Water Assist
Not sure where to start with your water licence or approval enquiry?
Water Assist is an easy step-by-step tool to help you find the information and support you need for water licencing and approvals.
About water supply works and/or water use approvals
A water supply work approval allows you to construct and use a work that takes water from a river, lake, dam or underground aquifer. Water supply works include:
- pumps
- bores
- dams
- weirs
- irrigation channels
- banks
- levees
- dewatering.
A water use approval allows you to use water on your land. Examples of water uses that require water use approval include:
- irrigation
- town water supply
- power generation
- mining.
You can apply for a combined water supply work and water supply use approval on a single application.
All water supply work and water supply use approvals need to be linked to a water access licence with sufficient water entitlement unless an exemption for water licence applies.
Apply a for a new water supply work and/or water use approval
- Check if your activity is exempt. Some activities do not need a water supply work and/or water use approval. To determine if an exemption applies to your activities, see: Exemptions for water licences and approvals
- Check the relevant water sharing plan to see if you are eligible to apply for a water supply work and water supply use approval. Use the map to identify the water source that applies to your application. See: Water sharing plans to read the relevant plans. If you need support to understand the requirements in a water sharing plan, contact us on water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au
- Gather all required supporting documents. The application requires detailed information and supporting documents. A list of mandatory supporting documents is provided below.
- Determine which application form is right for you – either a digital application form on the Customer Portal or a ‘paper’ application form. See How To Apply information below.
How to apply on the Customer Portal
The Customer Portal is a new digital platform for customers to lodge, track and manage a new water supply work and/or water use approval.
The Customer Portal is being developed and released to customers in stages. Currently the Customer Portal is available to the following customers of the department (and representatives acting on their behalf):
- Councils
- Mining corporations
- Irrigation corporations
Find information and instructions at: Customer Portal web page
The Customer Portal is currently NOT available to the following customers of the department (and representatives acting on their behalf):
- State or Commonwealth government agency or authority
- Major utilities, Water supply authorities
- Aboriginal communities, organisations and businesses.
These customers can continue to make applications for water supply work and/or water use approvals and other licences and approvals using the PDF application forms and processes. Information and instructions are provided below.
How to apply on the PDF form
- Review the application form and gather all required supporting documents. The application requires detailed information and supporting documents. A list of mandatory supporting documents is provided below. Read the list of requirements in the Application Guide (PDF, 207.68 KB) before you start the application.
- Print or download the application form
- Complete the application form
- Save the completed and signed application form, ready to email
- Email the completed application form and all supporting documents to the department by email at water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au, and include:
- subject title: new water supply work and/or water use approval application + location of work/s
- short message stating you are applying for a new water supply work and/or water use approval
- your contact details
- any other relevant information
- completed and signed application form and all supporting documents (as a PDF file)
- Pay the application fee by credit/debit card (see below)
Apply a for a new water supply work and/or water use approval
- Application form signed in accordance with the Corporations Act 2007 (for companies) or duly authorised person/s for other entities (digital or paper application)
- Review of Environmental Factors
- Map with property location, works location/s, watercourses and wetlands, contaminated sites, and lawful occupancy and other permits/approvals, if required
- Detailed design plans for proposed works
- Details of pumping regime and extraction requirement (ML)
- Detailed description of the purpose and use of the approval
- Aboriginal or European cultural heritage search for features on the property - use the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System (AHIMS) Web Services to identify any Aboriginal heritage features on the property, including extensive search if sites are identified within 200 m of proposed work/s.
- If applicable:
- geotechnical report
- test bore results
- acid sulphate soil management plan
- dewatering management plan (for temporary dewatering)
For paper applications, refer to the water supply work and water use approval application form for further details on required supporting documents.
| Approval type | Application fee | Additional fees (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| New water supply work and/or water use approval - groundwater | $2,329.79 | $3,492.59 for technical referral |
| New water supply work and/or water use approval - pump | $2,883.34 | |
| New water supply work and/or water use approval - dam | $2,853.08 | |
| New water supply work and/or water use approval – miscellaneous works | $1,317.00 | $3,492.59 for technical referral |
| New water supply work and/or water use approval – town water supply | $5,464.73 | $3,492.59 for technical referral |
Fees are charged to cover the cost of assessing applications and advertising and technical referral, if required.
