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 work and water use
Water supply work
Water supply work is the construction, installation and/or use of infrastructure that takes water from a river, lake, or groundwater source. Examples include:
- pumps
- bores
- dams
- weirs
- irrigation channels
- banks and levees
- dewatering
Water use
Water use is defined as the use of water on your land for a particular purpose such as:
- irrigation
- town water supply
- public recreation
- power generation
- mining
About water supply work and water use approvals
Water supply work and water use approvals allow you to take and/or use water from a river, lake, or groundwater source in NSW as defined by the Water Management Act 2000.
The purpose of these approvals is to protect waterways and the plants and animals that depend on them and ensure the work doesn’t affect access to water by other users.
- 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 applies.
Management of water supply work and water use approvals
The department and WaterNSW share responsibility for granting and managing water supply work and water use approvals and Water access licences.
The department issues licences and approvals for:
- government agencies – local, state, and Australian
- state-owned corporations
- water utilities, water supply authorities and licensed network operators under the Water Industry Competition Act 2006
- mining activities
- irrigation corporations
- public schools and hospitals
- Aboriginal communities and businesses.
WaterNSW issues licences and approvals to all other applicants. More information at: WaterNSW
To learn more about the role of each NSW Water agency with licences and approvals see: Water agencies
Advertising and objections
Some types of applications for water supply work and/or water use approvals must be advertised to allow members of the community to view the proposal and lodge objections.
View all advertised applications at: Advertising and objections
Exemptions
Not everyone needs a water supply work and/or water use approval.
Some entities are exempt from needing approvals under the Water Management (General) Regulation 2018
See if an exemption applies to your activities at: Water supply work and water use approval exemptions.
If your activities are not exempt, you need to apply for a water supply work and/or water use approval.
Apply for a water supply work and/or water use approval
There are 5 types of applications for water supply work and/or water use approvals.
Click on the links below for the type of application you need. Each page has information about each approval and instructions on how to apply.