2024-25 Annual progress report on water strategy implementation

Building community confidence and capacity through engagement, transparency, and accountability

What we have delivered in 2024-2025

Water licensing goes online

The department, working with WaterNSW, is delivering a new digital platform called the Water Market System (WMS), or Customer Portal, to be the next generation system for water licensing in NSW. 

Customers could already use the Customer Portal for Basic Landholder Rights bore applications with WaterNSW. Work to add business customer onboarding and Water supply work and use approvals was completed in mid-2025. 

This move to a digital system will benefit customers and staff across the water sector, improving data and enhancing self-compliance. 

The introduction of the Customer Portal has been supported by parallel website content improvements. Notably, the department and WaterNSW have released an improved Water Assist webtool, designed to improve the way that water sector customers find the information and support they need for water licencing and approvals.

Visit the Customer portal

NSW Telemetry Uplift Program

Eligible water users across the Murray–Darling Basin were invited to apply for free telemetry devices and installation through the Telemetry Uplift Program. More than 2,500 groundwater and surface water sites with annual water entitlements of 100 megalitres or more will benefit from the program, receiving telemetry devices and installation at no cost.

This initiative will reduce costs for water users, boost local businesses, and accelerate NSW’s non-urban metering reform. The program is supported by a $10.5 million investment from the Australian Government.

Telemetry devices are being installed by qualified professionals on behalf of the department. The devices will provide near real-time water data to improve water management, promote fair and transparent resource sharing, and simplify compliance for licence holders.

The department has also been implementing the recommendations from the review of the non-urban metering framework completed in 2023-2024. The Department is committed to publicly reporting on progress against specific commitments and progress towards the policy objective of having the majority (95%) of licensed water take being accurately and reliably metered using tamper-evident metering equipment by 1 December 2026. 

Quarterly progress reports are available

Discover the new Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM) framework and self-evaluation tool

In March 2025, the department launched the NSW IWCM framework and a supporting self-evaluation tool. The IWCM framework provides a best-practice guide for developing and delivering IWCM projects. It outlines clear, practical steps for organisations to adopt an integrated approach when designing, implementing, and reviewing water-related projects and strategic plans.

The framework represents a shift away from business-as-usual water management, promoting a holistic approach that delivers multiple benefits across the entire water cycle. It encourages early consideration of the urban water cycle in land use planning, recognising the vital role of water in shaping healthy, liveable, and resilient communities. Comprising five stages, the framework includes key steps and detailed guidance materials. The accompanying Excel-based self-evaluation tool converts these steps into evaluation criteria, helping users apply the IWCM approach effectively in practice.

Explore these resources

Water Balance tool

A workstream under the Hydrometric Network and Remote Sensing (HNRS) Program developed a water balance tool that provides up-to-date information on water gains and losses at both reach and catchment scales. The Water Balance Tool for the Namoi was delivered in June 2024 under the HNRS Program, completing the NSW Water Strategy - Action 1.2. The department continues to extend this tool to other catchment areas, including the Peel, Murrumbidgee and the Border Rivers.

This automated tool provides a monthly breakdown of each water balance component, improving the understanding of losses and gains in each reach.

The tool is available at: Water Balance Tool

Hydrometric Network and Remote Sensing program

The HNRS Program was established by the Australian Government (through the former Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment) to strengthen public confidence in Basin water management (i.e. improve transparency and compliance outcomes) by:

• giving communities access to more water information by expanding the hydrometric network, and automating and making available online water accounting, monitoring, and reporting tools for water entitlement holders and compliance officers
• using remote sensing data to improve measurement and monitoring for water management and compliance
• making water information available to the public via the WaterInsights, API Catalogue. and the Murray-Darling Basin Water Information Portal (WIP).

Announced in December 2020, the HNRS Program, was funded through $35 million from the Australian Government plus additional contributions from program partners.

