Fees and charges

Find fees and charges for this financial year along with other helpful resources.

Please be advised that the following webpage is currently being updated to reflect WAMC pricing and notes for the period 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026. Prices and notes are subject to change during this update process. We apologise for any inconvenience while this information is being finalised. For more information, please view the WAMC IPART report and determination.

2025-26 pricing

View WaterNSW’s 1 July 2025 - 30 September 2025 water pricing below:

The rural bulk water prices are for the period of 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 and Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) for the period of 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025.

2025-26 Broken Hill Pipeline water services

Prices for WaterNSW’s Broken Hill Pipeline water services from 15 July 2025 to 30 June 2026
ACCESSUSAGE

Essential Energy

$60,649.76 - per day

$0.42 - per kL

Non-Essential Energy

$20.21 - per day

$0.42 - per kL

  • Pricing as determined by the IPART.
  • Charges are billed quarterly in arrears, payment terms for all invoices is 30 days from the date of issue. For more information on our billing terms and conditions, or if you are having difficulties paying your water bill, please refer to Accounts and billing.

2025-26 Greater Sydney charges

WaterNSW charges to large customers for 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025 (i.e. Sydney Water Corporation*)

Please note: Pricing for Greater Sydney determination for 1 October 2025 - 30 June 2026 can be found in the below section of our website.

CHARGING COMPONENT3UNITPRICE

Fixed availability charge1

$/Month

$15,217,991

Volumetric charge (30-day non-drought month)

$/ML

$79.51

Volumetric charge (31-day non-drought month)

$/ML

$76.95

Volumetric charge (30-day drought month)

$/ML

$95.15

Volumetric charge (31-day drought month)

$/ML

$92.08

2Volumetric charge (30-day drought month with SDP in full operation)

$/ML

$118.79

2Volumetric charge (31-day drought month with SDP in full operation)

$/ML

$114.04

WaterNSW charges to Councils for 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025
CUSTOMERTYPE CHARGING COMPONENTUNITPRICE

Goulburn Mulwaree Council

Service charge

Fixed availability charge

$/Month

$2,160.30

Bulk raw water ($/ml)

Volumetric charge
Drought Response Days4

$/ML

$71.82

Bulk raw water ($/ml)

Volumetric charge
Non-Drought Response Days

$/ML

$60.01

Shoalhaven City Council

Service charge

Fixed availability charge

$/Month

$1,799.87

Bulk raw water ($/ml)

Volumetric charge
Drought Response Days4

$/ML

$71.82

Bulk raw water ($/ml)

Volumetric charge
Non-Drought Response Days

$/ML

$60.01

Wingecarribee Shire Council

Service charge

Fixed availability charge

$/Month

$96,002.60

Bulk raw water ($/ml)

Volumetric charge
Drought Response Days4

$/ML

$71.82

Bulk raw water ($/ml)

Volumetric charge
Non-Drought Response Days

$/ML

$60.01
WaterNSW charges for Greater Sydney for 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025
TYPE CHARGING COMPONENT NOMINAL DIAMETERUNITPRICE
Service charge

Fixed availability charge for connection of nominal diameter

20 mm

$/Annum

$115.88

25 mm

$/Annum

$181.07

30 mm

$/Annum

$260.74

32 mm

$/Annum

$296.67

40 mm

$/Annum

$463.53

50 mm

$/Annum

$724.27

80 mm

$/Annum

$1,854.13

100 mm

$/Annum

$2,897.08

150 mm

$/Annum

$6,518.42

200 mm

$/Annum

$11,588.30

>200 mm

$/Annum

(Meter size) 2 x
(20mm fixed availability charge) / 400

Bulk unfiltered water ($/kL)

Volumetric Charge

 

$/kL

$1.58 for drought response days4

$1.32 for non-drought response days

Bulk raw water ($/kL)

Volumetric Charge

 

$/kL

$0.91 for drought response days4

$0.76 for
non-drought response days


Notes for Greater Sydney charges
  • Pricing as determined by IPART.
  • IPART use the term ‘drought’ as a shorthand for when dam levels fall below 60%.
  • IPART use a ‘60/70 trigger’ for moving between non-drought and drought usage prices. That is, drought usage prices will apply 31 days after dam levels fall below 60% and would continue to apply until 31 days after dam levels are above 70%, at which the non-drought usage price would apply.
  • Charges are billed quarterly in arrears, payment terms for all invoices is 30 days from the date of issue. For more information on our billing terms and conditions, or if you are having difficulties paying your water bill, please refer to Accounts and billing.

1The fixed availability charge assumes one large customer in the Greater Sydney catchment area (i.e. Sydney Water Corporation). If the large customer base expands during the 2020-24 determination period, then the fixed availability charge will be levied on each large customer in proportion of their share of total water delivered to large customers in the Greater Sydney catchment area.

2These are indicative charges which assumes the Sydney Desalination Plant (SDP) delivers the maximum amount per month (7,980 MLs) as per clause 3 of the determination. If the volume of water delivered by SDP is less than 7,980 MLs, then the volumetric charge is scaled down in proportion to the actual volume of water deliver by SDP. The actual volume of water delivered by SDP must be notified to WaterNSW by all large customers no later than 5 business days after the end of the relevant month.

3The charges above exclude Shoalhaven transfer costs, which are recovered through an additional volumetric charge determined under clause 3 of the determination document. Shoalhaven transfer costs are determined by reference to the efficient benchmark cost of electricity as determined by IPART.

The benchmark cost of electricity is set and incorporated into the price (if triggered) in accordance with schedule 1, clause 3 of the determination.

QuarterOff-peak pricePeak price
1 July – 30 September $226.10 $301.01


The indicative volumetric charges do not apply when:

  • Number of days in a month are not equal to 30 or 31
  • Number of drought days in a month are not equal to the length of the month

In these cases, the volumetric charge will be recalculated in accordance with clause 3 of the determination.

4Drought Response Day means a day that falls within a period which commences on and includes a Trigger Day and ends on and includes the day before the next Cease Day.

2025-26 Fish River prices

WaterNSW Fish River prices for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026
ACCESSUSAGE EXCESS USAGE
Raw water ($/kl)
Energy Australia $0.62 $0.41 $1.03
Lithgow Council $0.62 $0.41 $1.03
Oberon Council $0.53 $0.32 $0.85
Individual Minor customers $0.62 $0.41 $1.03
Filtered water ($/kl)
Lithgow Council $1.08 $0.67 $1.75
Individual Minor customers $1.08 $0.67 $1.75

Notes for Fish River prices
  • Charges for Urban Water Supply Customers in the Fish River Water Supply Scheme are determined by IPART under the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (NSW) (IPART Act). This includes Lithgow and Oberon Councils, and WaterNSW. Charges for Raw Water / Rural Supply Customers are determined by IPART under the Water Charge (infrastructure) Rules 2010 (WCIR).
  • Fish River connection charge is $1,105.13 for low complexity connections where no tapping band or pressure reducing valve is required, $4,190.14 for medium complexity connections where a taping band is required, and $8,567.03 for high complexity connections where a pressure reducing valve is required. Fish River disconnection charge is $311.12.
  • Access is $ per kL per minimum annual quantity and usage is per kL of water used.
  • Fish River Minors charges are billed bi-annually in arrears and Fish River Majors charges are billed monthly in arrears. Payment terms for all invoices is 30 days from the date of issue. For more information on our billing terms and conditions, or if you are having difficulties paying your water bill, please refer to Accounts and billing.

Fish River Water Supply Scheme customers – minimum annual quantity (MAQ)

BULK RAW WATER BULK FILTERED WATER
Rural Water Supply Customers
Energy Australia (ML/year) 8,1840
Minor Customers (kL/year) 200200
Urban Water Supply Customers (ML/year)
Oberon Council 1,0640
Lithgow City Council 1001,678

Consistent with the water services order, these services include:

  1. the making available of water
  2. the making available of WaterNSW's water supply facilities
  3. the supplying of water, whether by means of WaterNSW's water supply facilities or otherwise.
  • The activity costs associated with the bulk water charges are described in the IPART Final Decision, IPART Draft Decision and accompanying reports. They include: Customer support, Customer Billing, Metering & Compliance, Water delivery and Other Operations, Corrective Maintenance, Routing Maintenance, Asset Management Planning, Insurance, Hydrometric monitoring, Flood Operations, Water Quality Monitoring, Dam Safety Compliance, Environmental Planning & Protection, Dam Safety Compliance Capital Projects pre-1997, Asset Management Planning, Routine Maintenance, Structural and Other Enhancement, Corporate Systems, Office Accommodation Capital Projects, Information Management Projects, Drought Projects, Water Delivery and Other Operations.

2025-26 Regulated river prices

WaterNSW Regulated river prices for rural bulk water 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 and Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) until 30 September 2025

Disclaimer: Due to the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) IPART determination delay, all WAMC fees will be pro-rated.

What does this mean for you as a regulated water customer?

  • All WAMC*, Scheme Management & Minimum Annual charges stated below are for the pro-rated period of 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025, unless otherwise specified. WAMC pricing for the period of 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026 are stated in the below section of this webpage.
  • All WaterNSW/Rural charges listed below are consistent across both 2025-2026 price sections on this webpage. This is because they fall under the Rural Bulk Water Determination and therefore apply from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, unless otherwise specified.

Entitlement charges are billed per share and usage charges are billed per megalitre extracted.

View the Rural bulk water (regulated) pricing booklet (PDF, 1097.05 KB)

VALLEY/RIVERDETAILS HIGH SECURITY GENERAL SECURITYUSAGE

Border

WaterNSW Charges $8.31 $3.04 $8.87
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $2.21 $2.21 $1.77
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.63 $0.63 $0.30
WAMC* Border Rivers Commission charges4 $1.51 $1.51 $0.72
Rural Border Rivers Commission charges4 $5.84 $2.13 $1.04
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$18.50$9.52$12.70
 

Gwydir

WaterNSW charges $21.96 $5.10 $21.70
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.50 $1.50 $1.55
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.84 $0.84 $0.51
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$24.30$7.44$23.76
 

Hunter and Paterson

WaterNSW charges $25.16 $19.55 $24.15
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $4.07 $4.07 $2.77
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$29.23$23.62$26.92
 

Lachlan and Belubula

WaterNSW charges $31.67 $4.68 $39.33
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.39 $1.39 $2.21
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.38 $0.38 $0.36
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$33.44$6.45$41.90
 
Macquarie WaterNSW charges $25.47 $4.97 $27.31
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.69 $1.69 $2.04
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.52 $0.52 $0.37
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$27.68$7.18$29.72
 

Murray and Lower Darling

WaterNSW charges $2.85 $1.25 $3.69
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.40 $1.40 $1.01
Rural Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges $10.37 $4.56 $2.22
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.73 $0.73 $0.31
Total charges collected by WaterNSW**$15.35$7.94$7.23
 

Murrumbidgee

(excluding Yanco and Colombo Creek users)
WaterNSW charges $5.26 $1.81 $6.27
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.20 $1.20 $0.89
Rural Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges $2.23 $0.77 $0.44
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.76 $0.76 $0.33
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$9.45$4.54$7.93
 

Murrumbidgee

(Yanco and Colombo Creek users only)
WaterNSW charges $5.26 $1.81 $6.27
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.20 $1.20 $0.89
Rural Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges $2.23 $0.77 $0.44
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.76 $0.76 $0.33
Yanco Creek and Tributaries Advisory Council (YACTAC) charges2 $0.92 $0.92 NA
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$10.37$5.46$7.93
 

Lowbidgee

~levied on supplementary licences
WaterNSW charges NA $2.17 NA
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW NA NA $0.89
Rural Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges NA NA NA
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 NA NA $0.33
Total charges collected by WaterNSWNA$2.17$1.22
 

Namoi

WaterNSW charges $36.51 $12.75 $38.98
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $2.24 $2.24 $1.79
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.96 $0.96 $0.45
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$39.71$15.95$41.22
 

North Coast

WaterNSW charges $15.30 $11.86 $22.64
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $5.77 $5.77 $7.34
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$21.07$17.63$29.98
 

Peel

WaterNSW charges $77.43 $7.34 $30.93
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $3.66 $3.66 $5.71
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.29 $0.29 $0.27
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$81.38$11.29$36.91
 

South Coast

WaterNSW charges $40.04 $20.99 $22.43
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $4.50 $4.50 $6.76
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$44.54$25.49$29.19
Charges where a floodplain harvesting regulation has been made in respect of the relevant water source1

If the floodplain harvesting regulation is operational as of 30 June 2025, the below charges will take effect and replace the above charges between 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.

Floodplain harvesting licences will be billed usage charges only, entitlement charges are not applicable. Floodplain harvesting licences will be billed the minimum annual charge if their annual usage charges (for WAMC usage charges only, excluding the MDBA/BRC usage charges) are less than the minimum annual charge. The MDBA/BRC usage charges apply irrespective of whether the minimum annual charges applies.

VALLEY/RIVERDETAILS HIGH SECURITY GENERAL SECURITYUSAGE

Border

WaterNSW Charges $8.31 $3.04 $8.87
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $2.21 $2.21 $1.39
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.63 $0.63 $0.23
WAMC* Border Rivers Commission charges4 $1.51 $1.51 $0.57
Rural Border Rivers Commission charges4 $5.84 $2.13 $1.04
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$18.50$9.52$12.10
 

Gwydir

WaterNSW charges $21.96 $5.10 $21.70
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.50 $1.50 $1.10
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.84 $0.84 $0.36
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$24.30$7.44$23.16
 

Macquarie

WaterNSW charges $25.47 $4.97 $27.31
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.69 $1.69 $1.76
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.52 $0.52 $0.33
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$27.68$7.18$29.40
 

Namoi

WaterNSW charges $36.51 $12.75 $38.98
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $2.24 $2.24 $1.36
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.96 $0.96 $0.35
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$39.71$15.95$40.69

The estimated proportion of voluntary telemetry uptake submitted to IPART for FY26 is 0% - 25% (for regulated water only), therefore the following charge applies.

ANNUAL SCHEME MANAGEMENT CHARGE6
Proportion of voluntary telemetry uptakeCharge
0% - 25% $85.35
MINIMUM ANNUAL CHARGE5*
$277.89

Notes for regulated river charges
  • All prices are $ per megalitre of entitlements and megalitre of usage for the fixed and variable charges.
  • Charges are billed quarterly in arrears, payment terms for all invoices are 30 days from the date of issue. For more information on our billing terms and conditions, or if you are having difficulties paying your water bill, please refer to Accounts and billing.
  • WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (IPART Act) and the WAMC determination.
  • The maximum prices in the IPART Determinations do not include GST. For the avoidance of doubt, where GST is lawfully applied to the maximum prices set out in the IPART determinations, the resulting GST inclusive price is consistent with the determination and in this event, WaterNSW would levy additional price component for GST consistent with the determination during the financial year.
  • Supplementary licences (excluding Lowbidgee) will be billed usage charges only, entitlement charges are not applicable. supplementary licences will be billed the minimum annual charge if their annual usage charges (for WAMC usage charges only, excluding the MDBA/BRC usage charges) are less than the minimum annual charge. The MDBA/BRC usage charges apply irrespective of whether the minimum annual charges applies.

1IPART have set specific fixed and variable charges in relevant river valleys and groundwater sources that are triggered when the floodplain harvesting regulation is operational. In the event these charges are triggered, they will replace the existing fixed and variable charges.

2Yanco Colombo System Levy – an additional charge applies to Yanco Colombo System licences – charged in final quarter invoice based on per ML/unit share of entitlement.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority Charges (MDBA) / Border River Commissions (BRC) WAMC pass-through charge is a recovery of NSW Government contribution to MDBA and BRC (fixed and variable) for WAMC. IPART sets the charges to recover the NSW Government’s contribution to funding the MDBA & BRC to undertake activities under the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement and the agreement with the Border Rivers Commission at the amount set by IPART. IPART sets these government charges every four years via a public consultation process. It updates these government charges annually during this period to reflect changes in the consumer price index and changes in demand for WaterNSW’s services. These charges will apply to all water users in NSW’s sections of the Murray-Darling Basin and Border Rivers systems.

These charges will apply to MDBA WAMC customers and BRC WAMC customers as follows:

3MDBA customer means a holder of a Water Licence that authorises the taking of water from regulated Rivers in the – Border, Gwydir, Namoi, Peel, Lachlan, Macquarie, Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys.

4BRC customer means a holder of a Water Licence that authorises the taking of water from regulated Rivers in the – Border valley.

5Please note the minimum annual charge applies in relation to the WAMC charges. For avoidance of doubt, Rural Valley Bulk Water Charges (under Rural Valley Determination) are levied irrespective of whether the WAMC minimum annual charge applies under the WAMC Determination.

6The Annual scheme management charge is levied on all billable licences including floodplain harvesting licences.

*Charges collected on behalf of WAMC. These prices are determined by IPART for WAMC costs.


Nil price for Aboriginal Cultural Licences

Despite the information on this webpage, the maximum price for Monopoly Services under the WAMC determination in regard to an Aboriginal Cultural Licence is zero.

Under the WaterNSW Rural Valley Bulk Water Determination an Aboriginal Cultural Licence  and an Aboriginal community development licences is zero.

An Aboriginal Cultural Licence means any of the following categories of access licence referred to in schedule 3 of the Water Management Regulation:
(a) regulated river (high security) Aboriginal cultural licence;
(b) unregulated river Aboriginal cultural licence; and
(c) aquifer Aboriginal cultural licence.

An Aboriginal Community Development Licence means any of the following categories of access licence referred to in schedule 3 of the Water Management Regulation:

(a) regulated river (high security) Aboriginal Community Development licence;
(b) regulated river (general security) Aboriginal Community Development licence; and
(c) unregulated river Aboriginal Community Development licence; and
(d) Aquifer Aboriginal Community Development licence;


WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the IPART Act and the WAMC determination.

The reasons are:

  1. Section 11 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (IPART Act) gives IPART a standing reference to conduct investigations and make reports to the Minister administering the IPART Act on the determination of the pricing for a government monopoly service supplied by a government agency specified in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  2. WAMC is listed in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  3. The WAMC charges recover the costs of water management and planning activities and services which are declared as government monopoly services under clause 3 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (Water Services) Order 2004. These involve:
    (1) the making available of water;
    (2) the making available of the Corporation’s water supply facilities; or
    (3) the supplying of water, whether by means of the Corporation’s water supply facilities or otherwise, (together, the Monopoly Services).
  4. Under section 4(6) of the IPART Act, the Corporation is taken to be the supplier of the services for which fees and charges are payable under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act 2000 (Water Management Act).
  5. In practice, charges for such water resource management activities are made as charges under licences, permits, approvals or authorities granted by:
    (1) the Minister under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act (in areas of NSW in which proclamations under sections 55A and 88A of the Water Management Act are in force); and
    (2) the Corporation under the Water Act 1912 (Water Act) (in other areas of NSW).

The activity costs associated with the WAMC charges are described in the IPART Final Decision, IPART Draft Decision and accompanying reports. They include:
Surface water quantity monitoring, Surface water data management and reporting, Surface water quality monitoring, Surface water algal monitoring, Surface water ecological condition monitoring, Groundwater quantity monitoring, Groundwater quality monitoring, Groundwater data management and reporting, Water take data collection, Water take data management and reporting, Surface water modelling, Groundwater modelling, Water resource accounting, Systems operation and water availability management, Blue-green algae management, Environmental water management, Water plan performance assessment and evaluation, Water plan development, Floodplain management plan, Drainage management plan development, Regional planning and management strategies, Development of water planning and regulatory framework, Cross border and national commitments, Water management works, Regulation systems management, Consents management and licence conversion, Compliance management, Water consents overhead, Water consents transactions, Customer management, Business governance and support, Billing management.
These services are currently delivered by NSW DCCEEW, NRAR and WaterNSW on behalf of WAMC. For more information, please refer to the IPART website.