Once your application has been accepted, an officer from the department will call you to take your payment by credit/debit card.
Application fees are non-refundable for change of mind or where an application is not granted or refused.
Find more information at: Application fees
Applications are assessed within 65 working days.
Find more information at: Assessment timeframes
To check the status of an existing application for a water supply works and/or water use approval, if the assessment timeframe has passed, contact water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au
Extend a water supply work and/or water use approval
You can apply to extend a water supply work and/or water use approval that is due to expire or has expired.
Apply before your approval expires. If you apply to extend your approval after the expiry date, your application may still be considered but the application fee increases. If your approval expires, you will no longer have the right to use the water supply work and/or use for the specified purpose.
- Confirm which agency will assess your application. The department and WaterNSW share responsibility for granting and managing water access licences and water supply work and water use approvals. Find out which agency will manage your application at: Water agencies
- The department's customers will be sent an extension notice by email to the nominated contact 60 days prior to the expiry of approvals. The extension notice includes a cover letter and an application form for the extension.
- You need to review, sign and complete the supplied application form. Note: If there is more than one approval holder, all co-holders must sign a joint application.
- If there are changes to any details of the approval, you must contact the department.
- If your approval expires in less than 60 days and/or you have not received an email with the extension notice, contact us on water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au
- Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
| Approval type | Application fee | Additional fees (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| Extend a water supply work and/or water use approval - before expiry | $422.69 before expiry date | n/a |
| Extend a water supply work and/or water use approval - after expiry | $781.19 after expiry date | n/a |
- Fees are charged to cover the cost of assessing applications.
- Once your application has been accepted, an officer from the department will call you to take your payment by credit/debit card.
- Application fees are non-refundable for change of mind or where an application is refused.
- Find more information at: Application fees
Applications are assessed within 25 working days.
Find more information at: Assessment timeframes
To check the status of an existing application for a water supply works and/or water use approval, if the assessment timeframe has passed, contact water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au
Amend a water supply work and/or water use approval
Changes to an existing water supply work and/or water use approval must be in accordance with the relevant water sharing plan and be approved before changes to the water supply work and/or water use can be made.
Replacement bores: If a bore is no longer viable, you can apply to amend the approval for a replacement bore if it is in accordance with the relevant water sharing plan.
- The department and WaterNSW share responsibility for granting and managing water access licences and water supply work and water use approvals. Check your current approval to see which agency will manage this application at: Water agencies
- The application requires extensive information and supporting documents. A list of mandatory supporting documents is provided below. See the list of requirements in the Application guide PDF, 193.16 KB..
- Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
- Print or download the application form
- Complete the application form
- Save the completed application form
- Send the application form and any supporting documents to the department by email at water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au
- Pay the application fee by credit/debit card (see below)
- Email your completed application, make sure to include the following:
- subject title: Amend water supply work and/or water use approval application + approval number
- short message stating you are applying to amend a water supply work and/or water use approval
- your contact details
- any other relevant information
- your completed and signed application form and any supporting documents (as a PDF file)
- Application form
- An amendment report detailing all proposed changes to water supply work and/or use
- Plans or reports annotating amendments
- Document comparing previously approved works and amended works
- Review of Environmental Factors
- Map with property location, works location/s, watercourses and wetlands, contaminated sites and lawful occupancy and other permits/approvals, if required
- Detailed design plans for proposed works
- Details of pumping regime and extraction requirement (ML)
- Detailed description of the purpose and use of the approval
- boriginal or European cultural heritage search for features on the property - use the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System (AHIMS) Web Services to identify any Aboriginal heritage features on the property, including extensive search if sites are identified within 200 m of proposed work/s. if applicable:
- geotechnical report
- test bore results
- acid sulphate soil management plan
- dewatering management plan (for temporary dewatering)
Refer to the water supply work and water use approval application form PDF, 358.74 KB for further details on required supporting documents.
| Approval type | Application fee | Additional fees (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| Amend water supply work and/or water use approval - add/change works, use or condition | $1,786.32 | $3,492.59 for technical referral |
| Amend water supply work and/or water use approval - administrative amendment | $212.20 |
- Fees are charged to cover the cost of assessing applications and advertising and technical referral fees, if required
- Once your application has been accepted, an officer from the department will call you to take your payment by credit/debit card.