In NSW the program was delivered by 12 project teams comprised of over 40 resources, delivering 48 products. This program aligns with NSW State Water Strategy - Action 7.2, which was completed with the closure of the (HNRS) Program in September 2024. Through the HNRS Program, the following select outcomes were delivered:

• Irrigated Crop Area Time Series: 35-year time series of irrigated crop area was generated for five valleys of the northern NSW Murray-Darling Basin, updated weekly, published in the NSW SEED Portal Water Hub.
• Water Storage Surface Area and Volume: Water Surface Area Time Series - 35-year time series of storage monitoring is now a live dataset, updated weekly through the Water Hub and through a new user portal for government staff. This product was extended to include monitoring of all natural waterbodies in northern NSW.
• Volume Estimation Tool and Google Earth Engine application: Volume calculation tool based on the storage capacity curve was developed to calculate stored volume estimates, a proxy for water take, based on the water surface area of storages. The Google Earth Engine application is also available at: Earth Observation Portal.
• LiDAR & Remote Sensing Observations: NSW acquired approximately 15,000 square kilometres of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data for floodplain mapping in northern Murray–Darling Basin valleys.
• Extractor Water Balance Compliance Tool: Extractor is an interactive, web-based, farm-scale water balance tool that enables the NSW Natural Resource Access Regulator (NRAR) staff to compare between satellite estimates of irrigated crop water requirements versus metered water take volumes at a property scale. Detection of such anomalies trigger potential field investigations by NRAR.
• IrriSAT Uplift: A widely used, and publicly available irrigation decision support tool (IrriSAT) was updated to ensure its long-standing public availability, together with enhancement of features for irrigators, agronomists and NRAR compliance officers to better estimate crop irrigation water requirements and irrigation scheduling. Version 2 of IrriSAT featuring the upgrades is publicly available for use at: IrriSAT.
• NSW Water (NRAR) Compliance Officer Interface and Dashboards: The NSW Compliance Officer Interface (COI) includes an array of dashboards / accounting and reporting tools for entitlement holders and NRAR Compliance Officers to enhance compliance with, and bring increased transparency and accountability to, water management in the Murray-Darling Basin.
• NSW Water Insights Portal development: The WaterInsights web portal enables entitlement holders, the public, and compliance officers to:
  • actively manage environmental water
  • identify water take mandatory conditions
  • identify water available (and allocated) by licence category
  • identify the status of pumping
  • access aggregated data on water order history and meter reading.

Contribution to water strategies

Community confidence and trust is being improved through implementation of water strategies. This includes better engagement, transitioning to an open data model, and simplifying processes and reviewing metering rules. Examples within specific water strategies:

• NSW Water Strategy
  • Improve engagement, collaboration and understanding
  • Increase the amount of and quality of publicly available information about water in NSW
  • Enhance modelling capabilities and make more data and models openly available
• NSW Groundwater Strategy
  • Expand and target our groundwater data collection
  • Better share and integrate groundwater information
• Regional water strategies
  • Improve public access to climate information and water availability forecasts
  • Publish guidance on accessing groundwater for high priority needs
• Greater Sydney Water Strategy
  • Enhance community confidence through engagement transparency

Recognising First Nations/Aboriginal peoples’ rights, values and increasing access to and ownership of water for cultural and economic purposes

What we have delivered in 2024-2025

What we heard: NSW Aboriginal Water Strategy engagement

In December 2024, the department published the What We Heard Report on the public exhibition of the draft NSW Aboriginal Water Strategy and Action Plan. Close to 100 departmental staff hit the road from July to September 2024 to deliver 52 face-to-face workshops on Country across NSW.

Most of this feedback came from Aboriginal peoples, communities, and organisations, and is captured in the What We Heard Report which was released in December 2024. The insights provided have helped shape NSW’s first Aboriginal water strategy. The NSW Aboriginal Water Strategy represents a significant step forward in recognising Aboriginal people’s rights, values, and interests in water management. It sets a shared direction for how the department will work with Aboriginal communities to strengthen access to and ownership of water, embed Aboriginal knowledge and decision-making in water planning, and support economic, cultural, and environmental outcomes.

Building on the strong partnerships formed through the consultation process, it outlines actions to strengthen community capacity in adapting to climate change, protect cultural flows, and ensure that Aboriginal knowledge and practices are embedded in decision-making about water for the environment.

Through the strategy, the department is partnering with Aboriginal communities to co-design programs and identify opportunities to return water to Aboriginal ownership. This includes initiatives to build capability and leadership in water management, develop pathways for Aboriginal water enterprises, and ensure Aboriginal voices are central in local and regional water planning processes. 