The maximum annual price that WAMC may charge for the Monopoly Services provided in respect of a water licence, which applies only for WAMC charges, is the sum of:
(d) the higher of:
(1) the minimum annual charge; and
(2) where the licence holder has a meter: the sum of the following (2-part tariff):
(A) an entitlement charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination; and
(B) the usage charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination;
(3) where the Licence Holder does not have a Meter: the entitlement charge (1 Part tariff) calculated in accordance
with the WAMC determination; and
(4) where the Licence Holder does not have a Meter and does not have a mechanism for extracting water: the entitlement charge calculated in accordance with clause 3, as though the Licence Holder had a Meter; and
(e) for an MDBA customer, the applicable MDBA entitlement charge and MDBA usage charge for the relevant water
source and relevant year; and
(f) for a BRC customer, the applicable BRC entitlement charge and BRC usage charge for the relevant water source
and relevant year.

The fee for service charges (consent transaction charges, water take assessment charge, old meter service charge and the new metering charge (new meter service charge, scheme management charge, telemetry non/telemetry charge, and exit fee, and ancillary charges) are levied in addition to the fixed and variable charges (and the MAC) contained in this webpage are not used to calculate the MAC threshold.

The maximum annual price that may be levied by WAMC for the Monopoly Services provided in respect of a Supplementary Water Access Licence or a Floodplain Harvesting Access Licence that authorises the taking of water from a regulated river is the sum of:

(a) the higher of:
(1) the minimum annual charge; and
(2) the usage charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination;
(b) for an MDBA customer, the applicable MDBA usage charge for the relevant water
source and relevant year; and
(c) for a BRC customer, the applicable BRC usage charge for the relevant water source
and relevant year.

The maximum annual price that may be levied by WAMC for the Monopoly Services provided in respect of a Major Utility (Barnard) Access Licence that authorises the taking of water from a Regulated River is:
(d) the minimum annual charge.


MDB Charges – Bulk Water Determination (referred in the above schedule as “WaterNSW Charges”)

The maximum prices set out in Parts 2-5 of the IPART determination are set under the IPART Act and cover bulk water services that WaterNSW supplies in regulated rivers to the following MDB valleys: (1) Border (2) Gwydir (3) Namoi (4) Peel (5) Lachlan (6) Macquarie (7) Murray (8) Murrumbidgee (9) Lowbidgee, (10) Fish River Scheme.

The reason why MDB bulk water services are determined under the IPART Act is because the ACCC has formed the view that Water NSW ceases to be a Part 6 operator under rule 23 of the Water Charge Rules 2010 (Cth) (WCR) after 30 June 2025, such that fees and charges for services provided by Water NSW may not be approved or determined in accordance with the WCR and must be set under NSW law. Section 11 of the IPART Act provides IPART with a standing reference to conduct investigations and make reports to the Minister on the determination of the pricing for a government monopoly service that is supplied by a government agency specified in Schedule 1 to the IPART Act. Note that WaterNSW is listed as a government agency in Schedule 1 to the IPART Act, but excluding the services provided by WaterNSW in respect of which fees or charges may be approved or determined in accordance with Parts 6 or 7 of the WCIR, or the applied provisions under Part 3B of the IPART Act.

Section 4(1) of the IPART Act provides that a government monopoly service is a service supplied by a government agency and declared to be a government monopoly service. Section 4(7) of the IPART Act provides that WaterNSW is taken to be the supplier of any government monopoly services for which fees and charges are payable under the Water NSW Act.

The water services order declares certain services provided by the ‘State Water Corporation’ to be government monopoly services, namely:

  • the making available of water;
  • the making available of the State Water Corporation’s water supply facilities; or

the supplying of water, whether by means of the State Water Corporation’s water supply facilities or otherwise, (together, Monopoly Services). References to the former State Water Corporation in the Water Services Order are to be read as references to WaterNSW, in accordance with clause 24 of Schedule 2 of the Water NSW Act.

Accordingly, under the IPART Act, IPART is to conduct an investigation and make a report to the Minister that determines maximum prices for Monopoly Services supplied by WaterNSW,

WaterNSW sets its charges to recover charges at the amount set by IPART. MDB charges are generally determined by IPART every 3-5 years under the IPART Act and IPART’s water pricing framework. WaterNSW updates these charges annually during this period to reflect changes in the consumer price index and other price changes specified in the IPART Determination (which may include real prices increases and changes in demand forecast)

The MDB current pricing arrangements have been determined by IPART under the 2025 Rural Valley IPART determination released in June 2025. These arrangements apply until 30 June 2026 at which point, they will be reviewed by IPART and expected to be replaced by a new IPART Determination. For further information on the 2025 Rural Valley Price Review, please visit IPART’s website.

Under the IPART 2025 Rural Valley determination, IPART has determined the regulated charges set out in Parts 2-5 of the IPART 2025 Rural Valley determination. The regulated charges set out in Parts 2-3 of the IPART determination apply to rural bulk water services that WaterNSW supplies to MDB Valleys including the Fish River Water Supply Scheme. The regulated charges set out in Part 4-5 of the IPART determination apply to metering services and miscellaneous rural bulk water services that WaterNSW supplies in the MDB Valleys.

These regulated charges are the maximum amounts that WaterNSW may charge.

The activity costs associated with the bulk water charges are described in the IPART Final Decision, IPART Draft Decision and accompanying reports. They include: Customer support, Customer Billing, Metering & Compliance, Water delivery and Other Operations, Corrective Maintenance, Routing Maintenance, Asset Management Planning, Insurance, Hydrometric monitoring, Flood Operations, Water Quality Monitoring, Dam Safety Compliance, Environmental Planning & Protection, Dam Safety Compliance Capital Projects pre-1997, Asset Management Planning, Routine Maintenance, Structural and Other Enhancement, Corporate Systems, Office Accommodation Capital Projects, Information Management Projects, Drought Projects, Water Delivery and Other Operations.

Coastal Valley Charges – Bulk Water Determination (referred in the above schedule as “WaterNSW Charges”)

The maximum prices set out in Parts 2-5 of the IPART determination are set under the IPART Act and cover bulk water services that WaterNSW supplies in regulated rivers in the following Coastal valleys: (1) North Coast (2) Hunter (3) South Coast.

The reason why Coastal valley water supply services are determined under the IPART Act is because section 11 of the IPART Act provides IPART with a standing reference to conduct investigations and make reports to the Minister on the determination of the pricing for a government monopoly service that is supplied by a government agency specified in Schedule 1 to the IPART Act. WAMC is a government agency specified in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.

WaterNSW is listed as a government agency in Schedule 1 to the IPART Act, but excluding the services provided by WaterNSW in respect of which fees or charges may be approved or determined in accordance with Parts 6 or 7 of the Water Charge Rules 2010 (Cth), or the applied provisions under Part 3B of the IPART Act.

Section 4(1) of the IPART Act provides that a government monopoly service is a service supplied by a government agency and declared to be a government monopoly service. Section 4(7) of the IPART Act provides that WaterNSW is taken to be the supplier of any government monopoly services for which fees and charges are payable under the Water NSW Act.

The water services order declares certain services provided by the ‘State Water Corporation’ to be government monopoly services, namely:

  1. the making available of water;
  2. the making available of the State Water Corporation’s water supply facilities; or
  3. the supplying of water, whether by means of the State Water Corporation’s water supply facilities or otherwise, (together, Monopoly Services). References to the former State Water Corporation in the Water Services Order are to be read as references to WaterNSW, in accordance with clause 24 of Schedule 2 of the Water NSW Act.

Accordingly, under the IPART Act, IPART is to conduct an investigation and make a report to the Minister that determines maximum prices for Monopoly Services supplied by WaterNSW for which fees and charges may not be determined under the WCIR (IPART Act Services).

WaterNSW sets its charges to recover charges at the amount set by IPART. Coastal Valley charges are generally determined by IPART every 3-5 years under the IPART Act and IPART’s water pricing framework. WaterNSW updates these charges annually during this period to reflect changes in the consumer price index and other price changes specified in the IPART Determination (which may include real prices increases and changes in demand forecast)

The current pricing arrangements have been determined by IPART under the 2025 Rural Valley IPART determination released in June 2025. These arrangements apply until 30 June 2026 at which point, they will be reviewed by IPART and expected to be replaced by a new IPART Determination. For further information on the 2025 Rural Valley Price Review, please visit IPART’s website.

Under the IPART 2025 Rural Valley determination, IPART has determined the regulated charges set out in Parts 2-5 of the IPART 2025 Rural Valley determination. These regulated charges are the maximum amounts that WaterNSW may charge.

The activity costs associated with the bulk water charges are described in the IPART Final Decision, IPART Draft Decision and accompanying reports. They include: Customer support, Customer Billing, Metering & Compliance, Water delivery and Other Operations, Corrective Maintenance, Routing Maintenance, Asset Management Planning, Insurance, Hydrometric monitoring, Flood Operations, Water Quality Monitoring, Dam Safety Compliance, Environmental Planning & Protection, Dam Safety Compliance Capital Projects pre-1997, Asset Management Planning, Routine Maintenance, Structural and Other Enhancement, Corporate Systems, Office Accommodation Capital Projects, Information Management Projects, Drought Projects, Water Delivery and Other Operations.

The regulated charges set out in Parts 2-3 of the IPART determination apply to rural bulk water services that WaterNSW supplies in the Coastal Valleys. The regulated charges set out in Part 4-5 of the IPART determination apply to metering services and miscellaneous rural bulk water services that WaterNSW supplies in the Coastal Valleys.


Yanco Creek Levy

This levy is passed on directly to customers in the Yanco Creek system. The Yanco Creek levy was approved by IPART as a pass-through levy to recover the cost associated with the Yanco Creek and Tributaries Advisory Council.

The Yanco Creek Natural Resources Management Levy was initially approved by IPART in its 2006 review of bulk water charges and has been included in each subsequent pricing reviews—by IPART in 2010, the ACCC in 2014, and again by IPART in 2017, 2021, and now as part of the 2025 IPART price review.

WaterNSW understands that the levy is intended to fund the rehabilitation plan of the Yanco Columbo system to improve flows and provide significant water efficiencies for the system and the Murrumbidgee valley.


Metering service charges for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026

The metering service charge (MSC) is calculated and invoiced annually in arrears. You will receive a separate WaterNSW invoice for your metering charges as they are calculated based on your work approval while your entitlement/usage charge is based on your water access licence.

Call our Customer Service Centre on 1300 662 077, if you have a concern regarding the accuracy of the meter. If you elect to have your meter tested, a deposit of $1,750.00 is payable and payment is required prior to testing. If the meter is found to be inaccurate, your deposit will be refunded in full. However, if the meter is found to be within accuracy standards then the total meter accuracy testing charge will be invoiced.

Note, the meter laboratory verification charge at request of customer is $10,099.56 and $7,329.81 for meter in-situ validation charge – where a meter is relocated or disturbed.

Current government-owned meter service charges

The below table represents current government-owned MSC. Once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the reform, the annual government-owned MSC comes into effect based of the compliance date associated with the meter.

METER SIZE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
50mm $574.00
80mm $576.68
100mm $576.67
150mm $583.44
200mm $586.79
250mm $589.90
300mm $597.91
350mm $633.93
400mm $655.38
450mm $659.51
500mm $677.08
600mm $699.59
700mm $726.33
750mm $763.79
800mm $789.10
900mm $797.12
1000mm $811.93
Channel $7,522.87
Annual government-owned meter service charge – non-urban metering reform

The below table represents the government-owned MSC once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform. The list of rollout dates are available here.

CHARGE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
Operating costs (non channel meter) $1,047.16
Operating costs (channel meter) $7,346.54
Capital costs $0.00
Exit fee $0.00

Telemetry and non-telemetry service charge for 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025

Disclaimer: Due to the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) IPART determination delay, all WAMC fees will be pro-rated.

Annual telemetry/non-telemetry service charges stated below are for the pro-rated period of 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025, unless otherwise specified. WAMC pricing for the period of 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026 telemetry & LID download/validation charges are stated in the below section of this webpage.

The telemetry and non-telemetry service charge applies to both government-owned and privately-owned meters.

The estimated proportion of voluntary telemetry uptake submitted to IPART for FY25 is 0% - 25%, therefore the following charge applies.

PROPORTION OF VOLUNTARY TELEMETRY UPTAKE ANNUAL TELEMETRY SERVICE CHARGE PER METER ANNUAL NON-TELEMETRY SERVICE CHARGE PER METER
0% - 25% $263.86 $263.86

NSW Government telemetry rebate

*Please note this rebate will not be applied where a local intelligence device (LID) has not been installed or ordered by 30 June 2024.

The NSW Government will provide a rebate of $975.00 to all privately-owned meters when a working telemetry device is installed. This will offset the telemetry service charge until the rebate is exhausted.

This rebate will only apply where you have installed or ordered your local intelligence device (LID) prior to 01 July 2024. Your annual telemetry service charge listed above will be automatically credited on your WaterNSW bill each year until you reach the total rebate amount of $975.00 – just over four years. Please note this rebate will not be applied where a local intelligence device (LID) has not been installed or ordered by 30 June 2024.

  • The rebate is not available to water users with a government-owned meter.
  • For more information on metering and the telemetry rebate, visit Non-urban metering.
Notes for metering service charges

Metering charges are calculated annually in arrears.

The MSC will be triggered as follows:

  1. New Government Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a government-owned meter, the later of:
    1. the day the meter becomes compliant with the metering requirements; and
    2. if there is a date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter, that date.
  2. There will be a pro rata between the existing and new MSC as follows:
    1. for a government-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Government Meter charge Trigger Day, the charges set out in the current government-owned table will cease to apply and the charges in the annual meter service charges table and the telemetry and non-telemetry service charge table will instead apply; and
    2. for a privately-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day, unless the meter is not subject to the metering requirements, will be charged the telemetry and non-telemetry charges.
  3. If customers move from government-owned meter to privately-owned meter, the government meter charges and privately-owned meter charges will be pro rated as follows:
    1. different annual charges apply to government-owned meters and privately-owned meters. Where a licence holder switches from a government-owned meter to a privately-owned meter (or vice versa), the annual charges that will be applicable will be pro-rated based on the proportion of days in the financial year that the licence holder used a:
      1. government-owned meter as against the number of days in the financial year; and
      2. privately-owned meter as against the number of days in the financial year.
  4. The telemetry and non-telemetry charges apply based on overall voluntary telemetry uptake to both privately-owned meters and government-owned meters (the telemetry service charge will apply to government-owned meters, if all government-owned meters are telemetry). The telemetry/non-telemetry charges apply as follows:
    1. for a government-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Government Meter Charge Trigger Day, the:
      1. meter service charge in the government-owned table will cease to apply in respect of that government-owned meter; and
      2. charges in the annual government-owned table will instead apply in respect of that government-owned meter.
    2. for a privately-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day, unless the meter is not subject to the metering requirements, the:
      1. reading / assessment charge will cease to apply in respect of that privately-owned meter; and
      2. the annual telemetry and non-telemetry charges will instead apply in respect of that privately-owned meter.
  5. The trigger for these new charges are as follows:
    1. new Government Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a government-owned meter, the later of:
      1. the day the meter becomes compliant with the metering requirements; and
      2. if there is a date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter, that date.
    2. new Private Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a privately-owned meter, the date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter.
Irrigation corporation district rebates
IRRIGATION CORPORATION TOTAL ANNUAL REBATE
Coleambally Irrigation $290,875
Eagle Creek Scheme $7,351
Jemalong Irrigation $59,371
Moira Irrigation Scheme $20,536
Murray Irrigation $778,175
Murrumbidgee Irrigation $678,714
West Corurgan $38,914
Western Murray $19,659
  • The rebates are paid annually to irrigation corporation districts (ICDs) in the form of rebates as set by IPART, with the value of the rebates collected from other users in accordance with the IPART determination.

2025-26 Groundwater management prices

WaterNSW Groundwater management prices for Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) until 30 September 2025

Disclaimer: Due to the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) IPART determination delay, all WAMC fees will be pro-rated.

What does this mean for you as a groundwater customer?

  • All WAMC charges stated below are for the pro-rated period of 01 July 2025 to 30 September 2025, unless otherwise specified. WAMC pricing for the period of 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026 are stated in the below section of this webpage.

Entitlement charges are billed per share and usage charges are billed per megalitre extracted.

1-PART TARIFF 2-PART TARIFF
Valley/riverDetailsEntitlement charge (A)Entitlement charge (B)Usage (C)

Inland

WAMC charges $6.96 $4.35 $2.61
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.30 $0.22 $0.08
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$7.26$4.57$2.69
 

Murrumbidgee

WAMC charges $6.00 $3.75 $2.25
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.30 $0.22 $0.08
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$6.30$3.97$2.33
 

Coastal

WAMC charges $6.57 $2.26 $4.31
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$6.57$2.26$4.31
Inland/Border Rivers1

The below charges are relevant for the four water sources listed within Inland/Border Rivers.

1-PART TARIFF 2-PART TARIFF
Water sourceDetailsEntitlement charge (A)Entitlement charge (B)Usage (C)

Macintyre Alluvial Groundwater Source

NSW Border Rivers Upstream Keetah Bridge Alluvial Groundwater Source

NSW Border Rivers Downstream Keetah Bridge Alluvial Groundwater Source

Ottleys Creek Alluvial Groundwater Source

WAMC charges $6.96 $4.35 $2.61
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.30 $0.22 $0.08
WAMC Border River Commission charges3 $0.50 $0.35 $0.15
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$7.76$4.92$2.84

The estimated proportion of voluntary telemetry uptake submitted to IPART for FY25 is 0% - 25%, therefore the following charge applies.

ANNUAL SCHEME MANAGEMENT CHARGE5
Proportion of voluntary telemetry uptakeCharge
0% - 25% $85.35
MINIMUM ANNUAL CHARGE4
$277.89

Notes for groundwater management prices
  • All prices are $ per megalitre of entitlements and megalitre of usage for the fixed and variable charges.
  • Charges collected on behalf of WAMC.
  • These prices are determined by IPART for WAMC costs.
  • Charges are billed quarterly in arrears, payment terms for all invoices are 30 days from the date of issue. For more information on our billing terms and conditions, or if you are having difficulties paying your water bill, please refer to  please refer to Accounts and billing.
  • WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (IPART Act) and the WAMC determination.
  • The maximum prices in the IPART Determinations do not include GST. For the avoidance of doubt, where GST is lawfully applied to the maximum prices set out in the IPART determinations, the resulting GST inclusive price is consistent with the determination and in this event, WaterNSW would levy additional price component for GST consistent with the determination during the financial year.

1IPART have set specific fixed and variable charges in relevant river valleys and groundwater sources that are triggered when the floodplain harvesting regulation is operational. In the event these charges are triggered, they will replace the existing fixed and variable charges.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority Charges (MDBA) / Border River Commissions (BRC) WAMC pass-through charge is a recovery of NSW Government contribution to MDBA and BRC (fixed and variable) for WAMC. IPART sets the charges to recover the NSW Government’s contribution to funding the MDBA & BRC to undertake activities under the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement and the agreement with the Border Rivers Commission at the amount set by IPART. IPART sets these government charges every four years via a public consultation process. It updates these government charges annually during this period to reflect changes in the consumer price index and changes in demand for WaterNSW’s services. These charges will apply to all water users in NSW’s sections of the Murray-Darling Basin and Border Rivers systems.

These charges will apply to MDBA WAMC customers and BRC WAMC customers as follows:

2MDBA customer means a holder of a Water Licence that authorises the taking of water from:

  1. Groundwater from the – Inland and Murrumbidgee valleys.

3BRC customer means a holder of a Water Licence that authorises the taking of water from:

  1. Groundwater from the – Macintyre Alluvial Groundwater Source, NSW Border Rivers Upstream Keetah Bridge Alluvial Groundwater Source, NSW Border Rivers Downstream Keetah Bridge Alluvial Groundwater Source and Ottleys Creek Alluvial Groundwater Source.

