval exemptions
- Proposed changes to controlled activity approvals (CAA)
- Proposed changes to rules that apply to water supply authorities and their customers
- Proposed general changes
- Frequently asked questions
- Changes to rules that apply to water supply authorities and their customers - September 2025
Public information sessions
A webinar was held on 26 March 2025 on the proposed changes to the water regulation and to answer your questions.