Key highlights from 2024-25

• Aboriginal ownership of water - The department developed a process inviting Aboriginal legal entities to register interest in owning general water access licences that have been returned to the Minister for Water. This is the first time in NSW history that licensed water will be made directly available to Aboriginal peoples to be used for commercial purposes that support economic benefit, as well as for cultural and environmental purposes. It is also a small but important first step under the NSW Aboriginal Water Strategy.  
• Granted 29 new Aboriginal Culturally Specific Purpose Access Licences, representing a significant increase from the 3 licences that previously existed.  
• Continued waiving water management charges on Aboriginal Culture Specific Purpose Access Licences, reducing financial barriers for cultural water access.  
• Introduced, for the first time, waivers on water management charges for Aboriginal Community Development Licences, supporting broader community development initiatives.  

Contribution to water strategies

The Aboriginal Water Program and progressive roll out of activities contribute to implementing the following water strategies:

• NSW Water Strategy
  • Strengthen the role of First Nations/Aboriginal People in water planning and management
  • Develop a state-wide Aboriginal Water Strategy
  • Provide Aboriginal ownership of and access to water for cultural and economic purposes
  • Work with First Nations/Aboriginal People to improved shared water knowledge
  • Work with First Nations/Aboriginal People to maintain and preserve water-related cultural sites and landscapes
• NSW Groundwater Strategy
  • Support Aboriginal people’s rights, values and uses of groundwater
• Regional water strategies
  • Foster ongoing collaboration with local Aboriginal people in water management
  • Support place-based initiatives to deliver cultural outcomes for Aboriginal people
• Greater Sydney Water Strategy
  • Recognise and protect Aboriginal water rights, interests and access to water

Enhanced, state-wide focus on sustainable groundwater management

What we have delivered in 2024-2025

Managing groundwater level decline in NSW

Groundwater resources are becoming increasingly vulnerable due to changing climate conditions, population growth and unsustainable land use. Since the release of the NSW Groundwater Strategy in 2022, implementation has focussed on foundational work to improve our knowledge of groundwater resources and review and update our approaches to groundwater management. 

A key achievement during 2024-25 has been to kick off the development of a local area management tool that identifies management actions for sustainable groundwater management. This seeks to address NSW Groundwater Strategy - Action 1.3, which outlines the need to better manage impacts of extraction at a local level. A key objective is to ensure groundwater extraction is sustainable, allowing groundwater levels to fluctuate within acceptable limits, and that the resource continues to support the environment that depends on it and meet communities, cultural, social & economic needs.  

Other progress during 2024-25 includes:

• completed the Groundwater Climate Change Roadmap to guide planning and decision-making
• continued monitoring and researching connectivity of groundwater dependent ecosystems
• secured funding for a review of the groundwater monitoring network (quality and quantity) alongside WaterNSW’s funding for asset maintenance
• advised on per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) needs and Renewable Energy Zone projects. 

Research program

Throughout 2024-25, the department has collaborated with our research partners to establish long-term science programs. These programs aim to continually improve our knowledge of groundwater dependent ecosystems, groundwater quality and flows, impacts of climate change on groundwater resources and to identify potential sources of potable water in some regions. Improved understanding of groundwater processes will inform future groundwater management decisions.

Contribution to water strategies

Development and progressive implementation of the NSW Groundwater Strategy contribute to implementing the following water strategies:

• NSW Water Strategy
  • An enhanced state-wide focus on sustainable groundwater management
  • Pilot new technologies to increase our water options
  • Collaborate to harness new research, innovation and technology
• NSW Groundwater Strategy
  • All strategy outcomes
• Regional water strategies
  • Publish guidance on accessing groundwater for high priority needs
  • Protect priority aquatic and groundwater dependent ecosystems
  • Protect ecosystems that depend on groundwater
  • Protect ecosystems that depend on coastal groundwater
  • Establish sustainable extraction limits for surface water and groundwater sources
  • Characterise and plan for climate change and land use impacts on coastal groundwater sources
  • Support towns to understand if groundwater can provide a reliable water supply when surface water availability is limited
  • Use groundwater more efficiently, innovatively and sustainably 

Improving system connectivity across the Northern Basin

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What we have delivered in 2024-2025

Northern Basin Connectivity Program

The Northern Basin Connectivity Program aims to improve the connection between rivers, wetlands, and floodplains across the northern Murray–Darling Basin. The program supports healthier river systems, fish movement, and better water quality by restoring natural flow paths and improving access to key habitats. Under the NSW Water Strategy - Action 3.7 umbrella, the program set out to restore that connectivity. 