4Please note the minimum annual charge applies in relation to the WAMC charges.

5The Annual scheme management charge is levied on all billable licences.


Nil price for Aboriginal Cultural Licences

Despite anything on this webpage, the maximum price for Monopoly Services under the WAMC and WaterNSW Rural Valley Bulk Water Determination in respect of an Aboriginal Cultural Licence is zero. An Aboriginal Cultural Licence means any of the following categories of access licence referred to in schedule 3 of the Water Management Regulation:

(a) regulated river (high security) Aboriginal cultural licence;
(b) unregulated river Aboriginal cultural licence; and
(c) aquifer Aboriginal cultural licence.


WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the IPART Act and the WAMC determination.
The reasons are:

  1. Section 11 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (IPART Act) gives the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) a standing reference to conduct investigations and make reports to the Minister administering the IPART Act on the determination of the pricing for a government monopoly service supplied by a government agency specified in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  2. WAMC is listed in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  3. The WAMC charges recover the costs of water management and planning activities and services which are declared as government monopoly services under clause 3 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (Water Services) Order 2004. These involve:

    (1) the making available of water;
    (2) the making available of the Corporation’s water supply facilities; or
    (3) the supplying of water, whether by means of the Corporation’s water supply facilities or otherwise, (together, the Monopoly Services).
  4. Under section 4(6) of the IPART Act, the Corporation is taken to be the supplier of the services for which fees and charges are payable under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act 2000 (Water Management Act).
  5. In practice, charges for such water resource management activities are made as charges under licences, permits, approvals or authorities granted by:
    (1) the Minister under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act (in areas of NSW in which proclamations under sections 55A and 88A of the Water Management Act are in force); and
    (2) the Corporation under the Water Act 1912 (Water Act) (in other areas of NSW).

In addition, WAMC charges recover the costs of the supply of services for which fees and charges are payable under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act. In practice, charges for such water resource management activities are made as charges under licences, permits, approvals or authorities granted by:

  1. the Minister under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act (in areas of NSW in which proclamations under sections 55A and 88A of the Water Management Act are in force); and
  2. the Corporation under the Water Act (in other areas of NSW).

The activity costs associated with the WAMC charges are described in the IPART Final Decision, IPART Draft Decision and accompanying reports.

They include:Surface water quantity monitoring, Surface water data management and reporting, Surface water quality monitoring, Surface water algal monitoring, Surface water ecological condition monitoring, Groundwater quantity monitoring, Groundwater quality monitoring, Groundwater data management and reporting, Water take data collection, Water take data management and reporting, Surface water modelling, Groundwater modelling, Water resource accounting, Systems operation and water availability management, Blue-green algae management, Environmental water management, Water plan performance assessment and evaluation, Water plan development, Floodplain management plan, Drainage management plan development, Regional planning and management strategies, Development of water planning and regulatory framework, Cross border and national commitments, Water management works, Regulation systems management, Consents management and licence conversion, Compliance management, Water consents overhead, Water consents transactions, Customer management, Business governance and support, Billing management.

These services are currently delivered by NSW DCCEEW, NRAR and WaterNSW on behalf of WAMC. For more information, please refer to the IPART website.

The maximum annual price that WAMC may charge for the Monopoly Services provided in respect of a water licence, which applies only for WAMC charges, is the sum of:
(a) the higher of:
(1) the minimum annual charge; and
(2) where the licence holder has a meter: the sum of the following (2-part tariff):
(A) an entitlement charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination; and
(B) the usage charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination;
(3) where the licence holder does not have a meter: the entitlement charge (1-part tariff) calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination; and
(4) where the Licence Holder does not have a Meter and does not have a mechanism for extracting water: the entitlement charge calculated in accordance with clause 3, as though the Licence Holder had a Meter; and
(b) for an MDBA customer, the applicable MDBA entitlement charge and MDBA usage charge for the relevant water source and relevant year; and
(c) for a BRC customer, the applicable BRC entitlement charge and BRC usage charge for the relevant water source and relevant year.

The fee for service charges (consent transaction charges, water take assessment charge, old meter service charge and the new metering charge (new meter service charge, scheme management charge, telemetry non/telemetry charge, and exit fee, and ancillary charges) are levied in addition to the fixed and variable charges (and the MAC) contained in this webpage are not used to calculate the MAC threshold.


Telemetry and non-telemetry service charge for 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025

Disclaimer: Due to the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) IPART determination delay, all WAMC fees will be pro-rated.

Annual telemetry/non-telemetry service charges stated below are for the pro-rated period of 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025, unless otherwise specified. WAMC pricing for the period of 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026 telemetry & LID download/validation charges are stated in the below section of this webpage.

The telemetry and non-telemetry service charge applies to both government-owned and privately-owned meters.

The estimated proportion of voluntary telemetry uptake submitted to IPART for FY25 is 0% - 25%, therefore the following charge applies.

PROPORTION OF VOLUNTARY TELEMETRY UPTAKE ANNUAL TELEMETRY SERVICE CHARGE PER METER ANNUAL NON-TELEMETRY SERVICE CHARGE PER METER
0% - 25% $263.86 $263.86

NSW Government telemetry rebate

*Please note this rebate will not be applied where a local intelligence device (LID) has not been installed or ordered by 30 June 2024.

The NSW Government will provide a rebate of $975.00 to all privately-owned meters when a working telemetry device is installed. This will offset the telemetry service charge until the rebate is exhausted.

This rebate will only apply where you have installed or ordered your local intelligence device (LID) prior to 01 July 2024. Your annual telemetry service charge listed above will be automatically credited on your WaterNSW bill each year until you reach the total rebate amount of $975.00 – just over four years. Please note this rebate will not be applied where a local intelligence device (LID) has not been installed or ordered by 30 June 2024.

  • The rebate is not available to water users with a government-owned meter.
  • For more information on metering and the telemetry rebate, visit Non-urban metering.

Metering service charges for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026

The metering service charge (MSC) is calculated and invoiced annually in arrears. You will receive a separate WaterNSW invoice for your metering charges as they are calculated based on your work approval while your entitlement/usage charge is based on your water access licence.

Call our Customer Service Centre on 1300 662 077, if you have a concern regarding the accuracy of the meter. If you elect to have your meter tested, a deposit of $2,061.18 is payable and payment is required prior to testing. If the meter is found to be inaccurate, your deposit will be refunded in full. However, if the meter is found to be within accuracy standards then the total meter accuracy testing charge will be invoiced.

Note, the meter laboratory verification charge at request of customer is $8,153.87 and $5,449.03 for meter in-situ validation charge – where a meter is relocated or disturbed. The meter reset fee after suspension of maintenance for a year or more is $302.10 plus cost of parts.

Annual government-owned meter service charge – non-urban metering reform

The below table represents the government-owned MSC once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform. The list of rollout dates is available here.

TYPE OF CHARGE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
Operating costs (non channel meter) $1,047.16
Operating costs (channel meter) $7,346.54
Capital costs $0.00
Exit fee $0.00
Non-telemetered privately-owned meters
WATER TAKE READING/ASSESSMENT CHARGECHARGE
Annual charge $243.90
Telemetered or agency read government-owned meters

The below table represents current government-owned MSC. Once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform, the annual government-owned MSC comes into effect based on the compliance date associated with the meter.

METER SIZE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
50-300 mm $605.77
350-700 mm $629.44
750-1000 mm $684.27
Non-telemetered government-owned meters with customer reading and reporting

The below table represents current government-owned MSC. Once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform, the annual government-owned MSC comes into effect based on the compliance date associated with the meter.

METER SIZE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
50-300 mm $475.22
350-700 mm $493.79
750-1000 mm $536.81

Notes for metering service charges

Metering charges are calculated annually in arrears.

The MSC will be triggered as follows:

  1. New Government Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a government-owned meter, the later of:
    1. the day the meter becomes compliant with the metering requirements; and
    2. if there is a date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter, that date.
  2. There will be a pro rata between the existing and new MSC as follows:
    1. for a government-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Government Meter charge Trigger Day, the charges set out in the current government-owned table will cease to apply and the charges in the annual meter service charges table and the telemetry and non-telemetry service charge table will instead apply; and
    2. for a privately-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day, unless the meter is not subject to the metering requirements, will be charged the telemetry and non-telemetry charges.
  3. If customers move from government-owned meter to privately-owned meter, the government meter charges and privately-owned meter charges will be pro rated as follows:
    1. different annual charges apply to government-owned meters and privately-owned meters. Where a licence holder switches from a government-owned meter to a privately-owned meter (or vice versa), the annual charges that will be applicable will be pro-rated based on the proportion of days in the financial year that the licence holder used a:
      1. government-owned meter as against the number of days in the financial year; and
      2. privately-owned meter as against the number of days in the financial year.
  4. The telemetry and non-telemetry charges apply based on overall voluntary telemetry uptake to both privately-owned meters and government-owned meters (the telemetry service charge will apply to government-owned meters, if all government-owned meters are telemetry). The telemetry/non-telemetry charges apply as follows:
    1. for a government-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Government Meter Charge Trigger Day, the:
      1. meter service charge in the government-owned table will cease to apply in respect of that government-owned meter; and
      2. charges in the annual government-owned table will instead apply in respect of that government-owned meter.
    2. for a privately-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day, unless the meter is not subject to the metering requirements, the:
      1. reading / assessment charge will cease to apply in respect of that privately-owned meter; and
      2. the annual telemetry and non-telemetry charges will instead apply in respect of that privately-owned meter.
  5. The trigger for these new charges are as follows:
    1. new Government Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a government-owned meter, the later of:
      1. the day the meter becomes compliant with the metering requirements; and
      2. if there is a date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter, that date.
    2. new Private Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a privately-owned meter, the date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter.

2025-26 Unregulated river management prices

WaterNSW Unregulated river management prices for Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) until 30 September 2025

Disclaimer: Due to the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) IPART determination delay, all WAMC fees will be pro-rated.

What does this mean for you as an unregulated water customer?

  • All WAMC charges stated below are for the pro-rated period of 01 July 2025 to 30 September 2025, unless otherwise specified. WAMC pricing for the period of 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026 are stated in the below section of this webpage

Entitlement charges are billed per share and usage charges are billed per megalitre extracted.

1-PART TARIFF 2-PART TARIFF
Valley/riverDetailsEntitlement charge (A)Entitlement charge (B)Usage (C)

Border

WAMC charges $5.45 $0.97 $4.49
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.40 $0.10 $0.29
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$5.85$1.07$4.78
 

Far West

WAMC charges $5.95 $3.43 $2.53
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $1.32 $0.92 $0.40
WAMC Border River Commission Charges3 $2.16 $1.50 $0.65
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$9.43$5.85$3.58
 

Gwydir

WAMC charges $5.45 $0.97 $4.49
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.40 $0.10 $0.29
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$5.85$1.07$4.78
 

Hunter & Patterson

WAMC charges $4.45 $1.58 $2.87
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$4.45$1.58$2.87
 

Lachlan

WAMC charges $6.93 $2.42 $4.51
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.31 $0.15 $0.16
Total charges collected by WaterNSW $7.24$2.57$4.67
 

Macquarie

WAMC charges $6.93 $2.42 $4.51
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.31 $0.15 $0.16
Total charges collected by WaterNSW $7.24$2.57$4.67
 

Murray

WAMC charges $8.56 $2.03 $6.54
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.54 $0.19 $0.35
Total charges collected by WaterNSW $9.10$2.22$6.89
 

Murrumbidgee

WAMC charges $11.53 $3.55 $7.98
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.33 $0.14 $0.19
Total charges collected by WaterNSW $11.86$3.69$8.17
 

Namoi

WAMC charges $5.45 $0.97 $4.49
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.40 $0.10 $0.29
Total charges collected by WaterNSW $5.85$1.07$4.78
 

North Coast

WAMC charges $12.37 $5.51 $6.86
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$12.37$5.51$6.86
 

Peel

WAMC charges $5.45 $0.97 $4.49
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.40 $0.10 $0.29
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$5.85$1.07$4.78
 

South Coast

WAMC charges $3.22 $1.84 $1.37
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$3.22$1.84$1.37
Charges where a floodplain harvesting regulation has been made in respect of the relevant water source1

If the floodplain harvesting regulation is operational as of 30 June 2025, the below charges will take effect and replace the above charges between 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.

Floodplain harvesting licences will be billed usage charges only, entitlement charges are not applicable. Floodplain harvesting licences will be billed the minimum annual charge if their annual usage charges (for WAMC usage charges only, excluding the MDBA/BRC usage charges) are less than the minimum annual charge. The MDBA/BRC usage charges apply irrespective of whether the minimum annual charges applies.

1-PART TARIFF 2-PART TARIFF
Valley/riverDetailsEntitlement charge (A)Entitlement charge (B)Usage (C)

Border

WAMC charges $4.24 $1.78 $2.46
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.31 $0.17 $0.14
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$4.55$1.95$2.60
 

Far West

WAMC charges $5.69 $3.51 $2.18
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $1.28 $0.94 $0.34
WAMC Border River Commission Charges3 $2.09 $1.53 $0.56
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$9.06$5.98$3.08
 

Gwydir

WAMC charges $4.24 $1.78 $2.46
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.31 $0.17 $0.14
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$4.55$1.95$2.60
 

Namoi

WAMC charges $4.24 $1.78 $2.46
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.31 $0.17 $0.14
Total charges collected by WaterNSW $4.55$1.95$2.60
 

Peel

WAMC charges $4.24 $1.78 $2.46
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.31 $0.17 $0.14
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$4.55$1.95$2.60

The estimated proportion of voluntary telemetry uptake submitted to IPART for FY25 is 0% - 25%, therefore the following charge applies.

ANNUAL SCHEME MANAGEMENT CHARGE5
Proportion of voluntary telemetry uptakeCharge
0% - 25% $85.35
MINIMUM ANNUAL CHARGE4
$277.89

Notes for unregulated river management prices
  • All prices are $ per megalitre of entitlements and megalitre of usage for the fixed and variable charges.
  • Charges collected on behalf of WAMC.
  • These prices are determined by IPART for WAMC costs.
  • WaterNSW licences in South Coast unregulated rivers attract an additional entitlement charge of $0.48 per ML.
  • Charges are billed quarterly in arrears, payment terms for all invoices are 30 days from the date of issue. For more information on our billing terms and conditions, or if you are having difficulties paying your water bill, please refer to  please refer to Accounts and billing.
  • WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (IPART Act) and the WAMC determination.
  • The maximum prices in the IPART Determinations do not include GST. For the avoidance of doubt, where GST is lawfully applied to the maximum prices set out in the IPART determinations, the resulting GST inclusive price is consistent with the determination and in this event, WaterNSW would levy additional price component for GST consistent with the determination during the financial year.

1IPART have set specific fixed and variable charges in relevant river valleys and groundwater sources that are triggered when the floodplain harvesting regulation is operational. In the event these charges are triggered, they will replace the existing fixed and variable (1-part and 2-part tariff) charges.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority Charges (MDBA) / Border River Commissions (BRC) WAMC pass-through charge is a recovery of NSW Government contribution to MDBA and BRC (fixed and variable) for WAMC. IPART sets the charges to recover the NSW Government’s contribution to funding the MDBA & BRC to undertake activities under the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement and the agreement with the Border Rivers Commission at the amount set by IPART. IPART sets these government charges every four years via a public consultation process. It updates these government charges annually during this period to reflect changes in the consumer price index and changes in demand for WaterNSW’s services. These charges will apply to all water users in NSW’s sections of the Murray-Darling Basin and Border Rivers systems.

These charges will apply to MDBA WAMC customers and BRC WAMC customers as follows:

2MDBA customer means a holder of a Water Licence that authorises the taking of water from:

  1. Unregulated Rivers in the – Border, Gwydir, Namoi, Peel, Lachlan, Macquarie, Far West, Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys

3BRC customer means a holder of a Water Licence that authorises the taking of water from:

  1. Unregulated Rivers in the – Far West valley

4Please note the minimum annual charge applies in relation to the WAMC charges.

5The Annual scheme management charge is levied on all billable licences including floodplain harvesting licences.


Nil price for Aboriginal Cultural Licences


Despite anything on this webpage, the maximum price for Monopoly Services under the WAMC and WaterNSW Rural Valley Bulk Water Determination in respect of an Aboriginal Cultural Licence is zero. An Aboriginal Cultural Licence means any of the following categories of access licence referred to in schedule 3 of the Water Management Regulation:


(a) regulated river (high security) Aboriginal cultural licence;
(b) unregulated river Aboriginal cultural licence; and
(c) aquifer Aboriginal cultural licence.


WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the IPART Act and the WAMC determination.
The reasons are:

  1. Section 11 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (IPART Act) gives the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) a standing reference to conduct investigations and make reports to the Minister administering the IPART Act on the determination of the pricing for a government monopoly service supplied by a government agency specified in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  2. WAMC is listed in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  3. The WAMC charges recover the costs of water management and planning activities and services which are declared as government monopoly services under clause 3 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (Water Services) Order 2004. These involve:

    (1) the making available of water;
    (2) the making available of the Corporation’s water supply facilities; or
    (3) the supplying of water, whether by means of the Corporation’s water supply facilities or otherwise, (together, the Monopoly Services).
  4. Under section 4(6) of the IPART Act, the Corporation is taken to be the supplier of the services for which fees and charges are payable under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act 2000 (Water Management Act).
  5. In practice, charges for such water resource management activities are made as charges under licences, permits, approvals or authorities granted by:
    (1) the Minister under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act (in areas of NSW in which proclamations under sections 55A and 88A of the Water Management Act are in force); and
    (2) the Corporation under the Water Act 1912 (Water Act) (in other areas of NSW).

In addition, WAMC charges recover the costs of the supply of services for which fees and charges are payable under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act. In practice, charges for such water resource management activities are made as charges under licences, permits, approvals or authorities granted by:

  1. the Minister under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act (in areas of NSW in which proclamations under sections 55A and 88A of the Water Management Act are in force); and
  2. the Corporation under the Water Act (in other areas of NSW).

The activity costs associated with the WAMC charges are described in the IPART Final Decision, IPART Draft Decision and accompanying reports.

They include: Surface water quantity monitoring, Surface water data management and reporting, Surface water quality monitoring, Surface water algal monitoring, Surface water ecological condition monitoring, Groundwater quantity monitoring, Groundwater quality monitoring, Groundwater data management and reporting, Water take data collection, Water take data management and reporting, Surface water modelling, Groundwater modelling, Water resource accounting, Systems operation and water availability management, Blue-green algae management, Environmental water management, Water plan performance assessment and evaluation, Water plan development, Floodplain management plan, Drainage management plan development, Regional planning and management strategies, Development of water planning and regulatory framework, Cross border and national commitments, Water management works, Regulation systems management, Consents management and licence conversion, Compliance management, Water consents overhead, Water consents transactions, Customer management, Business governance and support, Billing management.

These services are currently delivered by NSW DCCEEW, NRAR and WaterNSW on behalf of WAMC. For more information, please refer to the IPART website.

The maximum annual price that WAMC may charge for the Monopoly Services provided in respect of a water licence, which applies only for WAMC charges, is the sum of:

(a) the higher of:
(1) the minimum annual charge; and
(2) where the licence holder has a meter: the sum of the following (2-part tariff):
(A) an entitlement charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination; and
(B) the usage charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination;
(3) where the licence holder does not have a meter: the entitlement charge (1-part tariff) calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination; and
(4) where the Licence Holder does not have a Meter and does not have a mechanism for extracting water: the entitlement charge calculated in accordance with clause 3, as though the Licence Holder had a Meter; and
(b) for an MDBA customer, the applicable MDBA entitlement charge and MDBA usage charge for the relevant water source and relevant year; and
(c) for a BRC customer, the applicable BRC entitlement charge and BRC usage charge for the relevant water source and relevant year.

