Domestic and stock rights are one type of basic landholder right under the Water Management Act, 2000 (section 52). These rights allow you to take and use water for domestic consumption and non-intensive stock watering without a water access licence or water use approval or in many cases a water supply work approval.
These rights apply if you own or occupy a parcel of land which:
- has river, lake, or estuary frontage, or
- is overlying an aquifer.
This is called your domestic and stock right.
You will need a water supply work approval if you wish to take water for domestic and stock rights using a bore, or to construct a dam to hold water taken using domestic and stock rights. More information about applying for these approvals can be found on the WaterNSW basic landholder rights webpage.
More information
Domestic and stock rights are held by those who own or occupy land which:
- has river, lake or estuary frontage, or
- is overlying an aquifer.
This is illustrated in the top two images below. The bottom images are examples of where domestic and stock rights to not apply.
If you have a domestic and stock right, you can use the water you take for:
- domestic consumption, i.e. normal household purposes
- drinking water for stock animals (not including stock raised on an intensive commercial basis, that are housed or kept in feedlots or buildings for all - or a substantial part - of the time they are raised).
For examples of what you can and can’t use your domestic and stock right water for, view the Domestic and stock rights FAQs (PDF, 1MB).
If you take water under your domestic and stock right using a bore, you need a water supply work approval to authorise its construction. You may also need a water supply work approval to build a dam.
An approval is required to ensure the construction of the dam or bore does not cause negative impacts on water sources and their dependent ecosystems, or other landholders’ access to water.
WaterNSW is responsible for water approvals required by rural landholders.
For information about how you can apply for a water supply work approval to construct a dam or bore for domestic and stock purposes, visit the WaterNSW basic landholder rights webpage.
It is your responsibility to ensure any water you take and use under a domestic and stock licence is safe for use. NSW Health advises that water used for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene should be tested and treated, including disinfection, to ensure it is safe. Guidance is available from NSW Health on the safe use of surface water and groundwater.
We have answered some frequently asked questions on domestic and stock rights.
The NSW Natural Resource Access Regulator (NRAR) is responsible for enforcement of NSW water law including domestic and stock rights, and undertakes monitoring, compliance and education activities for this purpose.
Domestic and stock rights review
The NSW Government committed to reviewing the management of domestic and stock rights across the state as part of the NSW Water Strategy (Action 1.6).
Public consultation on the review primarily took the form of an on-line survey which ran from 21 August to 21 November 2023. Over 2,000 responses were received. Meetings with peak industry stakeholder groups were also held during this time. Stakeholders provided comments and concerns on how domestic and stock rights are being used and their perceived issues with how they are being managed.
A What we heard report, which summarises the feedback from the online survey and stakeholder meetings, is now available.
Domestic and stock rights are one type of basic landholder right under the Water Management Act 2000 (section 52).
Domestic and stock rights allow you to take and use water for domestic needs and stock watering without a water access licence provided you own, or occupy, a parcel of land which has river, lake, or estuary frontage or is overlying an aquifer.
There are restrictions on the purposes that domestic and stock water can be used for, as specified under section 52 of the Water Management Act 2000. Under that section, water can only be used for:
- domestic consumption: in relation to land, means consumption for normal household purposes in domestic premises situated on the land
- stock watering: in relation to land, means the watering of stock animals being raised on the land, but does not include the use of water in connection with the raising of stock animals on an intensive commercial basis that are housed or kept in feedlots or buildings for all (or a substantial part) of the period during which the stock animals are being raised.
Report
Feedback was sought on domestic and stock rights via an online survey form from 21 August to 21 November 2023.
Important information
Please note, the density mapping referred to in the report will be available on the website soon.