Key milestones

July – September 2024

• The Connectivity Expert Panel’s Final Report was released, providing expert recommendations to improve water connectivity and ecological outcomes across the northern Murray–Darling Basin. The report reflects the views of the panel and is not government policy.
• The department published Building the pathway to improved northern Basin connectivity, outlining the government’s next steps to consider the panel’s findings.
• Planned activities include detailed hydrologic and economic assessments, stakeholder consultations, and the development of water sharing plan amendments. 

October – December 2024

• The department completed upgrades to the latest hydrologic models, improving the ability to simulate flow behaviour and model restriction periods needed to meet the Panel’s proposed flow targets.
• These technical improvements strengthened the evidence base for future decision-making on water management rules and flow event planning.

January – March 2025

• An interagency Connectivity Regional Working Group was formally established in February 2025.
• The working group brings together agency experts to identify issues, share insights, and collaborate on options for changes to rules that can improve northern Basin connectivity.

April - June 2025

• The department completed hydrologic modelling of potential water sharing plan rules that would result in the implementation of the panel’s recommendations
• The result of this modelling is now being used to undertake further assessments to understand the ecological and economic benefits and impacts of these proposed rules
• The working group’s Terms of Reference guides its role in advising on practical and policy measures to deliver better flow outcomes across jurisdictions. 

Contribution to water strategies

Improving system connectivity contributes to the following strategy outcomes:

• NSW Water Strategy
  • Work with communities to better understand and improve system connectivity
• Regional water strategies
  • Investigate ways to improve connectivity with the Barwon-Darling River on a multi-valley scale
  • Publish critical dry condition triggers and seek to implement them in water sharing plans
  • Finalise the review of the North-West Flow Plan to identify the best way to support algal suppression and fish migration
  • Further investigate ways to provide replenishment flows from the northern tributaries during dry periods
  • Progress investigations into changing the management of Menindee Lakes.

Reducing water security risks and supporting resilience

What we have delivered in 2024-2025

Recycled Water Roadmap released

In 2025, the department released the Recycled Water Roadmap, a key milestone under the NSW Water Strategy. The roadmap outlines 14 actions to be delivered over the next 2 years to make it easier for water utilities to assess, cost and engage with their customers on recycled water, and invest in it for both drinking and non-drinking purposes.

The Recycled Water Roadmap aims to help utilities plan their water supplies by considering recycled water alongside other supply and demand options. It will streamline regulation, licensing, and approvals while also prioritising public health. Led by the NSW Government, in collaboration with regulators and utilities, the Roadmap focuses on policy, economics, regulation, and coordination to boost recycled water delivery across the state. Actions are planned for the next 2 years, with ongoing monitoring to identify new opportunities over the next 5 years.

The release of the roadmap marks a significant step towards achieving the NSW Government’s vision for sustainable, resilient and liveable cities and towns, ensuring that water resources are used efficiently and responsibly, and helping utilities to diversify their resources.

Read about the recycled water roadmap

NSW response to NSW Productivity and Equality Commission review on local water funding models

The Productivity and Equality Commission released its Review of Alternative Funding Models for Local Water Utilities (PEC Review) in July 2024. The PEC Review proposes significant changes to how local water utilities are funded and associated improvements to regulation and strategic planning. The NSW Government considered the PEC Review and its recommendations. The government engaged with sector stakeholders, including through a discussion paper and submissions and targeted workshops, from October to December 2024. The NSW Government released its response to the PEC review in August 2025.

Safe and Secure Water Program

In 2024-25, the Safe and Secure Water Program (SSWP) significantly advanced its mission to strengthen water infrastructure across New South Wales. Through sustained investment, strategic partnerships, and on-the-ground delivery, the program continues to turn water security risks into long-term opportunities.

• The program committed $28.5 million in grants during the 2024–25 financial year for version 2, underscoring its ongoing dedication to building resilient water systems state-wide.
• To date, 94 projects have now been delivered across the program, representing a mature, well-managed grant portfolio.
• In total, more than 235 projects are funded across NSW.

In June 2025, an extension to 'up to tender ready' and 'strategic planning' projects was announced, providing 93 projects with additional time to complete their projects. Here are some key highlights from 2024-25.