The fee for service charges (consent transaction charges, water take assessment charge, old meter service charge and the new metering charge (new meter service charge, scheme management charge, telemetry non/telemetry charge, and exit fee, and ancillary charges) are levied in addition to the fixed and variable charges (and the MAC) contained in this webpage are not used to calculate the MAC threshold.


Metering service charges for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026

The metering service charge (MSC) is calculated and invoiced annually in arrears. You will receive a separate WaterNSW invoice for your metering charges as they are calculated based on your work approval while your entitlement/usage charge is based on your water access licence.

Call our Customer Service Centre on 1300 662 077, if you have a concern regarding the accuracy of the meter. If you elect to have your meter tested, a deposit of $2,061.18 is payable and payment is required prior to testing. If the meter is found to be inaccurate, your deposit will be refunded in full. However, if the meter is found to be within accuracy standards then the total meter accuracy testing charge will be invoiced.

Note, the meter laboratory verification charge at request of customer is $8,153.87 and $5,449.03 for meter in-situ validation charge – where a meter is relocated or disturbed. The meter reset fee after suspension of maintenance for a year or more is $302.10 plus cost of parts.

Annual government-owned meter service charges – non-urban metering reform

The below table represents the government-owned MSC once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform. The list of rollout dates are available here.

TYPE OF CHARGE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
Operating costs (non channel meter) $1,047.16
Operating costs (channel meter) $7,346.54
Capital costs $0.00
Exit fee $0.00
Non-telemetered privately-owned meters
WATER TAKE READING/ASSESSMENT CHARGECHARGE
Annual charge $243.90
Telemetered government-owned meters

The below table represents current government-owned MSC. Once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform, the annual government-owned MSC comes into effect based on the compliance date associated with the meter.

METER SIZE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
50-300 mm $605.77
350-700 mm $629.44
750-1000 mm $684.27
Non-telemetered government-owned meters with customer reading and reporting

The below table represents current government-owned MSC. Once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform, the annual government-owned MSC comes into effect based on the compliance date associated with the meter.

METER SIZE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
50-300 mm $475.22
350-700 mm $493.79
750-1000 mm $536.81

Telemetry and non-telemetry service charge for 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025

Disclaimer: Due to the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) IPART determination delay, all WAMC fees will be pro-rated.

Annual telemetry/non-telemetry service charges stated below are for the pro-rated period of 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025, unless otherwise specified. WAMC pricing for the period of 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026 telemetry & LID download/validation charges are stated in the below section of this webpage.

The telemetry and non-telemetry service charge applies to both government-owned and privately-owned meters.

The estimated proportion of voluntary telemetry uptake submitted to IPART for FY25 is 0% - 25%, therefore the following charge applies.

PROPORTION OF VOLUNTARY TELEMETRY UPTAKE ANNUAL TELEMETRY SERVICE CHARGE PER METER ANNUAL NON-TELEMETRY SERVICE CHARGE PER METER
0% - 25% $263.86 $263.86

NSW Government telemetry rebate

*Please note this rebate will not be applied where a local intelligence device (LID) has not been installed or ordered by 30 June 2024.

The NSW Government will provide a rebate of $975.00 to all privately-owned meters when a working telemetry device is installed. This will offset the telemetry service charge until the rebate is exhausted.

This rebate will only apply where you have installed or ordered your local intelligence device (LID) prior to 01 July 2024. Your annual telemetry service charge listed above will be automatically credited on your WaterNSW bill each year until you reach the total rebate amount of $975.00 – just over four years. Please note this rebate will not be applied where a local intelligence device (LID) has not been installed or ordered by 30 June 2024.

  • The rebate is not available to water users with a government-owned meter.
  • For more information on metering and the telemetry rebate, visit Non-urban metering.
Notes for metering service charges

Metering charges are calculated annually in arrears.

The MSC will be triggered as follows:

  1. New Government Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a government-owned meter, the later of:
    1. the day the meter becomes compliant with the metering requirements; and
    2. if there is a date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter, that date.
  2. There will be a pro rata between the existing and new MSC as follow:
    1. for a government-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Government Meter charge Trigger Day, the charges set out in the current government-owned table will cease to apply and the charges in the annual meter service charges table and the telemetry and non-telemetry service charge table will instead apply; and
    2. for a privately-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day, unless the meter is not subject to the metering requirements, will be charged the telemetry and non-telemetry charges.
  3. If customers move from government-owned meter to privately-owned meter, the government meter charges and privately-owned meter charges will be pro rated as follows:
    1. different annual charges apply to government-owned meters and privately-owned meters. Where a licence holder switches from a government-owned meter to a privately-owned meter (or vice versa), the annual charges that will be applicable will be pro-rated based on the proportion of days in the financial year that the licence holder used a:
      1. government-owned meter as against the number of days in the financial year; and
      2. privately-owned meter as against the number of days in the financial year.
  4. The telemetry and non-telemetry charges apply based on overall voluntary telemetry uptake to both privately-owned meters and government-owned meters (the telemetry service charge will apply to government-owned meters, if all government-owned meter s are telemetry). The telemetry/non-telemetry charges apply as follows:
    1. for a government-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Government Meter Charge Trigger Day, the:
      1. meter service charge in the government-owned table will cease to apply in respect of that government-owned meter; and
      2. charges in the annual government-owned table will instead apply in respect of that government-owned meter.
    2. for a privately-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day, unless the meter is not subject to the metering requirements, the:
      1. reading / assessment charge will cease to apply in respect of that privately-owned meter; and
      2. the annual telemetry and non-telemetry charges will instead apply in respect of that privately-owned meter.
  5. The trigger for these new charges are as follows:
    1. new Government Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a government-owned meter, the later of:
      1. the day the meter becomes compliant with the metering requirements; and
      2. if there is a date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter, that date.
    2. new Private Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a privately-owned meter, the date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter.

2025-26 Application fees for water access licences, dealings and approvals

Application fees for water access licences, dealings and approvals
TYPE OF APPLICATIONFEE
New water access licences
Zero Share $834.57
Controlled allocation $811.95
Specific purpose – groundwater assessment required $3,812.67
Specific purpose – no groundwater assessment required $846.83
Water access licence dealings
Dealings - unregulated rivers and groundwater (All applications except those considered by the processing agency to be low risk or administrative) - Groundwater assessment required $5,788.00
Dealings - unregulated rivers and groundwater (All applications except those considered by the processing agency to be low risk or administrative) - Groundwater assessment not required $2,822.15
Dealings – unregulated and groundwater with low risk $1,278.83
Dealings – unregulated and groundwater admin $564.89
Dealings - regulated rivers $883.28
Water allocation assignments 
Regulated applications

$59.56

Unregulated and groundwater applications $58.16
Approvals
New or amended works and/ or use approvals (All unless specified below as low risk, basic landholder rights or administrative) - groundwater assessments required $8,206.82
New or amended works and/ or use approvals (All unless specified below as low risk, basic landholder rights or administrative) - groundwater assessments not required $5,240.96
New or amended works and/ or use approvals low risk - groundwater assessments required $5,805.56
New or amended works and/ or use approvals low risk - groundwater assessments not required $2,839.71
New basic landholder right bore - groundwater assessment required $1,208.38
New basic landholder right bore - groundwater assessment not required $1,040.66
Amended approval administrative - groundwater assessment required $3,590.81

Amended approval administrative - groundwater assessment not required

This applies to:

  • Construct a replacement bore consistent with water sharing plan rules (no hydro assessment)
  • Remove lands/works
  • Consolidate Approvals ONLY where there is no change to the existing works
  • Subdivide an Approval
  • Make a work/s inactive or withdraw inactive status*
$624.95
Extension of approval – lodged before expiry date $601.11
Extension of approval – lodged after expiry date $1,110.97

Notes for application fees
  • These fees are determined by IPART.
  • *This fee is currently waived due to recent amendments to the non-urban metering regulation.
  • WaterNSW collects the groundwater assessment fee on behalf of the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (NSW DCCEEW). NSW DCCEEW hydrogeologists are responsible for undertaking the groundwater assessment, when required.
  • WaterNSW charges fees to cover the assessment and processing costs of applications for access licences, water supply work approvals, water use approvals and access licence dealings lodged under the Water Management Act 2000 (Water Management Act).
  • These fees will increase annually, based on changes in the consumer price index. Fees are exempt from GST.
    A ‘new’ work approval means any work proposed which is not currently listed on a water approval or is replacing an existing work which is listed on a water approval.
  • Consent transactions in relation to Monopoly Services provided by WAMC.
  • Consent transactions in relation to drillers licences, floodwork approvals, and solicitor enquiries and special meter reads are not disclosed, as they have not been regulated by IPART and are deemed to be unregulated services.

Impact and rules-based assessments:

  • Applications generally require a detailed impact assessment. This includes case by case investigation to consider potential local impacts and determine whether those impacts require refusal or consent, or consent subject to conditions.
  • Depending on the type of transaction, impact assessment can include identifying and addressing impacts on adjoining pumps or bores, Aboriginal heritage sites, native vegetation, threatened species, wetlands, land degradation, salinity, soil compaction, geomorphic instability, hydrology, water logging, acidity, contamination and water quality, in addition to consideration and resolution of any lodged objections. In some cases where significant risks are identified, WaterNSW may require the applicant to commission third-party experts to determine the extent of those risks and how they might be mitigated.
  • Applications determined by IPART which are identified as ‘low risk’ are processed with a rules-based assessment which does not require the above detailed impact assessment.
  • Lower fees are charged for transactions which are identified as ‘low risk’.

WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the IPART Act and the WAMC determination. The reasons are:

  1. Section 11 of the IPART Act gives IPART a standing reference to conduct investigations and make reports to the Minister administering the IPART Act on the determination of the pricing for a government monopoly service supplied by a government agency specified in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  2. The Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (Corporation) is listed in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  3. The services which are declared as government monopoly services under clause 3 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (Water Services) Order 2004 are services supplied by the Corporation which involve:
    1. the making available of water;
    2. the making available of the Corporation’s water supply facilities; or
    3. the supplying of water, whether by means of the Corporation’s water supply facilities or otherwise, (together, the  Monopoly Services).
  4. Under section 4(6) of the IPART Act, the Corporation is taken to be the supplier of the services for which fees and  charges are payable under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act.
  5. In practice, charges for such water resource management activities are made as charges under licences, permits,  approvals or authorities granted by:
    1. the Minister under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act (in areas of NSW in which proclamations under  sections 55A and 88A of the Water Management Act are in force); and
    2. the Corporation under the Water Act (in other areas of NSW).
  6. Accordingly, in determining maximum prices for the Monopoly Services, IPART has determined maximum prices  payable for these services under various licences, permits, approvals or authorities granted under the Water Management Act and the Water Act.

View WaterNSW’s 1 October 2025 - 30 June 2026 water pricing below:

The rural bulk water prices are for the period of 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 and Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) for the period of 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026.

2025-26 Broken Hill Pipeline water services

Prices for WaterNSW’s Broken Hill Pipeline water services from 15 July 2025 to 30 June 2026
ACCESSUSAGE

Essential Energy

$60,649.76 - per day

$0.42 - per kL

Non-Essential Energy

$20.21 - per day

$0.42 - per kL

  • Pricing as determined by the IPART.
  • Charges are billed quarterly in arrears, payment terms for all invoices is 30 days from the date of issue. For more information on our billing terms and conditions, or if you are having difficulties paying your water bill, please refer to Accounts and billing.

2025-26 Greater Sydney charges

WaterNSW charges to large customers for 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026 (i.e. Sydney Water Corporation*)
CHARGING COMPONENT3UNITPRICE

Fixed availability charge1

$/Month

$16,739,176

Volumetric charge on a drought response day

$/ML

$123.20

Volumetric charge on a non-drought response day

$/ML

$100.88
WaterNSW charges to Councils for 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026
CUSTOMERTYPE CHARGING COMPONENTUNITPRICE

Goulburn Mulwaree Council

Service charge

Fixed availability charge

$/Month

$2,416.00
Bulk raw water ($/ml)

Volumetric charge
Drought Response Days

$/ML

$73.14

Bulk raw water ($/ml)

Volumetric charge
Non-Drought Response Days

$/ML

$67.12

Shoalhaven City Council

Service charge

Fixed availability charge

$/Month

$2,013.00
Bulk raw water ($/ml)

Volumetric charge
Drought Response Days

$/ML

$73.14

Bulk raw water ($/ml)

Volumetric charge
Non-Drought Response Days

$/ML

$67.12

Wingecarribee Shire Council

Service charge

Fixed availability charge

$/Month

$107,379.00
Bulk raw water ($/ml)

Volumetric charge
Drought Response Days

$/ML

$73.14

Bulk raw water ($/ml)

Volumetric charge
Non-Drought Response Days

$/ML

$67.12
WaterNSW charges for Greater Sydney for 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026
TYPE CHARGING COMPONENT NOMINAL DIAMETERUNITPRICE
Service charge

Fixed availability charge for connection of nominal diameter

20 mm

$/Annum

$129.61

25 mm

$/Annum

$202.52

30 mm

$/Annum

$291.62

32 mm

$/Annum

$331.80

40 mm

$/Annum

$518.44

50 mm

$/Annum

$810.06

80 mm

$/Annum

$2,073.76

100 mm

$/Annum

$3,240.25

150 mm

$/Annum

$7,290.56

200 mm

$/Annum

$12,961.00

>200 mm

$/Annum

(Meter size) 2 x
(20mm fixed availability charge) / 400

Bulk unfiltered water ($/kL)

Volumetric Charge

 

$/kL

$1.61 for drought response days

$1.48 for non-drought response days

Bulk raw water ($/kL)

Volumetric Charge

 

$/kL

$0.93 for drought response days

$0.85 for
non-drought response days


Notes for Greater Sydney charges
  • Pricing as determined by IPART.
  • IPART use the term ‘drought’ as a shorthand for when dam levels fall below 60%.
  • IPART use a ‘60/70 trigger’ for moving between non-drought and drought usage prices. That is, drought usage prices will apply 31 days after dam levels fall below 60% and would continue to apply until 31 days after dam levels are above 70%, at which the non-drought usage price would apply. Specific definitions and triggers are contained in Part 7 Clause 25 of the determination document. See definition of ‘trigger day’, ‘drought response day’, ‘non-drought response day’, ‘cease day’, ‘first drought level day’, ‘daily verified storage figure’ and ‘available storage’, ‘subsequent drought level day’.
  • Charges are billed quarterly in arrears, payment terms for all invoices is 30 days from the date of issue. For more information on our billing terms and conditions, or if you are having difficulties paying your water bill, please refer to Accounts and billing.
  • 1The fixed availability charge assumes one large customer in the Greater Sydney catchment area (i.e. Sydney Water Corporation). If the large customer base expands during the 2026-30 determination period, then the fixed availability charge will be levied on each large customer in proportion of their share of total water delivered to large customers in the Greater Sydney catchment area in accordance with Part 2 of the determination document. Large Customer is defined under Part 7 Clause 25 of the determination document.

    2The charges above exclude Shoalhaven transfer costs, which are recovered through an additional volumetric charge determined under Part 2 of the determination document. Shoalhaven transfer costs are determined by reference to the efficient benchmark cost of electricity as determined by IPART.

    The benchmark cost of electricity is set and incorporated into the price in accordance with Part 2, clause 8 of the determination and will be levied on each large customer in proportion of their share of total water delivered to large customers in the Greater Sydney catchment area.

QuarterOff-peak pricePeak price
1 October – 31 December $308.83 $492.38
1 January – 31 March $329.81 $714.32
1 April – 30 June $301.98 $902.10

2025-26 Fish River prices

WaterNSW Fish River prices for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026
ACCESSUSAGE EXCESS USAGE
Raw water ($/kl)
Energy Australia $0.62 $0.41 $1.03
Lithgow Council $0.62 $0.41 $1.03
Oberon Council $0.53 $0.32 $0.85
Individual Minor customers $0.62 $0.41 $1.03
Filtered water ($/kl)
Lithgow Council $1.08 $0.67 $1.75
Individual Minor customers $1.08 $0.67 $1.75

Notes for Fish River prices
  • Charges for Urban Water Supply Customers in the Fish River Water Supply Scheme are determined by IPART under the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (NSW) (IPART Act). This includes Lithgow and Oberon Councils, and WaterNSW. Charges for Raw Water / Rural Supply Customers are determined by IPART under the Water Charge (infrastructure) Rules 2010 (WCIR).
  • Fish River connection charge is $1,105.13 for low complexity connections where no tapping band or pressure reducing valve is required, $4,190.14 for medium complexity connections where a taping band is required, and $8,567.03 for high complexity connections where a pressure reducing valve is required. Fish River disconnection charge is $311.12.
  • Access is $ per kL per minimum annual quantity and usage is per kL of water used.
  • Fish River Minors charges are billed bi-annually in arrears and Fish River Majors charges are billed monthly in arrears. Payment terms for all invoices is 30 days from the date of issue. For more information on our billing terms and conditions, or if you are having difficulties paying your water bill, please refer to Accounts and billing.

Fish River Water Supply Scheme customers – minimum annual quantity (MAQ)

BULK RAW WATER BULK FILTERED WATER
Rural Water Supply Customers
Energy Australia (ML/year) 8,1840
Minor Customers (kL/year) 200200
Urban Water Supply Customers (ML/year)
Oberon Council 1,0640
Lithgow City Council 1001,678

Consistent with the water services order, these services include:

  1. the making available of water
  2. the making available of WaterNSW's water supply facilities
  3. the supplying of water, whether by means of WaterNSW's water supply facilities or otherwise.
  • The activity costs associated with the bulk water charges are described in the IPART Final Decision, IPART Draft Decision and accompanying reports. They include: Customer support, Customer Billing, Metering & Compliance, Water delivery and Other Operations, Corrective Maintenance, Routing Maintenance, Asset Management Planning, Insurance, Hydrometric monitoring, Flood Operations, Water Quality Monitoring, Dam Safety Compliance, Environmental Planning & Protection, Dam Safety Compliance Capital Projects pre-1997, Asset Management Planning, Routine Maintenance, Structural and Other Enhancement, Corporate Systems, Office Accommodation Capital Projects, Information Management Projects, Drought Projects, Water Delivery and Other Operations.

2025-26 Regulated river prices

WaterNSW Regulated river prices for rural bulk water from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 and for Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) from 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026

Disclaimer: Due to the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) IPART determination delay, all WAMC fees will be pro-rated.

What does this mean for you as a regulated water customer?

  • All WAMC* annual charges stated below are for the pro-rated period of 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026, unless otherwise specified. WAMC pricing for the period of 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025 are stated in the above section of this webpage.
  • All WaterNSW/Rural charges listed below are consistent across both 2025-2026 price sections on this webpage. This is because they fall under the Rural Bulk Water Determination and therefore apply from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, unless otherwise specified.

Entitlement charges are billed per share and usage charges are billed per megalitre extracted or water taken.

