The National Water Account 2010 acknowledges the varying jurisdictional legislative frameworks related to Australian rights to water that support water resource management in Australia.
The jurisdictional legislative water resource management frameworks vary greatly between jurisdictions, sometimes making comparisons difficult. To facilitate meaningful comparison between the water-accounting reports included in the National Water Account 2010, the Bureau of Meteorology has developed and applied an accounting concept to classify and report water entitlements within a water-asset/water-liability framework. The accounting concepts for ‘regulated’ and ‘unregulated’ may differ from the legislative interpretation in some jurisdictions.
The National Water Account 2010 interpretation and subsequent classification of entitlements as regulated and unregulated varies from the New South Wales legislative classification for the Sydney Region.
The NSW Office of Water categorises the entire Sydney Region as an unregulated water source. The reason for this categorisation is that water licences have been granted to harvest unregulated inflows. Therefore, the Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Region considers entitlements for all licences within the Sydney Region as unregulated entitlements.
The application of the 2010 Account water accounting conceptual framework of regulated and unregulated to the entitlements and claims to water in the Sydney Region results in the classification and reporting of water rights, allocations and abstraction in the National Water Account 2010 as detailed in the table below for the 2009–10.
Details of bulk water supply agreements between water utilities operating within the region are beyond the scope of the following table. These details are presented at the end of this note.
|
Water rights |
Water allocations1 |
Water abstraction/use
|
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Line item |
Volume (ML) |
Total volume (ML) |
Line item |
Volume (ML) |
Line item
|
Volume (ML) |
Total volume (ML) |
|
|
R1 Surface water rights
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
R1.1 Other statutory surface water right
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
R1.1.2 Cultural |
27 |
|
14.5.1
|
27 |
|
|||
|
R1.1.3 Riparian right |
32,528 |
|
14.5.1
|
32,528 |
|
|||
|
Subtotal |
|
32,555 |
14.5 |
|
32,555 |
|||
|
R1.2 Unregulated water access entitlement |
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
R1.2.5 Other lumped class: R1.2.5.4 Urban holder |
20,754 |
|
14.6.5.4 |
6,295 |
|
|||
|
R1.2.5 Other lumped class: R1.2.5.5 Individual holder for stock and domestic |
2,344 |
|
14.6.5.5 |
938 |
|
|||
|
R1.2.5 Other lumped class: R1.2.5.6 Other lumped holder |
126,437 |
|
14.6.5.6 |
50,575 |
|
|||
|
Subtotal |
|
149,535 |
14.6 |
|
57,808 |
|||
|
R1.3 Regulated water access entitlement |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
R1.3.4 Urban class/arrangement |
|
1,022,865 |
25.1.4 |
1,022,8652 |
14.7.4 |
501,545 |
|
|
|
R1.3.9 Other lumped class: R1.3.9.3 Industrial and commercial holder |
|
25,000 |
25.1.9.3 |
25,0002 |
14.7.9.3 |
22,821 |
|
|
|
R1.3.9 Other lumped class: R1.3.9.7 Other lumped holder |
|
Not applicable3 |
8.1.9.7 |
12,245 |
14.7.9.7 |
2,450 |
|
|
|
Subtotal |
|
1,047,865 |
|
|
14.7 |
|
526,816 |
|
|
Total—R1 Surface water rights |
|
1,229,955 |
|
|
|
|
617,179 |
|
|
R2 Groundwater rights |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
R2.1 Other statutory groundwater right |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
R2.1.1 Groundwater basic right: stock and domestic |
19,652 |
|
|
|
16.4.1 |
Not available |
|
|
|
Subtotal
|
|
19,652 |
|
|
16.4 |
|
Not available |
|
|
R2.2 Groundwater entitlement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
R2.2.2 Urban class |
140 |
|
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
16.5.2 |
Not available |
|
|
|
R2.2.3 Other lumped class: R2.2.3.7 Other lumped holder |
62,204 |
|
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
16.5.3.7 |
Not available |
|
|
|
Subtotal |
|
62,204 |
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
|
|
Not available |
|
|
Total—R2 Groundwater rights |
|
81,996 |
|
|
|
|
Not available |
|
|
R3 Landscape water rights |
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
R4 Agreements and contracts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
R4.3 Desalination water contract |
|
91,250 |
Not applicable |
Not applicable4 |
19.5.1 |
|
19,952 |
|
|
R4.4 Recycled water contract |
|
Not available5 |
Not applicable |
Not applicable4 |
Not available |
|
16,2126 |
|
|
R4.5 Other obligations of water distribution systems |
|
Not applicable7 |
Not applicable |
Not applicable7 |
20.6.3 and 20.6.4 |
|
3,748 |
|
|
Total—R4 Agreements and contracts |
|
91,250 |
|
|
|
|
39,912 |
|
|
Total known/applicable |
|
1,403,201 |
|
|
|
|
657,091 |
|
|
1 Allocations are non-existent (hatched area in the table) for unregulated flow rights and other basic (statutory) rights. |
Cultural basic right allows abstraction of water for anyone who holds native title with respect to water, as determined under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwlth). The right holders can take and use water for a range of needs, without holding a water access licence. This includes accessing water for personal, domestic and noncommercial communal purposes such as:
As recorded by the NSW Office of Water, there is 27 ML (based on a 0.073 ML/d rate) cultural basic right available to abstract water from the Kangaroo River water source in the Sydney Region (Water Sharing Plan for the Kangaroo River Water Source). No cultural basic rights are estimated to occur in other areas of the region.