• Kempsey: An additional $6.2 million investment from the SSWP (on top of the existing $7.1 million) — along with a further $12.5 million from the National Water Grid.
• Forbes: A $4.6 million upgrade to the site’s water supply system, improving water security for residents.
• Gilgandra: Building on over $1 million already invested in earlier stages, a further $17.8 million is being directed to the Sewage Treatment Plant to improve treatment capacity and deliver stronger environmental and water sustainability outcomes for the community.
• Central Darling: Construction is set to begin at Wilcannia and Ivanhoe, with a total investment of $13.235 million from SSWP and the National Water Grid.  
• Wingecarribee: Bowral sewage Treatment Plant upgrade supported by $6.6 million, helping manage growing loads and modernising ageing infrastructure.
• Bega: Construction at the Bega Water Treatment Plant is complete, with final project components still to be delivered before the project is officially closed out.
• Narrandera: Barellan wastewater infrastructure has now been completed- improving sanitation, treatment capability, and environmental outcomes.
• Eurobodalla: The Nelligen Water Supply and Sewerage Scheme is now complete (with the project being finalised)— thanks to a $3.5 million SSWP grant, delivering improved water and sewerage services.
• Warrumbungle: The Coolah Sewage Treatment Plant is being upgraded and augmented with support from a $2.29 million NSW Government grant.
• Upper Hunter: The NSW Government has invested $1.5 million for water security improvements across Parkville, Wingen, Blandford, and Murrurundi, focused on reticulation and reservoir infrastructure.
• Cootamundra-Gundagai: A $10 million NSW Government grant is enabling the augmentation of the Gundagai Sewage Treatment Plant to improve treatment capacity and service reliability.

The scale and reach of these investments demonstrate SSWP’s role as a driving force for regional water resilience, particularly for communities that historically have faced infrastructure challenges. By focusing on both drinking water and wastewater treatment, SSWP is not just improving water supply — it’s safeguarding public health, strengthening environmental protection, and enabling future growth. Infrastructure projects are strategically selected not just for immediate benefit, but for long-term value: upgrades and new builds will serve communities for decades, helping to absorb future shocks such as drought or population growth. 

Contribution to water strategies

• NSW Water Strategy
  • Work collaboratively with local water utilities to reduce risks to town water supplies
  • Deliver a new Town Water Risk Reduction Program
  • Continue to deliver the Safe and Secure Water Program
  • Continue to work with suppliers of drinking water to effectively manage drinking water quality and safety
• NSW Groundwater Strategy
  • Through sustainable groundwater use, water resilience for urban populations is improved
• Regional water strategies
  • Improve water security for towns, industries and communities
• Greater Sydney Water Strategy
  • Our water systems are sustainable for the long term and resilient to extreme events
• Lower Hunter Water Security Plan
  • Improving the resilience of the system

Maximising efficiency and smarter resource use

What we have delivered in 2024-2025

NSW Water Efficiency and Regional Leakage Reduction program

The NSW Water Efficiency and Regional Leakage Reduction program outlines government policy, investment and support for water efficiency across government, water utilities, the private sector and the community to improve the efficient use of water.

In 2024-25 the program made the following progress:

• worked with National Australian Built Environment Rating System and the NSW Government Architect to review the non-residential water standards in the Sustainable Buildings State Environmental Planning Policy 2022 to identify improvements that would lead to long-term community water savings in new buildings
• entered the discovery phase for DataDrop, an online tool to provide large non-residential customers with more access to data on water use, trends and leak alerts. This phase included stakeholder interviews and a proof-of-concept prototype
• established a residential washing machine exchange program that will target up to 13,000 low-income households over the coming year and deliver an estimated 260 million litres of annual water savings and $3.25 million in household cost reductions
• delivered regional active leak detection, reaching 7885 ML/year of cumulative water savings since 2022
• supported 22 staff across 14 water utilities to understand how to calculate their non-revenue water using simple water balances, developing core skills to use data to plan and deliver water efficiency, conservation and demand management initiatives and lifting capability
• scoped and procured a drought preparedness project to better prepare Sydney councils for possible water restrictions
• reached about 6,000 students from 35 schools with our Water Efficiency in Schools education program, with 92% of teachers reporting improved confidence in delivering water efficiency education in the classroom and all schools identifying ways to make their school more water efficient.
• began developing a NSW Water Sensitive Urban Design Guide to provide a consistent policy position across the state. Water sensitive urban design helps retain water in our landscape, meaning less drinking water is required for urban cooling and greening.

Potential BASIX changes

In collaboration with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, work progressed in 2024–25 to explore how the Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) policy could more effectively drive water savings. Completed projects including the BASIX Rainwater Tank and Landscape Model Review, BASIX Water and Green Cover and BASIX Climate Data, contribute to the evidence base to support policy change.
 