VALLEY/RIVERDETAILS HIGH SECURITY GENERAL SECURITYUSAGE

Border

WaterNSW charges $8.31 $3.04 $8.87
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $2.43 $2.43 $1.53
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.67 $0.67 $0.30
WAMC* Border Rivers Commission charges4 $0.61 $0.61 $0.27
Rural Border Rivers Commission charges4 $5.84 $2.13 $1.04
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$17.86$8.88$12.01
 

Gwydir

WaterNSW charges $21.96 $5.10 $21.70
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.65 $1.65 $1.21
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.88 $0.88 $0.48
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$24.49$7.63$23.39
 

Hunter and Paterson

WaterNSW charges $25.16 $19.55 $24.15
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $4.48 $4.48 $3.05
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$29.64$24.03$27.20
 

Lachlan and Belubula

WaterNSW charges $31.67 $4.68 $39.33
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.53 $1.53 $2.43
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.41 $0.41 $0.44
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$33.61$6.62$42.20
 
Macquarie WaterNSW charges $25.47 $4.97 $27.31
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.86 $1.86 $1.94
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.55 $0.55 $0.43
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$27.88$7.38$29.68
 

Murray and Lower Darling

WaterNSW charges $2.85 $1.25 $3.69
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.54 $1.54 $1.11
Rural Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges $10.37 $4.56 $2.22
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.77 $0.77 $0.33
Total charges collected by WaterNSW**$15.53$8.12$7.35
 

Murrumbidgee

(excluding Yanco and Colombo Creek users)
WaterNSW charges $5.26 $1.81 $6.27
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.32 $1.32 $0.98
Rural Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges $2.23 $0.77 $0.44
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.79 $0.79 $0.34
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$9.60$4.69$8.03
 

Murrumbidgee

(Yanco and Colombo Creek users only)
WaterNSW charges $5.26 $1.81 $6.27
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $1.32 $1.32 $0.98
Rural Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges $2.23 $0.77 $0.44
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.79 $0.79 $0.34
Yanco Creek and Tributaries Advisory Council (YACTAC) charges2 $0.92 $0.92 NA
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$10.52$5.61$8.03
 

Lowbidgee

~levied on supplementary licences
WaterNSW charges NA $2.17 NA
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW NA NA $0.98
Rural Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges NA NA NA
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 NA NA $0.34
Total charges collected by WaterNSWNA$2.17$1.32
 

Namoi

WaterNSW charges $36.51 $12.75 $38.98
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $2.47 $2.47 $1.50
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $1.00 $1.00 $0.46
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$39.98$16.22$40.94
 

North Coast

WaterNSW charges $15.30 $11.86 $22.64
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $6.35 $6.35 $8.08
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$21.65$18.21$30.72
 

Peel

WaterNSW charges $77.43 $7.34 $30.93
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $4.03 $4.03 $6.28
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 $0.31 $0.31 $0.31
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$81.77$11.68$37.52
 

South Coast

WaterNSW charges $40.04 $20.99 $22.43
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW $4.95 $4.95 $7.44
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$44.99$25.94$29.87

Floodplain harvesting licences will be billed usage charges only, entitlement charges are not applicable. Floodplain harvesting licences will be billed the minimum annual charge if their annual usage charges (for WAMC usage charges only, excluding the MDBA/BRC usage charges) are less than the minimum annual charge. The MDBA/BRC usage charges apply irrespective of whether the minimum annual charges applies.

IPART has set new floodplain harvesting charges. WAMC’s proposed new floodplain harvesting charge is intended to enable recovery of costs from issuing and managing floodplain harvesting licences. These costs, which relate to customer support and information technology platforms, are not covered by the existing water management activity codes. The new floodplain harvesting charge is in addition to water take charges that already apply to floodplain harvesting licences, including water management and any applicable Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) and Dumaresq–Barwon Border Rivers Commission (BRC) charges. The charge is $3.62 per ML of water take for licences with all complaint storages, and a floodplain harvesting water entitlement charge of $1.09 per ML for licences with non-complaint storages as shown below etc.

Floodplain harvesting licence charges - with ALL compliant storage/s

VALLEY/RIVERDETAILS HIGH SECURITY GENERAL SECURITYUSAGE

Border

WaterNSW charges NA NA NA
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW NA NA $1.53
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 NA NA $0.30
WAMC* Border Rivers Commission charges4 NANA $0.27
Rural Border Rivers Commission charges4 NA NANA
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional chargesNANA$3.62
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$0.00$0.00$5.72
 
Gwydir WaterNSW charges NA NA NA
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW NA NA $1.21
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 NANA $0.48
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional chargesNANA$3.62
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$0.00$0.00$5.31
 

Macquarie

WaterNSW charges NA NA NA
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW NA NA $1.94
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 NA NA $0.43
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional chargesNANA$3.62
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$0.00$0.00$5.99
 

Namoi

WaterNSW charges NA NA NA
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW NA NA $1.50
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 NA NA $0.46
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional chargesNANA$3.62
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$0.00$0.00$5.58

Floodplain harvesting licence charges - with ONE or MORE non-compliant storage/s

VALLEY/RIVERDETAILS HIGH SECURITY GENERAL SECURITYUSAGE

Border

WaterNSW charges NANA             NA
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW NA NA $1.53
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 NA NA $0.30
WAMC* Border Rivers Commission charges4 NA NA $0.27
Rural Border Rivers Commission charges4 NA NANA
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional charges$1.09$1.09NA
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$1.09$1.09$2.10
 

Gwydir

WaterNSW charges NA NA NA
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW NA NA $1.21
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 NA NA $0.48
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional charges$1.09$1.09NA
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$1.09$1.09$1.69
 

Macquarie

WaterNSW charges NA NA NA
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW NA NA $1.94
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 NA NA $0.43
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional charges$1.09$1.09NA
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$1.09$1.09$2.37
 

Namoi

WaterNSW charges NA NA NA
WAMC* charges collected by WaterNSW NA NA $1.50
WAMC* Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges3 NA NA $0.46
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional charges$1.09$1.09NA
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$1.09$1.09$1.96
SCHEME MANAGEMENT CHARGE6
$113.58
MINIMUM ANNUAL CHARGE5*
$295.66

Notes for regulated river charges
  • All prices are $ per megalitre of entitlements and megalitre of usage for the fixed and variable charges.
  • Charges are billed quarterly in arrears, payment terms for all invoices are 30 days from the date of issue. For more information on our billing terms and conditions, or if you are having difficulties paying your water bill, please refer to Accounts and billing.
  • WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (IPART Act) and the WAMC determination.
  • The maximum prices in the IPART Determinations do not include GST. For the avoidance of doubt, where GST is lawfully applied to the maximum prices set out in the IPART determinations, the resulting GST inclusive price is consistent with the determination and in this event, WaterNSW would levy additional price component for GST consistent with the determination during the financial year.
  • Supplementary licences (excluding Lowbidgee) will be billed usage charges only, entitlement charges are not applicable. supplementary licences will be billed the minimum annual charge if their annual usage charges (for WAMC usage charges only, excluding the MDBA/BRC usage charges) are less than the minimum annual charge. The MDBA/BRC usage charges apply irrespective of whether the minimum annual charges applies.
  • All WAMC 1 Oct 2025 to 30 June 2026 Annual Charges will be pro-rated in accordance with clause 31.6(2) of Part 8 of the 2025 WAMC Determination. These WAMC Annual Charges include:
  • - Minimum Annual Charge
    - WAMC Entitlement Charges
    - The Additional water entitlement charge for Regulated Rivers for a Floodplain Harvesting Access Licence Cusotmer who has one or more storages one or more of which are non-complaint storages
    - The Additional water entitlement charge for Unregulated Rivers for a Floodplain Harvesting Access Licence Cusotmer who has one or more storages one or more of which are non-complaint storages
    - Additional Entitlement Charge for WaterNSW in Unregulated South Coast
    - Additional Entitlement Charge for Hunter Water in Unregulated Hunter Valley 
    - Meter Service Charges
    - Water take reading/ Assessment charge
    - Scheme management charge
    - Government-Owned Meter service Charge
    - Telemetry service charge
    - LID download/validation charge
    - MDBA entitlement charges
    - BRC entitlement charge

    Clause 31.6(2) of Part 8 states that in respect of any period after the Commencement Date that is less than a full year, the annual charges in this determination will be pro-rated for that period, based on the proportion that the number of days in that period bears to the number of days in the year.

    Note: For example, if this WAMC determination commences on 1 October 2025 the annual charges in this determination will be pro-rated based on the number of days in the period from 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026 as a proportion of the total number of days in the financial year from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.

    The annual charges for the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025, will be determined under the 2021 WAMC Determination and pro-rated in accordance with that determination.

    (3) Different annual charges apply to Government-Owned Meters and Privately-Owned Meters. Where a person switches from a Government-Owned Meter to a Privately Owned Meter (or vice versa), the annual charges will be pro-rated based on the proportion of days in the year that the person had a:
    (a) Government-Owned Meter installed; and
    (b) Privately-Owned Meter installed.

2Yanco Colombo System Levy – an additional charge applies to Yanco Colombo System licences – charged in final quarter invoice based on per ML/unit share of entitlement.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority Charges (MDBA) / Border River Commissions (BRC) WAMC pass-through charge is a recovery of NSW Government contribution to MDBA and BRC (fixed and variable) for WAMC. IPART sets the charges to recover the NSW Government’s contribution to funding the MDBA & BRC to undertake activities under the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement and the agreement with the Border Rivers Commission at the amount set by IPART. IPART sets these government charges every four years via a public consultation process. It updates these government charges annually during this period to reflect changes in the consumer price index and changes in demand for WaterNSW’s services. These charges will apply to all water users in NSW’s sections of the Murray-Darling Basin and Border Rivers systems.

These charges will apply to MDBA WAMC customers and BRC WAMC customers as follows:

3MDBA customer means a holder of a Water Licence that authorises the taking of water from regulated Rivers in the – Border, Gwydir, Namoi, Peel, Lachlan, Macquarie, Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys.

4BRC customer means a holder of a Water Licence that authorises the taking of water from regulated Rivers in the – Border valley.

5Please note the minimum annual charge applies in relation to the WAMC charges. For avoidance of doubt, Rural Valley Bulk Water Charges (under Rural Valley Determination) are levied irrespective of whether the WAMC minimum annual charge applies under the WAMC Determination.

6The scheme management charge is levied on all billable licences including floodplain harvesting licences.

*Charges collected on behalf of WAMC. These prices are determined by IPART for WAMC costs.


Nil price for Aboriginal Cultural Licences

Despite the information on this webpage, the maximum price for Monopoly Services under the WAMC determination in regard to an Aboriginal Cultural Licence is zero.

Under the WaterNSW Rural Valley Bulk Water Determination an Aboriginal Cultural Licence  and an Aboriginal community development licences is zero.

An Aboriginal Cultural Licence means any of the following categories of access licence referred to in schedule 3 of the Water Management Regulation:
(a) regulated river (high security) Aboriginal cultural licence;
(b) unregulated river Aboriginal cultural licence; and
(c) aquifer Aboriginal cultural licence.

An Aboriginal Community Development Licence means any of the following categories of access licence referred to in schedule 3 of the Water Management Regulation:

(a) regulated river (high security) Aboriginal Community Development licence;
(b) regulated river (general security) Aboriginal Community Development licence; and
(c) unregulated river Aboriginal Community Development licence; and
(d) Aquifer Aboriginal Community Development licence;


WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the IPART Act and the WAMC determination.

The reasons are:

  1. Section 11 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (IPART Act) gives IPART a standing reference to conduct investigations and make reports to the Minister administering the IPART Act on the determination of the pricing for a government monopoly service supplied by a government agency specified in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  2. WAMC is listed in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  3. The WAMC charges recover the costs of water management and planning activities and services which are declared as government monopoly services under clause 3 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (Water Services) Order 2004. These involve:
    (1) the making available of water;
    (2) the making available of the Corporation’s water supply facilities; or
    (3) the supplying of water, whether by means of the Corporation’s water supply facilities or otherwise, (together, the Monopoly Services).
  4. Under section 4(6) of the IPART Act, the Corporation is taken to be the supplier of the services for which fees and charges are payable under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act 2000 (Water Management Act).
  5. In practice, charges for such water resource management activities are made as charges under licences, permits, approvals or authorities granted by:
    (1) the Minister under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act (in areas of NSW in which proclamations under sections 55A and 88A of the Water Management Act are in force); and
    (2) the Corporation under the Water Act 1912 (Water Act) (in other areas of NSW).

The activity costs associated with the WAMC charges are described in the IPART Final Decision, IPART Draft Decision and accompanying reports. They include:
Surface water quantity monitoring, Surface water data management and reporting, Surface water quality monitoring, Surface water algal monitoring, Surface water ecological condition monitoring, Groundwater quantity monitoring, Groundwater quality monitoring, Groundwater data management and reporting, Water take data collection, Water take data management and reporting, Surface water modelling, Groundwater modelling, Water resource accounting, Systems operation and water availability management, Blue-green algae management, Environmental water management, Water plan performance assessment and evaluation, Water plan development, Floodplain management plan, Drainage management plan development, Regional planning and management strategies, Development of water planning and regulatory framework, Cross border and national commitments, Water management works, Regulation systems management, Consents management and licence conversion, Compliance management, Water consents overhead, Water consents transactions, Customer management, Business governance and support, Billing management.
These services are currently delivered by NSW DCCEEW, NRAR and WaterNSW on behalf of WAMC. For more information, please refer to the IPART website.

The maximum annual price that WAMC may charge for the Monopoly Services provided in respect of a water licence, which applies only for WAMC charges, is the sum of:

(a) the higher of:
(1) the minimum annual charge; and
(2) the sum of the following:
(A) an entitlement charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination; and
(B) the usage charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination;
(b) for an MDBA customer, the applicable MDBA entitlement charge and MDBA usage charge for the relevant water source and relevant year; and
(c) for a BRC customer, the applicable BRC entitlement charge and BRC usage charge for the relevant water source and relevant year.

The maximum annual price that may be levied by WAMC for the Monopoly Services provided in respect of a Supplementary Water Access Licence or a Floodplain Harvesting Access Licence that authorises the taking of water from a regulated river is the sum of:

(a) the higher of:
(1) the minimum annual charge; and
(2) the usage charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination;
(b) for a Floodplain Harvesting Access Licence Customer who has one or more storages: 
(i) all of which are Compliant Storages, the additional water take charge set out in the pricing schedule (Floodplain Harvesting Licences) for the relevant river valley and the relevant year multiplied by the Licence Holder’s water take for that year; 
(ii) one or more of which are Non-compliant Storages, the additional entitlement charge set out in the pricing schedule (Floodplain Harvesting Licences) for the relevant river valley and the relevant year
(c) for an MDBA customer, the applicable MDBA usage charge for the relevant water source and relevant year; and
(d) for a BRC customer, the applicable BRC usage charge for the relevant water source and relevant year.

Note: for “Low Risk Water Users”, the licence holders entitlement holding Is used to calculate the usage charge. A ‘low risk water user’ is defined as a user of works exempted by any of the following provisions of the Water Management Regulation: (a) Schedule 7, Part 2 clauses 6, 7 or 8; or (b) Schedule 7, Part 3 clause 11, and in relation to which relevant and reliable metering information is not reasonably available to WAMC

The fee for service charges (consent transaction charges, water take assessment charge, meter service and other charges and the new metering charge (government-owned meter service charge, scheme management charge, telemetry non/telemetry/LID charge, and ancillary charges) are levied in addition to the fixed and variable charges (and the MAC) contained in this webpage are not used to calculate the MAC threshold.

The maximum annual price that may be levied by WAMC for the Monopoly Services provided in respect of a Major Utility (Barnard) Access Licence that authorises the taking of water from a Regulated River is:
(d) the minimum annual charge.


MDB Charges – Bulk Water Determination (referred in the above schedule as “WaterNSW Charges”)

The maximum prices set out in Parts 2-5 of the IPART determination are set under the IPART Act and cover bulk water services that WaterNSW supplies in regulated rivers to the following MDB valleys: (1) Border (2) Gwydir (3) Namoi (4) Peel (5) Lachlan (6) Macquarie (7) Murray (8) Murrumbidgee (9) Lowbidgee, (10) Fish River Scheme.

The reason why MDB bulk water services are determined under the IPART Act is because the ACCC has formed the view that Water NSW ceases to be a Part 6 operator under rule 23 of the Water Charge Rules 2010 (Cth) (WCR) after 30 June 2025, such that fees and charges for services provided by Water NSW may not be approved or determined in accordance with the WCR and must be set under NSW law. Section 11 of the IPART Act provides IPART with a standing reference to conduct investigations and make reports to the Minister on the determination of the pricing for a government monopoly service that is supplied by a government agency specified in Schedule 1 to the IPART Act. Note that WaterNSW is listed as a government agency in Schedule 1 to the IPART Act, but excluding the services provided by WaterNSW in respect of which fees or charges may be approved or determined in accordance with Parts 6 or 7 of the WCIR, or the applied provisions under Part 3B of the IPART Act.

Section 4(1) of the IPART Act provides that a government monopoly service is a service supplied by a government agency and declared to be a government monopoly service. Section 4(7) of the IPART Act provides that WaterNSW is taken to be the supplier of any government monopoly services for which fees and charges are payable under the Water NSW Act.

The water services order declares certain services provided by the ‘State Water Corporation’ to be government monopoly services, namely:

  • the making available of water;
  • the making available of the State Water Corporation’s water supply facilities; or

the supplying of water, whether by means of the State Water Corporation’s water supply facilities or otherwise, (together, Monopoly Services). References to the former State Water Corporation in the Water Services Order are to be read as references to WaterNSW, in accordance with clause 24 of Schedule 2 of the Water NSW Act.

Accordingly, under the IPART Act, IPART is to conduct an investigation and make a report to the Minister that determines maximum prices for Monopoly Services supplied by WaterNSW,

WaterNSW sets its charges to recover charges at the amount set by IPART. MDB charges are generally determined by IPART every 3-5 years under the IPART Act and IPART’s water pricing framework. WaterNSW updates these charges annually during this period to reflect changes in the consumer price index and other price changes specified in the IPART Determination (which may include real prices increases and changes in demand forecast)

The MDB current pricing arrangements have been determined by IPART under the 2025 Rural Valley IPART determination released in June 2025. These arrangements apply until 30 June 2026 at which point, they will be reviewed by IPART and expected to be replaced by a new IPART Determination. For further information on the 2025 Rural Valley Price Review, please visit IPART’s website.

Under the IPART 2025 Rural Valley determination, IPART has determined the regulated charges set out in Parts 2-5 of the IPART 2025 Rural Valley determination. The regulated charges set out in Parts 2-3 of the IPART determination apply to rural bulk water services that WaterNSW supplies to MDB Valleys including the Fish River Water Supply Scheme. The regulated charges set out in Part 4-5 of the IPART determination apply to metering services and miscellaneous rural bulk water services that WaterNSW supplies in the MDB Valleys.

These regulated charges are the maximum amounts that WaterNSW may charge.

The activity costs associated with the bulk water charges are described in the IPART Final Decision, IPART Draft Decision and accompanying reports. They include: Customer support, Customer Billing, Metering & Compliance, Water delivery and Other Operations, Corrective Maintenance, Routing Maintenance, Asset Management Planning, Insurance, Hydrometric monitoring, Flood Operations, Water Quality Monitoring, Dam Safety Compliance, Environmental Planning & Protection, Dam Safety Compliance Capital Projects pre-1997, Asset Management Planning, Routine Maintenance, Structural and Other Enhancement, Corporate Systems, Office Accommodation Capital Projects, Information Management Projects, Drought Projects, Water Delivery and Other Operations.

Coastal Valley Charges – Bulk Water Determination (referred in the above schedule as “WaterNSW Charges”)

The maximum prices set out in Parts 2-5 of the IPART determination are set under the IPART Act and cover bulk water services that WaterNSW supplies in regulated rivers in the following Coastal valleys: (1) North Coast (2) Hunter (3) South Coast.

The reason why Coastal valley water supply services are determined under the IPART Act is because section 11 of the IPART Act provides IPART with a standing reference to conduct investigations and make reports to the Minister on the determination of the pricing for a government monopoly service that is supplied by a government agency specified in Schedule 1 to the IPART Act. WAMC is a government agency specified in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.