- Application fees are non-refundable for change of mind or where an application is not granted or refused.
- Find more information at: Application fees
Applications are assessed within 65 working days.
More information at: Assessment timeframes
To check the status of an existing application for a water supply works and/or water use approval, if the assessment timeframe has passed, contact water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au to request an update.
Amend a water supply work and/or use approval
Make a water supply work and/or water use approval active or inactive
An example of a when a water supply work may be deemed inactive is if the work:
- was constructed to take water from a water source, such as a river or aquifer
- the work is not capable of taking water in its current state.
The approval will be changed to include a condition prohibiting the work from being used to take water.
You do not have to comply with the requirement of the approval to install and maintain metering equipment, however, it is an offence to use a water supply work to take water when it is prohibited by a condition of the approval.
If you decide to use the water supply again, you need to apply to change the status of the work to active and comply with all requirements of the approval.
If there is more than one work on the approval and you do not want to make all works inactive, you can apply to make only the works that are not being used inactive.
Use the same application form to deactivate or reactivate the works on your water supply work and/or water use approval.
If you've permanently stopped using the water supply work and/or water, you can choose to decommission it and surrender your approval.
Once surrendered, the approval cannot be used again.
- The department and WaterNSW share responsibility for granting and managing water access licences and water supply work and water use approvals. Check your current approval to see which agency will manage this application at: Water agencies
- If your approval is managed by the department you will need to use this guide to applying for inactive works PDF, 165.24 KB
- Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
- Print or download the application form
- Complete the application form
- Save the completed application form, ready to email
- Send the application form and any supporting documents to the department by email at water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au
- Pay the application fee by credit/debit card (see below)
- Email your completed application, make sure to include the following:
- subject title: inactive/active water supply work and/or water use approval application + approval number
- short message stating you are applying for an inactive/active water supply work and/or water use approval
- your contact details
- completed and signed application form and any supporting documents (as a PDF file).
| Approval type | Application fee | Additional fees (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| Make a water supply work and/or water use approval inactive | $1,006.49 | N/A |
| Make a water supply work and/or water use approval active | $1,006.49 | N/A |
- Fees are charged to cover the cost of assessing applications.
- Once your application has been accepted, an officer from the department will call you to take your payment by credit/debit card.
- Application fees are non-refundable for change of mind or where an application is not granted or refused.
- Find more information at: Application fees
Applications are assessed within 65 working days.
More information at: Assessment timeframes
To check the status of an existing application for a water supply works and/or water use approval, if the assessment timeframe has passed, contact water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au to request an update.
Make an existing approval active or inactive
Surrender a water supply work and/or water use approval
If there is more than one holder on the approval, all holders must agree to the surrender.
Email the department to water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au and include:
- subject title: surrender a water supply work and/or water use approval + approval number
- the reason why you want to surrender the approval and confirmation that the bore is decommissioned in accordance with the Minimum Construction Requirements for Water Bores in Australia or that surface water extraction infrastructure has been removed
- mandatory supporting documents outlined below
- your contact details
- Details of the decommissioning of groundwater work or removal of infrastructure for surface works
- Reports required in the conditions of the approval.
| Approval type | Application fee | Additional fees (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| Surrender a water supply work and/or water use approval | $947.64 | N/A |
- Fees are charged to cover the cost of assessing applications.
- Once your application has been accepted, an officer from the department will call you to take your payment by credit/debit card.
- Application fees are non-refundable for change of mind or where an application is not granted or refused.
- Find more information at: Application fees
Applicants will be advised of the estimated timeframe to surrender the approval when the request is received.
To check the status of the surrender, please contact water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au to request an update.