Regulatory and Assurance Framework review

A review is underway to evaluate the implementation of the Regulatory and Assurance Framework (RAF) for local water utilities since its launch in 2022. The RAF is designed to make sure that local water utilities can manage risks, and service needs effectively and strategically. The RAF defines the sector’s vision and the department’s regulatory objectives, expectations of the sector, its regulatory and assurance functions and associated processes.

As part of the RAF, a review is required 2 years after publication and then every 5 years. A public consultation on the RAF ran from April to June 2025 and over 54 individuals from 41 organisations participated, focusing on understanding how well the RAF has been implemented. The department will release a report on what we heard.  

Contribution to water strategies

• NSW Water Strategy
  • A new state-wide Water Efficiency Framework and Program
• Regional water strategies
  • Do more with less
  • Ensure water resource development and use is sustainable and equitable
  • Sustainable water resources for new and existing water users
• Lower Hunter Water Security Plan
  • Making the most of what we’ve got

Preparing for drought and managing risk

What we have delivered in 2024-2025

Greater Sydney Drought Response Plan

The NSW Government and its key water agencies continue to strengthen Greater Sydney’s preparedness for future drought conditions. A major part of this work is the ongoing implementation of the Greater Sydney Drought Response Plan, which outlines how WaterNSW, Sydney Water, and the NSW Government coordinate during drought events. The plan provides a clear framework for monitoring conditions, establishing governance and decision-making processes, defining agency roles, and guiding appropriate actions at each stage of a drought. To ensure it remains effective and responsive to changing circumstances, the plan undergoes a yearly review and is updated as required.

In 2024–25, Sydney Water further enhanced drought readiness by finalising its Drought Asset Response Plan. This plan works alongside the broader Greater Sydney Drought Response Plan and supports Sydney Water in assessing and preparing the infrastructure needed to maintain reliable water supply during prolonged dry periods. Together, these plans contribute to a cohesive, forward-looking approach that helps safeguard Greater Sydney’s water security during future droughts. 

Contribution to water strategies

Drought resilience and preparedness contribute to implementing the following water strategies:

• NSW Water Strategy
  • Improve drought planning, preparation and resilience
  • New actions to improve and apply our understanding of climate variability and change
  • Review water allocation and water sharing in response to new climate information
  • Increase resilience to changes in climate and water availability in Greater Sydney and the Lower Hunter
• Regional water strategies
  • Provide clarity and certainty for water users, landholders and environmental water managers during drought operations
  • Identify important areas that serve as refuge during severe drought
  • Plan for climate change and land use impacts on coastal groundwater sources
  • Provide better information about water access, availability and climate risks
  • Improve public access to climate information and water availability forecasts
  • Support farm climate adaptation and water efficiency measures
  • Make the region more resilient to climate variability
  • Prepare for future climatic extremes
• Greater Sydney Water Strategy
  • Our water systems are sustainable for the long term and resilient to extreme events
• Lower Hunter Water Security Plan
  • Improving the resilience of the system
     

Taking a holistic approach to land and water management

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What we have delivered in 2024-2025

Water Quality Governance Roadmap released

In June 2024, the NSW Government released the NSW Water Quality Governance Roadmap, setting out how NSW will strengthen the governance, monitoring, and management of water quality across the state.

Water quality management in NSW is complex, involving more than 30 agencies and 50 legislative instruments. The roadmap provides a coordinated, state-wide approach to deliver enduring governance focused on improving the health and connectivity of rivers, floodplains, and aquifer ecosystems.

A key reform under the roadmap is the Integrated Catchment Management (ICM) Work Program, supported by a $1.7 million investment over two years. This program will develop a reform package for an enhanced integrated catchment management framework and governance model. It includes reviewing NSW’s past and current catchment planning, examining approaches in other jurisdictions, and analysing governance models suitable for NSW.

The roadmap was informed by extensive research and consultation with more than 80 stakeholders from 18 agencies and endorsed by four ministers. It also delivers Action 3.5.1 of the NSW Water Strategy Implementation Plan 2022–2024, improving water quality data management, transparency, and coordination of monitoring.

Read the Water Quality Governance Roadmap

Government response to Chief Scientist’s review into mass fish deaths

In March 2023, around 20-30 million fish died near Menindee on the Darling-Baaka River in western NSW. In response, the NSW Government commissioned the Chief Scientist to investigate and received its report in September 2023.