WaterNSW is listed as a government agency in Schedule 1 to the IPART Act, but excluding the services provided by WaterNSW in respect of which fees or charges may be approved or determined in accordance with Parts 6 or 7 of the Water Charge Rules 2010 (Cth), or the applied provisions under Part 3B of the IPART Act.

Section 4(1) of the IPART Act provides that a government monopoly service is a service supplied by a government agency and declared to be a government monopoly service. Section 4(7) of the IPART Act provides that WaterNSW is taken to be the supplier of any government monopoly services for which fees and charges are payable under the Water NSW Act.

The water services order declares certain services provided by the ‘State Water Corporation’ to be government monopoly services, namely:

  1. the making available of water;
  2. the making available of the State Water Corporation’s water supply facilities; or
  3. the supplying of water, whether by means of the State Water Corporation’s water supply facilities or otherwise, (together, Monopoly Services). References to the former State Water Corporation in the Water Services Order are to be read as references to WaterNSW, in accordance with clause 24 of Schedule 2 of the Water NSW Act.

Accordingly, under the IPART Act, IPART is to conduct an investigation and make a report to the Minister that determines maximum prices for Monopoly Services supplied by WaterNSW for which fees and charges may not be determined under the WCIR (IPART Act Services).

WaterNSW sets its charges to recover charges at the amount set by IPART. Coastal Valley charges are generally determined by IPART every 3-5 years under the IPART Act and IPART’s water pricing framework. WaterNSW updates these charges annually during this period to reflect changes in the consumer price index and other price changes specified in the IPART Determination (which may include real prices increases and changes in demand forecast)

The current pricing arrangements have been determined by IPART under the 2025 Rural Valley IPART determination released in June 2025. These arrangements apply until 30 June 2026 at which point, they will be reviewed by IPART and expected to be replaced by a new IPART Determination. For further information on the 2025 Rural Valley Price Review, please visit IPART’s website.

Under the IPART 2025 Rural Valley determination, IPART has determined the regulated charges set out in Parts 2-5 of the IPART 2025 Rural Valley determination. These regulated charges are the maximum amounts that WaterNSW may charge.

The activity costs associated with the bulk water charges are described in the IPART Final Decision, IPART Draft Decision and accompanying reports. They include: Customer support, Customer Billing, Metering & Compliance, Water delivery and Other Operations, Corrective Maintenance, Routing Maintenance, Asset Management Planning, Insurance, Hydrometric monitoring, Flood Operations, Water Quality Monitoring, Dam Safety Compliance, Environmental Planning & Protection, Dam Safety Compliance Capital Projects pre-1997, Asset Management Planning, Routine Maintenance, Structural and Other Enhancement, Corporate Systems, Office Accommodation Capital Projects, Information Management Projects, Drought Projects, Water Delivery and Other Operations.

The regulated charges set out in Parts 2-3 of the IPART determination apply to rural bulk water services that WaterNSW supplies in the Coastal Valleys. The regulated charges set out in Part 4-5 of the IPART determination apply to metering services and miscellaneous rural bulk water services that WaterNSW supplies in the Coastal Valleys.


Yanco Creek Levy

This levy is passed on directly to customers in the Yanco Creek system. The Yanco Creek levy was approved by IPART as a pass-through levy to recover the cost associated with the Yanco Creek and Tributaries Advisory Council.

The Yanco Creek Natural Resources Management Levy was initially approved by IPART in its 2006 review of bulk water charges and has been included in each subsequent pricing reviews—by IPART in 2010, the ACCC in 2014, and again by IPART in 2017, 2021, and now as part of the 2025 IPART price review.

WaterNSW understands that the levy is intended to fund the rehabilitation plan of the Yanco Columbo system to improve flows and provide significant water efficiencies for the system and the Murrumbidgee valley.


Metering service charges for 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026

The metering service charge (MSC) is calculated and invoiced annually in arrears. You will receive a separate WaterNSW invoice for your metering charges as they are calculated based on your work approval while your entitlement/usage charge is based on your water access licence.

Call our Customer Service Centre on 1300 662 077, if you have a concern regarding the accuracy of the meter. If you elect to have your meter tested, a deposit of $2,110.65 is payable and payment is required prior to testing. If the meter is found to be inaccurate, your deposit will be refunded in full. However, if the meter is found to be within accuracy standards then the total meter accuracy testing charge will be invoiced.

Note, the meter laboratory verification charge at request of customer is $8,349.56 and $5,579.81 for meter in-situ validation charge – where a meter is relocated or disturbed. The meter reset fee after suspension of maintenance for a year or more is $309.35 plus cost of parts.

Non-compliant government-owned meter service charges

The below table represents non-complaint government-owned MSC. Once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the reform, the annual government-owned MSC comes into effect based of the compliance date associated with the meter.

Please note: A non-compliant government-owned meter charges remain under the Rural Bulk Water Determination prices - 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026

METER SIZE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
50mm $574.00
80mm $576.68
100mm $576.67
150mm $583.44
200mm $586.79
250mm $589.90
300mm $597.91
350mm $633.93
400mm $655.38
450mm $659.51
500mm $677.08
600mm $699.59
700mm $726.33
750mm $763.79
800mm $789.10
900mm $797.12
1000mm $811.93
Channel $7,522.87

Once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the reform, the annual government-owned meter service charge comes into effect based on the compliance date associated with the meter. Charges will be pro-rated, where applicable, under the Rural Determination prices from 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025, and will then transition to the WAMC Determination from 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026.

WAMC* annual government-owned meter service charge – non-urban metering reform

The below table represents the government-owned MSC once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform. The list of rollout dates are available here.

CHARGE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
Operating costs (non channel meter) $1,015.56
Operating costs (channel meter) $7,522.86

Telemetry and LID download/validation charge for 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026

Disclaimer: Annual telemetry service and LID download/validation charges stated below are for the pro-rated period of 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026, unless otherwise specified. WAMC pricing for the period of 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025 telemetry & non-telemetry charges are stated in the above section of this webpage.

The telemetry and non-telemetry service charge applies to both government-owned and privately-owned meters.

ANNUAL TELEMETRY SERVICE CHARGE PER METER
$255.22

The LID download/validation charge is a replacement of the non-telemetry charge that previously applied for those customers with complaint works but their metering equipment does not need telemetry. This charge would apply to all users with mandatory telemetry reporting requirements which are unable to transmit data due to telemetry blackspots or equipment issues. The charge is intended to cover costs for site visits to manually download usage data or validate meter information.

LID DOWNLOAD/VALIDATION CHARGE PER METER
$617.40

NSW Government telemetry rebate

*Please note this rebate will not be applied where a local intelligence device (LID) has not been installed or ordered by 30 June 2024.

The NSW Government will provide a rebate of $975.00 to all privately-owned meters when a working telemetry device is installed. This will offset the telemetry service charge until the rebate is exhausted.

This rebate will only apply where you have installed or ordered your local intelligence device (LID) prior to 01 July 2024. Your annual telemetry service charge listed above will be automatically credited on your WaterNSW bill each year until you reach the total rebate amount of $975.00 – just over four years. Please note this rebate will not be applied where a local intelligence device (LID) has not been installed or ordered by 30 June 2024.

  • The rebate is not available to water users with a government-owned meter.
  • For more information on metering and the telemetry rebate, visit Non-urban metering.
Notes for metering service charges

Metering charges are calculated annually in arrears.

The MSC will be triggered as follows:

  1. New Government Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a government-owned meter, the later of:
    1. the day the meter becomes compliant with the metering requirements; and
    2. if there is a date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter, that date.
  2. There will be a pro rata between the existing and new MSC as follows:
    1. for a government-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Government Meter charge Trigger Day, the charges set out in the current government-owned table will cease to apply and the charges in the annual meter service charges table and the telemetry and non-telemetry service charge table will instead apply; and
    2. for a privately-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day, unless the meter is not subject to the metering requirements, will be charged the telemetry and non-telemetry charges.
  3. If customers move from government-owned meter to privately-owned meter, the government meter charges and privately-owned meter charges will be pro rated as follows:
    1. different annual charges apply to government-owned meters and privately-owned meters. Where a licence holder switches from a government-owned meter to a privately-owned meter (or vice versa), the annual charges that will be applicable will be pro-rated based on the proportion of days in the financial year that the licence holder used a:
      1. government-owned meter as against the number of days in the financial year; and
      2. privately-owned meter as against the number of days in the financial year.
  4. The telemetry and non-telemetry charges apply as follows:
    1. for a government-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Government Meter Charge Trigger Day, the:
      1. meter service charge in the government-owned table will cease to apply in respect of that government-owned meter; and
      2. charges in the annual government-owned table will instead apply in respect of that government-owned meter.
    2. for a privately-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day, unless the meter is not subject to the metering requirements, the:
      1. reading / assessment charge will cease to apply in respect of that privately-owned meter; and
      2. the annual telemetry and non-telemetry charges will instead apply in respect of that privately-owned meter.
  5. The trigger for these new charges are as follows:
    1. new Government Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a government-owned meter, the later of:
      1. the day the meter becomes compliant with the metering requirements; and
      2. if there is a date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter, that date.
    2. new Private Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a privately-owned meter, the date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter.
Irrigation corporation district rebates
IRRIGATION CORPORATION TOTAL ANNUAL REBATE
Coleambally Irrigation $290,875
Eagle Creek Scheme $7,351
Jemalong Irrigation $59,371
Moira Irrigation Scheme $20,536
Murray Irrigation $778,175
Murrumbidgee Irrigation $678,714
West Corurgan $38,914
Western Murray $19,659
  • The rebates are paid annually to irrigation corporation districts (ICDs) in the form of rebates as set by IPART, with the value of the rebates collected from other users in accordance with the IPART determination.

2025-26 Groundwater management prices

WaterNSW Groundwater management prices for Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) for 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026

Disclaimer: Due to the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) IPART determination delay, all WAMC fees will be pro-rated.

What does this mean for you as a groundwater customer?

  • All WAMC annual charges stated below are for the pro-rated period of 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026, unless otherwise specified. WAMC pricing for the period of 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025 are stated in the above section of this webpage.

Entitlement charges are billed per share and usage charges are billed per megalitre extracted.

Without meter - 1-PART TARIFF With meter - 2-PART TARIFF
Valley/riverDetailsEntitlement charge (A)Entitlement charge (B)Usage (C)

Inland

WAMC charges $7.66$4.79 $2.87
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2$0.40$0.28 $0.12
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$8.06$5.07$2.99
 

Murrumbidgee

WAMC charges $6.61$4.13 $2.48
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.40 $0.28 $0.12
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$7.01$4.41$2.60
 

Coastal

WAMC charges $7.23$2.49 $4.74
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$7.23$2.49$4.74
Inland/Border Rivers1

The below charges are relevant for the four water sources listed within Inland/Border Rivers.

Without meter - 1-PART TARIFF With meter - 2-PART TARIFF
Water sourceDetailsEntitlement charge (A)Entitlement charge (B)Usage (C)

Macintyre Alluvial Groundwater Source

NSW Border Rivers Upstream Keetah Bridge Alluvial Groundwater Source

NSW Border Rivers Downstream Keetah Bridge Alluvial Groundwater Source

Ottleys Creek Alluvial Groundwater Source

WAMC charges $7.66$4.79 $2.87
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.40 $0.28 $0.12
WAMC Border River Commission charges3$0.56$0.39 $0.17
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$8.62$5.46$3.16
SCHEME MANAGEMENT CHARGE5
$113.58
MINIMUM ANNUAL CHARGE4
$295.66

Notes for groundwater management prices
  • All prices are $ per megalitre of entitlements and megalitre of usage for the fixed and variable charges.
  • Charges collected on behalf of WAMC.
  • These prices are determined by IPART for WAMC costs.
  • Charges are billed annually in arrears, payment terms for all invoices are 30 days from the date of issue. For more information on our billing terms and conditions, or if you are having difficulties paying your water bill, please refer to  please refer to Accounts and billing.
  • WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (IPART Act) and the WAMC determination.
  • The maximum prices in the IPART Determinations do not include GST. For the avoidance of doubt, where GST is lawfully applied to the maximum prices set out in the IPART determinations, the resulting GST inclusive price is consistent with the determination and in this event, WaterNSW would levy additional price component for GST consistent with the determination during the financial year.
  • All WAMC 1 Oct 2025 to 30 June 2026 Annual Charges will be pro-rated in accordance with clause 31.6(2) of Part 8 of the 2025 WAMC Determination. These WAMC Annual Charges include:
  • - Minimum Annual Charge
    - WAMC Entitlement Charges
    - The Additional water entitlement charge for Regulated Rivers for a Floodplain Harvesting Access Licence Cusotmer who has one or more storages one or more of which are non-complaint storages
    - The Additional water entitlement charge for Unregulated Rivers for a Floodplain Harvesting Access Licence Cusotmer who has one or more storages one or more of which are non-complaint storages
    - Additional Entitlement Charge for WaterNSW in Unregulated South Coast
    - Additional Entitlement Charge for Hunter Water in Unregulated Hunter Valley 
    - Meter Service Charges
    - Water take reading/ Assessment charge
    - Scheme management charge
    - Government-Owned Meter service Charge
    - Telemetry service charge
    - LID download/validation charge
    - MDBA entitlement charges
    - BRC entitlement charge

    Clause 31.6(2) of Part 8 states that in respect of any period after the Commencement Date that is less than a full year, the annual charges in this determination will be pro-rated for that period, based on the proportion that the number of days in that period bears to the number of days in the year.

    Note: For example, if this WAMC determination commences on 1 October 2025 the annual charges in this determination will be pro-rated based on the number of days in the period from 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026 as a proportion of the total number of days in the financial year from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.

    The annual charges for the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025, will be determined under the 2021 WAMC Determination and pro-rated in accordance with that determination.

    (3) Different annual charges apply to Government-Owned Meters and Privately-Owned Meters. Where a person switches from a Government-Owned Meter to a Privately Owned Meter (or vice versa), the annual charges will be pro-rated based on the proportion of days in the year that the person had a:
    (a) Government-Owned Meter installed; and
    (b) Privately-Owned Meter installed.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority Charges (MDBA) / Border River Commissions (BRC) WAMC pass-through charge is a recovery of NSW Government contribution to MDBA and BRC (fixed and variable) for WAMC. IPART sets the charges to recover the NSW Government’s contribution to funding the MDBA & BRC to undertake activities under the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement and the agreement with the Border Rivers Commission at the amount set by IPART. IPART sets these government charges every four years via a public consultation process. It updates these government charges annually during this period to reflect changes in the consumer price index and changes in demand for WaterNSW’s services. These charges will apply to all water users in NSW’s sections of the Murray-Darling Basin and Border Rivers systems.

These charges will apply to MDBA WAMC customers and BRC WAMC customers as follows:

2MDBA customer means a holder of a Water Licence that authorises the taking of water from:

  1. Groundwater from the – Inland and Murrumbidgee valleys.

3BRC customer means a holder of a Water Licence that authorises the taking of water from:

  1. Groundwater from the – Macintyre Alluvial Groundwater Source, NSW Border Rivers Upstream Keetah Bridge Alluvial Groundwater Source, NSW Border Rivers Downstream Keetah Bridge Alluvial Groundwater Source and Ottleys Creek Alluvial Groundwater Source.

4Please note the minimum annual charge applies in relation to the WAMC charges.

5The scheme management charge is levied on all billable licences.


Nil price for Aboriginal Cultural Licences

Despite anything on this webpage, the maximum price for Monopoly Services under the WAMC and WaterNSW Rural Valley Bulk Water Determination in respect of an Aboriginal Cultural Licence is zero. An Aboriginal Cultural Licence means any of the following categories of access licence referred to in schedule 3 of the Water Management Regulation:

(a) regulated river (high security) Aboriginal cultural licence;
(b) unregulated river Aboriginal cultural licence; and
(c) aquifer Aboriginal cultural licence.

(d) regulated river (high security) Aboriginal community development licence;

(e) regulated river (general security) Aboriginal community development licence;

(f) unregulated river Aboriginal community development licence; and

(g) aquifer Aboriginal community development licence.


WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the IPART Act and the WAMC determination.
The reasons are:

  1. Section 11 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (IPART Act) gives the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) a standing reference to conduct investigations and make reports to the Minister administering the IPART Act on the determination of the pricing for a government monopoly service supplied by a government agency specified in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  2. WAMC is listed in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  3. The WAMC charges recover the costs of water management and planning activities and services which are declared as government monopoly services under clause 3 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (Water Services) Order 2004. These involve:

    (1) the making available of water;
    (2) the making available of the Corporation’s water supply facilities; or
    (3) the supplying of water, whether by means of the Corporation’s water supply facilities or otherwise, (together, the Monopoly Services).
  4. Under section 4(6) of the IPART Act, the Corporation is taken to be the supplier of the services for which fees and charges are payable under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act 2000 (Water Management Act).
  5. In practice, charges for such water resource management activities are made as charges under licences, permits, approvals or authorities granted by:
    (1) the Minister under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act (in areas of NSW in which proclamations under sections 55A and 88A of the Water Management Act are in force); and
    (2) the Corporation under the Water Act 1912 (Water Act) (in other areas of NSW).

In addition, WAMC charges recover the costs of the supply of services for which fees and charges are payable under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act. In practice, charges for such water resource management activities are made as charges under licences, permits, approvals or authorities granted by:

  1. the Minister under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act (in areas of NSW in which proclamations under sections 55A and 88A of the Water Management Act are in force); and
  2. the Corporation under the Water Act (in other areas of NSW).

The activity costs associated with the WAMC charges are described in the IPART Final Decision, IPART Draft Decision and accompanying reports.

They include:Surface water quantity monitoring, Surface water data management and reporting, Surface water quality monitoring, Surface water algal monitoring, Surface water ecological condition monitoring, Groundwater quantity monitoring, Groundwater quality monitoring, Groundwater data management and reporting, Water take data collection, Water take data management and reporting, Surface water modelling, Groundwater modelling, Water resource accounting, Systems operation and water availability management, Blue-green algae management, Environmental water management, Water plan performance assessment and evaluation, Water plan development, Floodplain management plan, Drainage management plan development, Regional planning and management strategies, Development of water planning and regulatory framework, Cross border and national commitments, Water management works, Regulation systems management, Consents management and licence conversion, Compliance management, Water consents overhead, Water consents transactions, Customer management, Business governance and support, Billing management.

These services are currently delivered by NSW DCCEEW, NRAR and WaterNSW on behalf of WAMC. For more information, please refer to the IPART website.

The maximum annual price that WAMC may charge for the Monopoly Services provided in respect of a water licence, which applies only for WAMC charges, is the sum of:
(a) the higher of:
(1) the minimum annual charge; and
(2) where the licence holder has a meter: the sum of the following (2-part tariff):
(A) an entitlement charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination; and
(B) the usage charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination;
(3) where the licence holder does not have a meter: the entitlement charge (1-part tariff) calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination; and
(4) where the Licence Holder does not have a Meter and does not have a mechanism for extracting water: the entitlement charge calculated in accordance with clause 18, as though the Licence Holder had a Meter; and
(b) for an MDBA customer, the applicable MDBA entitlement charge and MDBA usage charge for the relevant water source and relevant year; and
(c) for a BRC customer, the applicable BRC entitlement charge and BRC usage charge for the relevant water source and relevant year.

Note: for “Low Risk Water Users”, the licence holders entitlement holding Is used to calculate the usage charge. A ‘low risk water user’ is defined as a user of works exempted by any of the following provisions of the Water Management Regulation: (a) Schedule 7, Part 2 clauses 6, 7 or 8; or (b) Schedule 7, Part 3 clause 11, and in relation to which relevant and reliable metering information is not reasonably available to WAMC

The fee for service charges (consent transaction charges, water take assessment charge, meter service and other charges and the new metering charge (government-owned meter service charge, scheme management charge, telemetry/non-telemetry/LID charge and ancillary charges) are levied in addition to the fixed and variable charges (and the MAC) contained in this webpage are not used to calculate the MAC threshold.