Minister Jackson announced the NSW Government response to the Chief Scientist’s review in Menindee in June 2024. It includes actions for:

• improved monitoring and data collection
• a detailed business case for permanent fish passage in the Lower Darling and Menindee Lakes system
• trialling of new technologies for temporary fish passage
• a Menindee-specific mass fish death event response plan
• an integrated catchment management governance model
• strategic planning for further long-term action to improve water quality, ecological and cultural outcomes.

The response is supported by $25 million in the 2024-25 NSW Budget.

The implementation actions are led by multiple NSW Government departments. Learn more about the Chief Scientist's report and our response so far.

Taking action to address threats to native fish

Under Action 3.3 of the NSW Water Strategy, the NSW Government has made significant progress in addressing one of the most persistent and preventable threats to native fish: unscreened water diversions. Modern fish-protection screens are now being implemented across priority rivers, preventing millions of fish from being lost to irrigation pumps and channels each year.

Unscreened diversions in NSW remove nearly 100 million native fish annually, including threatened and recreational species. They also draw large amounts of debris, creating operational inefficiencies and costs for water users. Modern screens provide a proven solution. With a large surface area and fine mesh, they reduce the velocity of water entering diversions without reducing water supply. This keeps fish and debris in rivers while delivering cleaner water to irrigators. Ten years of research and development in NSW has confirmed that screens can protect up to 90% of fish otherwise at risk, while also lowering maintenance and energy costs.

Progress to date includes major investments in the Macquarie-Wambuul River and Northern Basin Toolkit programs. These initiatives alone will protect over 1 million fish annually and generate public benefits valued in the tens of millions of dollars each year. Early adopters have reported reduced blockages, improved efficiency, and savings in labour and water. In total, more than 40 diversions are now screened across NSW, with more planned.

The NSW Diversion Screening Strategy, prepared by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, provides the blueprint for scaling up this work. It identifies 111 of the largest unscreened diversions, which together accounted for 60% of total water use between 2013 and 2023. Screening these sites would protect 8.8 million fish annually and deliver an estimated $1.5 billion in public benefits. Priority catchments include the Border Rivers, Namoi, Gwydir, Macquarie-Wambuul, Barwon-Darling, Lachlan, Murrumbidgee, Edward, Murray and Darling-Baaka rivers, as well as key coastal sites.

This work embodies the vision of the NSW Water Strategy: that sustainable water access can support both productive farms and healthy rivers. Screening directly contributes to native fish recovery, complements investments in environmental water and fish passage, and supports regional communities and economies. Looking ahead, the Strategy calls for continued collaboration with water users, screen manufacturers, and industry groups, supported by research, incentives, and showcase sites.

Through targeted action and strong partnerships, NSW government is positioning fish-protection screening as best practice water management—delivering enduring ecological, social and economic returns.

For more information on modern fish-protection screening visit: Fish Screens

Contribution to water strategies

Holistic land and water management contribute to implementing the following water strategies:

• NSW Water Strategy
  • Take landscape scale action to improve river and catchment health
  • Better integrate land use planning and water management
• Regional water strategies
  • Support whole-of-catchment governance
  • Undertake broadscale, long-term catchment management and better integrating land use and water management
  • Rehabilitate regionally significant riparian, wetland and floodplain reaches
• NSW Groundwater Strategy
  • Better integrate groundwater management with other land and water management processes
• Greater Sydney Water Strategy
  • Maintain and improve ecosystem health
     

Sustainable coastal waterways in a changing climate

What we have delivered in 2024-2025

Coastal sustainable extraction 

The NSW Government is working to improve the way water is managed for the future in coastal unregulated and alluvial and regulated water sharing plan areas. In 2022, the coastal sustainable extraction project was initiated to better understand water requirements on the coast and improve how extraction can be managed sustainably to meet the needs of the environment and other users. Over time, the approach has been reviewed and refined based on feedback. To learn more about this project visit: Coastal sustainable extraction project 

Contribution to water strategies

Ensuring sustainable coastal waterways contribute to implementing the following water strategies:

• Regional water strategies
  • Identify environmental water needs to support healthy coastal waterways
  • Establish sustainable extraction limits for surface water and groundwater sources
  • Reduce the take of low flows
  • Address catchment-based impacts of increased harvestable rights limits