Metering service charges for 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026

The metering service charge (MSC) is calculated and invoiced annually in arrears. You will receive a separate WaterNSW invoice for your metering charges as they are calculated based on your work approval while your entitlement/usage charge is based on your water access licence.

Call our Customer Service Centre on 1300 662 077, if you have a concern regarding the accuracy of the meter. If you elect to have your meter tested, a deposit of $2,110.65 is payable and payment is required prior to testing. If the meter is found to be inaccurate, your deposit will be refunded in full. However, if the meter is found to be within accuracy standards then the total meter accuracy testing charge will be invoiced.

Note, the meter laboratory verification charge at request of customer is $8,349.56 and $5,579.81 for meter in-situ validation charge – where a meter is relocated or disturbed. The meter reset fee after suspension of maintenance for a year or more is $309.35 plus cost of parts.

Annual government-owned meter service charge – non-urban metering reform

The below table represents the government-owned MSC once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform. The list of rollout dates is available here.

TYPE OF CHARGE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
Operating costs (non channel meter) $1,015.56
Operating costs (channel meter) $7,522.86
Non-telemetered privately-owned meters
WATER TAKE READING/ASSESSMENT CHARGECHARGE
Annual charge $249.75

The Water Take Reading/Assessment Charge applies to Privately-Owned Meters (i.e. installed User Meter or Approved Meter Equivalent) for each User Meter or Approved Meter Equivalent. The Water Take Reading/Assessment Charge ceases to apply on the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day as defined in the WAMC Determination.

Telemetered or agency read government-owned meters

The below table represents current government-owned MSC. Once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform, the annual government-owned MSC comes into effect based on the compliance date associated with the meter.

METER SIZE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
50-300 mm $620.31
350-700 mm $644.55
750-1000 mm $700.69
Non-telemetered government-owned meters with customer reading and reporting

The below table represents current government-owned MSC. Once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform, the annual government-owned MSC comes into effect based on the compliance date associated with the meter.

METER SIZE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
50-300 mm $486.63
350-700 mm $505.64
750-1000 mm $549.69

Telemetry and LID download/validation charge for 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026

Disclaimer: Annual telemetry service and LID download/validation charges stated below are for the pro-rated period of 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026, unless otherwise specified. WAMC pricing for the period of 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025 telemetry & non-telemetry charges are stated in the above section of this webpage.

The telemetry and non-telemetry service charge applies to both government-owned and privately-owned meters.

ANNUAL TELEMETRY SERVICE CHARGE PER METER
$255.22

The LID download/validation charge is a replacement of the non-telemetry charge that previously applied for those customers with complaint works but their metering equipment does not need telemetry. This charge would apply to all users with mandatory telemetry reporting requirements which are unable to transmit data due to telemetry blackspots or equipment issues. The charge is intended to cover costs for site visits to manually download usage data or validate meter information.

LID DOWNLOAD/VALIDATION CHARGE PER METER
$617.40

NSW Government telemetry rebate

*Please note this rebate will not be applied where a local intelligence device (LID) has not been installed or ordered by 30 June 2024.

The NSW Government will provide a rebate of $975.00 to all privately-owned meters when a working telemetry device is installed. This will offset the telemetry service charge until the rebate is exhausted.

This rebate will only apply where you have installed or ordered your local intelligence device (LID) prior to 01 July 2024. Your annual telemetry service charge listed above will be automatically credited on your WaterNSW bill each year until you reach the total rebate amount of $975.00 – just over four years. Please note this rebate will not be applied where a local intelligence device (LID) has not been installed or ordered by 30 June 2024.

  • The rebate is not available to water users with a government-owned meter.
  • For more information on metering and the telemetry rebate, visit Non-urban metering.
Notes for metering service charges

Metering charges are calculated annually in arrears.

The MSC will be triggered as follows:

  1. New Government Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a government-owned meter, the later of:
    1. the day the meter becomes compliant with the metering requirements; and
    2. if there is a date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter, that date.
  2. There will be a pro rata between the existing and new MSC as follows:
    1. for a government-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Government Meter charge Trigger Day, the charges set out in the current government-owned table will cease to apply and the charges in the annual meter service charges table and the telemetry and non-telemetry service charge table will instead apply; and
    2. for a privately-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day, unless the meter is not subject to the metering requirements, will be charged the telemetry and non-telemetry charges.
  3. If customers move from government-owned meter to privately-owned meter, the government meter charges and privately-owned meter charges will be pro rated as follows:
    1. different annual charges apply to government-owned meters and privately-owned meters. Where a licence holder switches from a government-owned meter to a privately-owned meter (or vice versa), the annual charges that will be applicable will be pro-rated based on the proportion of days in the financial year that the licence holder used a:
      1. government-owned meter as against the number of days in the financial year; and
      2. privately-owned meter as against the number of days in the financial year.
  4. The telemetry and non-telemetry charges apply as follows:
    1. for a government-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Government Meter Charge Trigger Day, the:
      1. meter service charge in the government-owned table will cease to apply in respect of that government-owned meter; and
      2. charges in the annual government-owned table will instead apply in respect of that government-owned meter.
    2. for a privately-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day, unless the meter is not subject to the metering requirements, the:
      1. reading / assessment charge will cease to apply in respect of that privately-owned meter; and
      2. the annual telemetry and non-telemetry charges will instead apply in respect of that privately-owned meter.
  5. The trigger for these new charges are as follows:
    1. new Government Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a government-owned meter, the later of:
      1. the day the meter becomes compliant with the metering requirements; and
      2. if there is a date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter, that date.
    2. new Private Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a privately-owned meter, the date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter.

2025-26 Unregulated river management prices

WaterNSW Unregulated river management prices for Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) for 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026

Disclaimer: Due to the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) IPART determination delay, all WAMC fees will be pro-rated.

What does this mean for you as an unregulated water customer?

  • All WAMC annual charges stated below are for the pro-rated period of 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026, unless otherwise specified. WAMC pricing for the period of 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025 are stated in the above section of this webpage.

Entitlement charges are billed per share and usage charges are billed per megalitre extracted or water taken.

Without meter - 1-PART TARIFF With meter - 2-PART TARIFF
Valley/riverDetailsEntitlement charge (A)Entitlement charge (B)Usage (C)

Border

WAMC charges $4.67 $1.96 $2.71
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.35 $0.21 $0.14
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$5.02$2.17$2.85
 

Far West

WAMC charges $6.26 $3.86 $2.40
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $1.32 $1.06 $0.26
WAMC Border River Commission Charges3 $1.31 $1.05 $0.26
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$8.89$5.97$2.92
 

Gwydir

WAMC charges $4.67 $1.96 $2.71
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.35 $0.21 $0.14
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$5.02$2.17$2.85
 

Hunter & Patterson

WAMC charges $4.90 $1.74 $3.16
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$4.90$1.74$3.16
 

Lachlan

WAMC charges $7.62 $2.66 $4.96
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.44 $0.29 $0.15
Total charges collected by WaterNSW $8.06$2.95$5.11
 

Macquarie

WAMC charges $7.62 $2.66 $4.96
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.44 $0.29 $0.15
Total charges collected by WaterNSW $8.06$2.95$5.11
 

Murray

WAMC charges $9.43 $2.23 $7.20
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.51 $0.22 $0.29
Total charges collected by WaterNSW $9.94$2.45$7.49
 

Murrumbidgee

WAMC charges $12.69 $3.91 $8.78
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.39 $0.20 $0.19
Total charges collected by WaterNSW $13.08$4.11$8.97
 

Namoi

WAMC charges $4.67 $1.96 $2.71
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.35 $0.21 $0.14
Total charges collected by WaterNSW $5.02$2.17$2.85
 

North Coast

WAMC charges $13.61 $6.06 $7.55
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$13.61$6.06$7.55
 

Peel

WAMC charges $4.67 $1.96 $2.71
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 $0.35 $0.21 $0.14
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$5.02$2.17$2.85
 

South Coast

WAMC charges $3.54 $2.03 $1.51
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$3.54$2.03$1.51

Floodplain harvesting licences will be billed usage charges only, entitlement charges are not applicable. Floodplain harvesting licences will be billed the minimum annual charge if their annual usage charges (for WAMC usage charges only, excluding the MDBA/BRC usage charges) are less than the minimum annual charge. The MDBA/BRC usage charges apply irrespective of whether the minimum annual charges applies.

IPART has set new floodplain harvesting charges. WAMC’s proposed new floodplain harvesting charge is intended to enable recovery of costs from issuing and managing floodplain harvesting licences. These costs, which relate to customer support and information technology platforms, are not covered by the existing water management activity codes. The new floodplain harvesting charge is in addition to water take charges that already apply to floodplain harvesting licences, including water management and any applicable Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) and Dumaresq–Barwon Border Rivers Commission (BRC) charges. The charge is $3.62 per ML of water take for licences with all complaint storages, and a floodplain harvesting water entitlement charge of $1.09 per ML for licences with non-complaint storages as shown below etc.

Floodplain harvesting licence charges - with ALL compliant storage/s

Without meter - 1-PART TARIFF With meter - 2-PART TARIFF
Valley/riverDetailsEntitlement charge (A)Entitlement charge (B)Usage (C)

Far West

WAMC charges NA NA $2.40
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 NA NA $0.26
WAMC Border River Commission charges3 NA NA $0.26
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional charges NA NA $3.62
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$0.00$0.00$6.54
 

Gwydir

WAMC charges NA NA $2.71
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 NA NA $0.14
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional charges NA NA $3.62
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$0.00$0.00$6.47
 

Namoi

WAMC charges NA NA $2.71
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 NA NA $0.14
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional charges NA NA $3.62
Total charges collected by WaterNSW $0.00$0.00$6.47

Floodplain harvesting licence charges - with ONE or MORE non-compliant storage/s

Without meter - 1-PART TARIFF With meter - 2-PART TARIFF
Valley/riverDetailsEntitlement charge (A)Entitlement charge (B)Usage (C)

Far West

WAMC charges NA NA $2.40
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 NA NA $0.26
WAMC Border River Commission charges3 NA NA $0.26
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional charges $1.09 $1.09 NA
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$1.09$1.09$2.92
 

Gwydir

WAMC charges NA NA $2.71
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 NA NA $0.14
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional charges $1.09 $1.09 NA
Total charges collected by WaterNSW$1.09$1.09$2.85
 

Namoi

WAMC charges NA NA $2.71
WAMC Murray-Darling Basin Authority charges2 NA NA $0.14
WAMC* floodplain harvesting - additional charges $1.09 $1.09 NA
Total charges collected by WaterNSW $1.09$1.09$2.85
SCHEME MANAGEMENT CHARGE5
$113.58
MINIMUM ANNUAL CHARGE4
$295.66

Notes for unregulated river management prices
  • All prices are $ per megalitre of entitlements and megalitre of usage for the fixed and variable charges.
  • Charges collected on behalf of WAMC.
  • These prices are determined by IPART for WAMC costs.
  • WaterNSW licences in South Coast unregulated rivers attract an additional entitlement charge of $0.88 per ML.
  • Hunter Water licences in Hunter unregulated rivers attract an additional entitlement charge of $1.50 per ML.
  • Charges are billed annually in arrears, payment terms for all invoices are 30 days from the date of issue. For more information on our billing terms and conditions, or if you are having difficulties paying your water bill, please refer to  please refer to Accounts and billing.
  • WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (IPART Act) and the WAMC determination.
  • The maximum prices in the IPART Determinations do not include GST. For the avoidance of doubt, where GST is lawfully applied to the maximum prices set out in the IPART determinations, the resulting GST inclusive price is consistent with the determination and in this event, WaterNSW would levy additional price component for GST consistent with the determination during the financial year.
  • All WAMC 1 Oct 2025 to 30 June 2026 Annual Charges will be pro-rated in accordance with clause 31.6(2) of Part 8 of the 2025 WAMC Determination. These WAMC Annual Charges include:
  • - Minimum Annual Charge
    - WAMC Entitlement Charges
    - The Additional water entitlement charge for Regulated Rivers for a Floodplain Harvesting Access Licence Cusotmer who has one or more storages one or more of which are non-complaint storages
    - The Additional water entitlement charge for Unregulated Rivers for a Floodplain Harvesting Access Licence Cusotmer who has one or more storages one or more of which are non-complaint storages
    - Additional Entitlement Charge for WaterNSW in Unregulated South Coast
    - Additional Entitlement Charge for Hunter Water in Unregulated Hunter Valley 
    - Meter Service Charges
    - Water take reading/ Assessment charge
    - Scheme management charge
    - Government-Owned Meter service Charge
    - Telemetry service charge
    - LID download/validation charge
    - MDBA entitlement charges
    - BRC entitlement charge

    Clause 31.6(2) of Part 8 states that in respect of any period after the Commencement Date that is less than a full year, the annual charges in this determination will be pro-rated for that period, based on the proportion that the number of days in that period bears to the number of days in the year.

    Note: For example, if this WAMC determination commences on 1 October 2025 the annual charges in this determination will be pro-rated based on the number of days in the period from 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026 as a proportion of the total number of days in the financial year from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.

    The annual charges for the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025, will be determined under the 2021 WAMC Determination and pro-rated in accordance with that determination.

    (3) Different annual charges apply to Government-Owned Meters and Privately-Owned Meters. Where a person switches from a Government-Owned Meter to a Privately Owned Meter (or vice versa), the annual charges will be pro-rated based on the proportion of days in the year that the person had a:
    (a) Government-Owned Meter installed; and
    (b) Privately-Owned Meter installed.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority Charges (MDBA) / Border River Commissions (BRC) WAMC pass-through charge is a recovery of NSW Government contribution to MDBA and BRC (fixed and variable) for WAMC. IPART sets the charges to recover the NSW Government’s contribution to funding the MDBA & BRC to undertake activities under the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement and the agreement with the Border Rivers Commission at the amount set by IPART. IPART sets these government charges every four years via a public consultation process. It updates these government charges annually during this period to reflect changes in the consumer price index and changes in demand for WaterNSW’s services. These charges will apply to all water users in NSW’s sections of the Murray-Darling Basin and Border Rivers systems.

These charges will apply to MDBA WAMC customers and BRC WAMC customers as follows:

2MDBA customer means a holder of a Water Licence that authorises the taking of water from:

  1. Unregulated Rivers in the – Border, Gwydir, Namoi, Peel, Lachlan, Macquarie, Far West, Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys

3BRC customer means a holder of a Water Licence that authorises the taking of water from:

  1. Unregulated Rivers in the – Far West valley

4Please note the minimum annual charge applies in relation to the WAMC charges.

5The scheme management charge is levied on all billable licences including floodplain harvesting licences.


Nil price for Aboriginal Cultural Licences


Despite anything on this webpage, the maximum price for Monopoly Services under the WAMC and WaterNSW Rural Valley Bulk Water Determination in respect of an Aboriginal Cultural Licence is zero. An Aboriginal Cultural Licence means any of the following categories of access licence referred to in schedule 3 of the Water Management Regulation:


(a) regulated river (high security) Aboriginal cultural licence;
(b) unregulated river Aboriginal cultural licence; and
(c) aquifer Aboriginal cultural licence.
(d) regulated river (high security) Aboriginal community development licence;
(e) regulated river (general security) Aboriginal community development licence;

(f) unregulated river Aboriginal community development licence; and

(g) aquifer Aboriginal community development licence.


WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the IPART Act and the WAMC determination.
The reasons are:

  1. Section 11 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992 (IPART Act) gives the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) a standing reference to conduct investigations and make reports to the Minister administering the IPART Act on the determination of the pricing for a government monopoly service supplied by a government agency specified in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  2. WAMC is listed in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  3. The WAMC charges recover the costs of water management and planning activities and services which are declared as government monopoly services under clause 3 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (Water Services) Order 2004. These involve:

    (1) the making available of water;
    (2) the making available of the Corporation’s water supply facilities; or
    (3) the supplying of water, whether by means of the Corporation’s water supply facilities or otherwise, (together, the Monopoly Services).
  4. Under section 4(6) of the IPART Act, the Corporation is taken to be the supplier of the services for which fees and charges are payable under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act 2000 (Water Management Act).
  5. In practice, charges for such water resource management activities are made as charges under licences, permits, approvals or authorities granted by:
    (1) the Minister under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act (in areas of NSW in which proclamations under sections 55A and 88A of the Water Management Act are in force); and
    (2) the Corporation under the Water Act 1912 (Water Act) (in other areas of NSW).

In addition, WAMC charges recover the costs of the supply of services for which fees and charges are payable under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act. In practice, charges for such water resource management activities are made as charges under licences, permits, approvals or authorities granted by:

  1. the Minister under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act (in areas of NSW in which proclamations under sections 55A and 88A of the Water Management Act are in force); and
  2. the Corporation under the Water Act (in other areas of NSW).

The activity costs associated with the WAMC charges are described in the IPART Final Decision, IPART Draft Decision and accompanying reports.

They include: Surface water quantity monitoring, Surface water data management and reporting, Surface water quality monitoring, Surface water algal monitoring, Surface water ecological condition monitoring, Groundwater quantity monitoring, Groundwater quality monitoring, Groundwater data management and reporting, Water take data collection, Water take data management and reporting, Surface water modelling, Groundwater modelling, Water resource accounting, Systems operation and water availability management, Blue-green algae management, Environmental water management, Water plan performance assessment and evaluation, Water plan development, Floodplain management plan, Drainage management plan development, Regional planning and management strategies, Development of water planning and regulatory framework, Cross border and national commitments, Water management works, Regulation systems management, Consents management and licence conversion, Compliance management, Water consents overhead, Water consents transactions, Customer management, Business governance and support, Billing management.

These services are currently delivered by NSW DCCEEW, NRAR and WaterNSW on behalf of WAMC. For more information, please refer to the IPART website.

The maximum annual price that WAMC may charge for the Monopoly Services provided in respect of a water licence, which applies only for WAMC charges, is the sum of:

(a) the higher of:
(1) the minimum annual charge; and
(2)  where the licence holder has a meter: sum of the following (2-part tariff):
(A) an entitlement charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination; and
(B) the usage charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination;
(3) where the licence holder does not have a meter: the entitlement charge (1-part tariff) calculated in accordance with the WAMC determination; and
(4) where the Licence Holder does not have a Meter and does not have a mechanism for extracting water: the entitlement charge calculated in accordance with clause 3, as though the Licence Holder had a Meter; and
(b) for an MDBA customer, the applicable MDBA entitlement charge and MDBA usage charge for the relevant water source and relevant year; and
(c) for a BRC customer, the applicable BRC entitlement charge and BRC usage charge for the relevant water source and relevant year.

The maximum annual price that may be charged for the Monopoly Services provided in respect of a Supplementary Water Access Licence, supplementary Aboriginal environmental water access licence (Unregulated River), Unregulated River (Special Additional High Flow) Access Licence or a Floodplain Harvesting Access Licence that authorises the taking of water from an Unregulated River is the sum of:

(a) the higher of:
(i) the minimum annual charge; and
(ii) the water take charge calculated in accordance with the WAMC determiantion;
(b) for a Floodplain Harvesting Access Licence Customer who has one or more storages:
(i) all of which are Compliant Storages, the additional water take charge set out in the pricing schedule (Floodplain Harvesting Licences) for the relevant river valley and the relevant year multiplied by the Licence Holder’s water take for that year;
(ii) one or more of which are Non-compliant Storages, the additional entitlement charge set out in the pricing schedule (Floodplain Harvesting Licences) for the relevant river valley and the relevant year.
(c) for an MDBA Customer, the applicable MDBA water take charge for the relevant water source and relevant year; and
(d) for a BRC Customer, the applicable BRC water take charge for the relevant water source and relevant year.
(3) The maximum annual price that may be charged for the Monopoly Services provided in respect of an Unregulated River (Regulated Supply) Access Licence, Unregulated River (Regulated Supply – Local Water Utility) Access Licence or a Major Utility (Grahamstown) Access Licence that authorises the taking of water from an Unregulated River is the minimum annual charge for the relevant year

Note: for “Low Risk Water Users”, the licence holders entitlement holding Is used to calculate the usage charge. A ‘low risk water user’ is defined as a user of works exempted by any of the following provisions of the Water Management Regulation: (a) Schedule 7, Part 2 clauses 6, 7 or 8; or (b) Schedule 7, Part 3 clause 11, and in relation to which relevant and reliable metering information is not reasonably available to WAMC

The fee for service charges (consent transaction charges, water take assessment charge, meter service and other charges and the new metering charge (government-owned meter service charge, scheme management charge, telemetry non/telemetry charge/LID, and ancillary charges) are levied in addition to the fixed and variable charges (and the MAC) contained in this webpage are not used to calculate the MAC threshold.


Metering service charges for 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026

The metering service charge (MSC) is calculated and invoiced annually in arrears. You will receive a separate WaterNSW invoice for your metering charges as they are calculated based on your work approval while your entitlement/usage charge is based on your water access licence.

Call our Customer Service Centre on 1300 662 077, if you have a concern regarding the accuracy of the meter. If you elect to have your meter tested, a deposit of $2,110.65 is payable and payment is required prior to testing. If the meter is found to be inaccurate, your deposit will be refunded in full. However, if the meter is found to be within accuracy standards then the total meter accuracy testing charge will be invoiced.

Note, the meter laboratory verification charge at request of customer is $8,349.56 and $5,579.81 for meter in-situ validation charge – where a meter is relocated or disturbed. The meter reset fee after suspension of maintenance for a year or more is $309.35 plus cost of parts.

Annual government-owned meter service charges – non-urban metering reform

The below table represents the government-owned MSC once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform. The list of rollout dates are available here.

TYPE OF CHARGE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
Operating costs (non channel meter) $1,015.56
Operating costs (channel meter) $7,522.86
Non-telemetered privately-owned meters
WATER TAKE READING/ASSESSMENT CHARGECHARGE
Annual charge $249.75

The Water Take Reading/Assessment Charge applies to Privately-Owned Meters (i.e. installed User Meter or Approved Meter Equivalent) for each User Meter or Approved Meter Equivalent. The Water Take Reading/Assessment Charge ceases to apply on the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day as defined in the WAMC Determination.

Telemetered government-owned meters

The below table represents current government-owned MSC. Once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform, the annual government-owned MSC comes into effect based on the compliance date associated with the meter.

METER SIZE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
50-300 mm $620.31
350-700 mm $644.55
750-1000 mm $700.69
Non-telemetered government-owned meters with customer reading and reporting

The below table represents current government-owned MSC. Once a government-owned meter becomes compliant under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering reform, the annual government-owned MSC comes into effect based on the compliance date associated with the meter.

METER SIZE ANNUAL CHARGE PER METER
50-300 mm $486.63
350-700 mm $505.64
750-1000 mm $549.69

Telemetry and LID download/validation charge for 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026

Disclaimer: Annual telemetry service and LID download/validation charges stated below are for the pro-rated period of 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026, unless otherwise specified. WAMC pricing for the period of 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025 telemetry & non-telemetry charges are stated in the above section of this webpage.

The telemetry and non-telemetry service charge applies to both government-owned and privately-owned meters.

ANNUAL TELEMETRY SERVICE CHARGE PER METER
$255.22

The LID download/validation charge is a replacement of the non-telemetry charge that previously applied for those customers with complaint works but their metering equipment does not need telemetry. This charge would apply to all users with mandatory telemetry reporting requirements which are unable to transmit data due to telemetry blackspots or equipment issues. The charge is intended to cover costs for site visits to manually download usage data or validate meter information.

LID DOWNLOAD/VALIDATION CHARGE PER METER
$617.40

NSW Government telemetry rebate

*Please note this rebate will not be applied where a local intelligence device (LID) has not been installed or ordered by 30 June 2024.

The NSW Government will provide a rebate of $975.00 to all privately-owned meters when a working telemetry device is installed. This will offset the telemetry service charge until the rebate is exhausted.

This rebate will only apply where you have installed or ordered your local intelligence device (LID) prior to 01 July 2024. Your annual telemetry service charge listed above will be automatically credited on your WaterNSW bill each year until you reach the total rebate amount of $975.00 – just over four years. Please note this rebate will not be applied where a local intelligence device (LID) has not been installed or ordered by 30 June 2024.

  • The rebate is not available to water users with a government-owned meter.
  • For more information on metering and the telemetry rebate, visit Non-urban metering.
Notes for metering service charges

Metering charges are calculated annually in arrears.

The MSC will be triggered as follows:

  1. New Government Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a government-owned meter, the later of:
    1. the day the meter becomes compliant with the metering requirements; and
    2. if there is a date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter, that date.
  2. There will be a pro rata between the existing and new MSC as follow:
    1. for a government-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Government Meter charge Trigger Day, the charges set out in the current government-owned table will cease to apply and the charges in the annual meter service charges table and the telemetry and non-telemetry service charge table will instead apply; and
    2. for a privately-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day, unless the meter is not subject to the metering requirements, will be charged the telemetry and non-telemetry charges.
  3. If customers move from government-owned meter to privately-owned meter, the government meter charges and privately-owned meter charges will be pro rated as follows:
    1. different annual charges apply to government-owned meters and privately-owned meters. Where a licence holder switches from a government-owned meter to a privately-owned meter (or vice versa), the annual charges that will be applicable will be pro-rated based on the proportion of days in the financial year that the licence holder used a:
      1. government-owned meter as against the number of days in the financial year; and
      2. privately-owned meter as against the number of days in the financial year.
  4. The telemetry and non-telemetry charges apply as follows:
    1. for a government-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Government Meter Charge Trigger Day, the:
      1. meter service charge in the government-owned table will cease to apply in respect of that government-owned meter; and
      2. charges in the annual government-owned table will instead apply in respect of that government-owned meter.
    2. for a privately-owned meter installed in respect of a licence holder, on and from the New Private Meter Charge Trigger Day, unless the meter is not subject to the metering requirements, the:
      1. reading / assessment charge will cease to apply in respect of that privately-owned meter; and
      2. the annual telemetry and non-telemetry charges will instead apply in respect of that privately-owned meter.
  5. The trigger for these new charges are as follows:
    1. new Government Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a government-owned meter, the later of:
      1. the day the meter becomes compliant with the metering requirements; and
      2. if there is a date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter, that date.
    2. new Private Meter Charge Trigger Day means, in respect of a privately-owned meter, the date specified in clause 230 of the Water Management Regulation from which a temporary exemption from the mandatory metering equipment condition would cease to have effect in respect of the meter.

2025-26 Application fees for water access licences, dealings and approvals

Application fees for water access licences, dealings and approvals for 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026
New and surrender water access licencesFEE
Zero share $887.05
Controlled allocation $863.43
Specific purpose – NO groundwater assessment required $898.82
Specific purpose – groundwater assessment required $4,391.41

Surrender water access licence - non-complex

  • Zero share
  • SPAL's S&D
$382.00

Surrender water access licence - complex

  • WAL attached to a dam
  • WAL for dewatering
$522.34
Water access licence dealingsFEE
All Dealing applications for regulated river – 71Q, 71P, 71O, 71R, 71S, 71W, s74 $922.57

High risk fees apply to these unregulated applications unless they are listed as low risk:

  • Exit dealing (s74)
  • 71P(a) Subdivide a Water Access Licence where there is a change to add a nominated work (bundled with a 71W)
  • 71P(b) Consolidate Water Access Licences where the nominated works on each WAL are different or adding an additional work (bundled with a 71W)
  • 71W to nominate any works including miscellaneous works
  • 71W to nominate an interstate work on a NSW Licence
  • 71Q permanently assign share to another Licence (permanent trade of water)
  • 71QA assignment of IDEC
  • 71O conversion of Licence to new category
  • 71R amendment of a Licence for a share component to a new water source or management area

71S amendment of an extraction component around times, rates, circumstance etc of a Licence

$2,947.68

Low risk fees apply to these transactions only:

  • 71Q Assign share components between Water Access Licences where the receiving Water Access Licence has no nominated works
  • 71Q Assign share components between Water Access Licences where the receiving water access licence nominates ground water works with a bore extraction limit
  • 71W Remove a nominated work on a Water Access Licence ONLY
  • 71P(a) Subdivide a Water Access Licence ONLY with no change in the nominated work or removing of work only
  • 71P(b) Consolidate Water Access Licences ONLY with no change in the nominated works or removal of work

$1,335.72

High risk fees apply to these applications unless they are listed as low risk with Groundwater assessment:

  • Subdivide (s71P (a)) a Water Access Licence where there is a change to the nominated work
  • Consolidate Water Access (s71p(b)) Licences where there is a change in nominated works
  • 71W to nominate any works including miscellaneous works
  • 71W to nominate an interstate work on a NSW Licence
  • 71Q permanently assign share to another Licence (permanent trade of water)
  • 71O conversion of Licence to new category
  • 71R amendment of a Licence for a share component to a new water source or management area
  • 71S amendment of an extraction component around times, rates, circumstance etc of a Licence
$6,440.27

High risk fees apply to these groundwater applications unless they are listed as low risk (No groundwater assessment):

  • Exit dealing (s74)
$2,947.68

Low risk fees apply to these groundwater transactions only:

  • 71Q Assign share components between Water Access Licences where the receiving Water Access Licence has no nominated works
  • 71Q Assign share components between Water Access Licences where the receiving Water Access Licence has the same nominated work as the sellers nominated work
  • 71Q Assign share components between Water Access Licences where the receiving Water Access Licence has a BEL in place to accommodate the assigned share being transferred
  • 71W Remove a nominated work on a Water Access Licence ONLY
  • 71W change of nominated work where BEL is in place
  • 71P (a) Subdivide a Water Access Licence ONLY with no change in the nominated work or removing of work or all works involved have a BEL only
  • 71P (b) Consolidate Water Access Licences ONLY with no change in the nominated works or removal of work or all works involved have a BEL only
$1,335.72
Water allocation assignments (temporary trade)FEE
Regulated rivers – 71T, 71V $64.12
Unregulated rivers – 71T, 71V $64.12
Groundwater no referral for GW assessment – 71T, 71V $64.12
Groundwater – referral for GW assessment – 71T, 71V $426.14

Please note: application fee(s) for water trade will NOT be refunded if an allocation assignment application is unsuccessful, withdrawn or incomplete.

Basic landholder right bore applicationsFEE
New basic landholder right bore - groundwater assessment NOT required or meets triage $1,102.31
New basic landholder right bore - groundwater assessment required $1,439.41

Administrative amendment – No groundwater assessment required

  • Replacement BLR bore that meets WSP rules. Original bore must already be constructed with a Form A/BCR received
  • Consolidate approval no change to the existing works
  • Subdivide an approval no change to the existing works
  • Remove a work
$652.75
Groundwater applicationsFEE

Combined approval – Water Supply work Approval & Use Approval – Groundwater assessment required (High Risk)

  • Water Supply work approval groundwater assessment required (doesn’t meet triage)
$10,075.05

New/Amend Approvals – Groundwater assessment required (High Risk)

  • Water Supply Work approval groundwater assessment required (doesn’t meet triage) – does not include combined approvals

Note – does not include combined approval

$8,982.03

Combined approval –Water Supply Work Approval & Use Approval - Groundwater assessment not required (High Risk)

  • Add an irrigation lot
  • Use Approvals (new & amend applications)

Water supply work approvals (or combined approval) that meets groundwater triage

$6,582.46

New/Amend Approvals – Groundwater assessment not required (High Risk)

  • Add an irrigation lot
  • Use Approvals (new & amend applications)
  • Water supply work approvals that meets groundwater triage

Note – does not include combined approval

$5,489.44

Amend Approvals – Administrative Groundwater assessment required

  • Subdivide an approval – where split of BEL is required
  • Consolidate approval where BEL not in place on all Approvals being consolidated
  • Consolidate approval where BEL is at approval level and not work level
  • Review a BEL or get a BEL on an approval that currently doesn’t have one
  • Customer requests a review of a current bore extraction limit (must be accompanied with a pumping test)
$4,145.34

Amend Approvals - Administrative No groundwater assessment required

  • Replacement BLR bore that meets WSP rules. Original bore must already be constructed with a Form A/BCR received
  • Remove land (lot/DP) or work(s)
  • Consolidate approvals no change to the existing works or Use area
  • Consolidate approvals where BEL is listed for each work or BEL at the approval level is the same
  • Subdivide an approval no change to the existing works or Use area

Downgrade a commercial/irrigation approval to a BLR bore

$652.75

Specialised assessment fee

  • Additional assessment required; for example noise assessment, water quality
$1,559.63

Change of application fee (after assessment commenced)

  • Changes to the application or adds locations/works after assessment has commenced
$1,024.41
Surface water applicationsFEE

Combined approval – High Risk:

  • Combined approvals (works & Use)
$6,582.46

New or Amended work and/or use approvals

  • Use approval only
  • Water Supply work approval only – pumps, channels, dams, storages, floodplain harvesting (FPH) amendments
  • Increase pump/work size, add additional work

Note – does not include combined approval

$5,489.44

Combined Approvals Low Risk:

  • Application has current GTA’s for Works only provided through IDAS process
$3,579.12

New/Amend Approvals Low Risk:

  • Application has current GTA’s for Works only provided through IDAS process
$2,981.38

Administrative amendment – No groundwater assessment required

  • Remove land (lot/DP) or work(s)
  • Consolidate approvals no change to the existing works or Use area
  • Subdivide an approval no change to the existing works or use area
  • Reduce pump size
$652.75

Specialised assessment fee

  • Additional assessment required by a consultant; these could be for noise assessment, water quality, ecohydrologist assessment, flood study for works on a floodplain
$1,559.63

Change of application fee (after assessment commenced)

  • Changes to the application or adds locations/works after assessment has commenced
$1,024.41
Surrender approvalFEE

Surrender approval – non complex

  • Pumps
  • Use approval
  • Non constructed works – bores/flood work/dams
$123.17

Surrender approval – complex

  • Combined approvals
  • Constructed dams/Flood works/Floodplain harvesting/Bores
$273.44
Approval extension applicationsFEE

Extension pre-expiry fee

$627.85
Extension post expiry fee - less than 60 days from expiry date $627.85
Extension post expiry fee – more than 60 days from expiry date $1,160.39

Extension fees are charged to recover WaterNSW costs. The difference in the fee for applications to extend an approval after the expiry date is to cover the additional administrative and assessment costs as WaterNSW may need to reassess the application to ensure that it meets the relevant legislation. The late application fee has been reviewed and determined by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART). Under the Water Management Act 2000, approval holders are responsible for ensuring their approvals are valid and up to date. The approval holder is responsible for applying to extend the approval prior to its expiry.

Notes for application fees
  • These fees are determined by IPART.
  • *This fee is currently waived due to recent amendments to the non-urban metering regulation.
  • WaterNSW collects the groundwater assessment fee on behalf of the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (NSW DCCEEW). NSW DCCEEW hydrogeologists are responsible for undertaking the groundwater assessment, when required.
  • WaterNSW charges fees to cover the assessment and processing costs of applications for access licences, water supply work approvals, water use approvals and access licence dealings lodged under the Water Management Act 2000 (Water Management Act).
  • These fees will increase annually, based on changes in the consumer price index. Fees are exempt from GST.
    A ‘new’ work approval means any work proposed which is not currently listed on a water approval or is replacing an existing work which is listed on a water approval.
  • Consent transactions in relation to Monopoly Services provided by WAMC.
  • Consent transactions in relation to drillers licences, floodwork approvals, and solicitor enquiries and special meter reads are not disclosed, as they have not been regulated by IPART and are deemed to be unregulated services.

Impact and rules-based assessments:

  • Applications generally require a detailed impact assessment. This includes case by case investigation to consider potential local impacts and determine whether those impacts require refusal or consent, or consent subject to conditions.
  • Depending on the type of transaction, impact assessment can include identifying and addressing impacts on adjoining pumps or bores, Aboriginal heritage sites, native vegetation, threatened species, wetlands, land degradation, salinity, soil compaction, geomorphic instability, hydrology, water logging, acidity, contamination and water quality, in addition to consideration and resolution of any lodged objections. In some cases where significant risks are identified, WaterNSW may require the applicant to commission third-party experts to determine the extent of those risks and how they might be mitigated.
  • Applications determined by IPART which are identified as ‘low risk’ are processed with a rules-based assessment which does not require the above detailed impact assessment.
  • Lower fees are charged for transactions which are identified as ‘low risk’.

WAMC charges are determined by IPART under the IPART Act and the WAMC determination. The reasons are:

  1. Section 11 of the IPART Act gives IPART a standing reference to conduct investigations and make reports to the Minister administering the IPART Act on the determination of the pricing for a government monopoly service supplied by a government agency specified in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  2. The Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (Corporation) is listed in Schedule 1 of the IPART Act.
  3. The services which are declared as government monopoly services under clause 3 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (Water Services) Order 2004 are services supplied by the Corporation which involve:
    1. the making available of water;
    2. the making available of the Corporation’s water supply facilities; or
    3. the supplying of water, whether by means of the Corporation’s water supply facilities or otherwise, (together, the  Monopoly Services).
  4. Under section 4(6) of the IPART Act, the Corporation is taken to be the supplier of the services for which fees and  charges are payable under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act.
  5. In practice, charges for such water resource management activities are made as charges under licences, permits,  approvals or authorities granted by:
    1. the Minister under Chapter 3 of the Water Management Act (in areas of NSW in which proclamations under  sections 55A and 88A of the Water Management Act are in force); and
    2. the Corporation under the Water Act (in other areas of NSW).
  6. Accordingly, in determining maximum prices for the Monopoly Services, IPART has determined maximum prices  payable for these services under various licences, permits, approvals or authorities granted under the Water Management Act and the Water Act.
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One-part and two-part tariffs

Regulated river licence holders are all required to meter their water take and are billed under the two-part tariff.

The NSW Government has introduced a non-urban water metering framework which commenced on 1 December 2018 putting in place new metering requirements across the state.

Please note for water users captured under the NSW Government’s non-urban metering framework, if you have recording and reporting requirements and fail to comply with them, you will be charged under a one-part tariff.

Visit our metering webpage for more information.

The water management charges for your unregulated river or groundwater licence can be billed under a one or two-part tariff. This billing structure might act as an incentive for customers to have their water take metered or assessed.

If you are billed under the one-part tariff, the entitlement charge is applied to your licence volumetric ML entitlement or unit shares.

Under the two-part tariff your water take is metered or assessed and you are billed for:

  • lower entitlement charge (than under the one part tariff) applied to your licence volumetric ML entitlement or unit shares
  • water take charge applied to your ML of usage
  • water take reading/assessments charge or a meter service charge (if your meter is a corporation meter)

Having your water take assessed

Metering your water take is the best way to determine how much water you used during the billing period and provide WaterNSW with evidence of your water use. Metering your water take will also provide you with accurate, real time information you can use to improve your water efficiency and achieve cost savings.

Dispute resolution
If you have a dispute with any charges on your bill, please use our online form to contact us. For further information, please see our Feedback, compliments and complaints policy.

Hardship Policy
WaterNSW are committed to helping customers who may require affordability difficulties to keep their water flowing. If you are having difficulties paying your water bill please refer to our Debt Management Code of Practice (PDF, 155.26 KB).

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WaterNSW acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands and waters on which we work and pay our respects to all elders past, present and emerging. Learn more