The annual abstraction for cultural basic rights was estimated to be the figure stated in the water sharing plan (100% of the right).
New South Wales Government, NSW Office of Water: Water Sharing Plan for the Kangaroo River Water Source Data provider
The NSW Office of Water
Values as stated in the Water Sharing Plan for the Kangaroo River Water Source
Estimated uncertainty is +/–10% to 20% based on established practice and professional judgment within the NSW Office of Water.
No cultural basic rights are estimated to occur in areas other than Kangaroo River System.
The legislative policies governing the right are the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW), the Water Act 1912 (NSW) and the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwlth). The source for information provided in this note is the Water Sharing Plan for the Kangaroo River Water Source.
Under the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW), a riparian right (also defined as a basic right) allows an owner or occupier of land that is overlaying an aquifer or has river, estuary or lake frontage to take water without a licence under a domestic and stock right to meet basic requirements for household purposes (noncommercial uses in and around the house and garden) and for watering of stock. This water cannot be used for irrigating crops or garden produce that will be sold or bartered, washing down machinery sheds or intensive livestock operations.
As recorded by the NSW Office of Water, there is 32,528 ML riparian right available in the Sydney Region. A breakdown of the right is provided in the following table.
|
Water source |
Riparian right |
|
|---|---|---|
|
ML/d |
ML/y |
|
|
Shoalhaven River |
13.26 |
4,840 |
|
Illawarra River |
4.02 |
1,467 |
|
Upper Nepean and Upstream of Lake Burragorang (Warragamba Dam) |
21.03 |
7,676 |
|
Hawkesbury and Lower Nepean rivers |
25.42 |
9,278 |
|
Southern Sydney rivers |
13.22 |
4,825 |
|
Northern Sydney rivers |
11.12 |
4,059 |
|
Kangaroo River |
1.05 |
382 |
|
Total |
89.12 |
32,528 |
The annual abstraction for riparian right was assumed to be the figure stated in the Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Unregulated River Water Sources (100% of the right); however, in times of limited supply, there may be restrictions on taking water for domestic and stock use.
The NSW Office of Water: Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Unregulated River Water Sources
The NSW Office of Water
Values as stated in the draft water sharing plan.
Estimated uncertainty is +/–30% to 50% based on established practice and professional judgment within the NSW Office of Water.
Nil.
The legislative policies governing the right are the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) and the Water Act 1912 (NSW). The source for information provided in this note is the Draft Water Sharing Plan— Greater Metropolitan Unregulated River Water Sources.
The estimates of basic landholder requirements stated in this note were compiled before finalisation of the Draft Water Sharing Plan— Greater Metropolitan Unregulated River Water Sources. Therefore, stated values are provisional and an estimate.
Unregulated water access entitlements are available for urban holders, individual holders for stock and domestic, and other lumped holders in the Sydney Region.
The urban holder category includes entitlements for local water utilities and Sydney Water Corporation (SWC), which is a major utility. The subcategories of individual holders for stock and domestic are domestic and stock (both purposes), domestic only and stock only. The other lumped holder category in the Sydney Region may be issued for a wide range of purposes, including irrigation, commercial, industry and environmental.
The following table was produced by mapping unregulated water access entitlements to different user categories for the Sydney Region.
|
Category |
Sub-categories |
Total right * (ML) |
|---|---|---|
|
Urban holder |
Local water utility, major utility |
|
|
Individual holder for stock and domestic |
Domestic and stock, domestic and stock (domestic), domestic and stock (stock) |
2,344 |
|
Other lumped holders |
Unregulated |
126,437 |
|
* Entitlement values were compiled by the Bureau of Meteorology based on information available in the Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Unregulated River Water Sources and information received from entitlement holders. The National Water Account 2010 water accounting reports for the Sydney Region were compiled before finalisation of the draft water sharing plans. Therefore, stated entitlement values are provisional and an estimate. |
Details of the water abstraction rights of urban and other major utilities (urban holder category in the above table) operating in the Sydney Region to divert water are provided in the following table.
|
Utility |
Details of water extraction |
|---|---|
|
Goulburn Mulwaree Council |
Rights of 200 ML for Marulan Water Treatment Plant from river flow |
|
Palerang Council |
Right to divert 360 ML of Shoalhaven River flow for Braidwood Water Treatment Plant |
|
Shoalhaven City Council |
Right to divert 85 ML of water from the Kangaroo River unregulated water source, and 34 ML from Jaspers Creek |
|
Sydney Water Corporation (SWC)* |
20,075 ML per year from the Hawkesbury and Lower Nepean rivers water source |
|
* The table includes SWC’s unregulated entitlements from the Hawkesbury and Lower Nepean rivers water source. SWC uses these entitlements to supply water to its North Richmond Water Treatment Plant. The Sydney Catchment Authority (SCA) from its reservoirs/weirs supplies water to all SWC’s other water treatment plants. These supplies are based on SCA’s regulated entitlements and the bulk supply agreement between two organisations. |
The share component (as directed in the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW)) or entitlement (as directed in the Water Act 1912 (NSW)) is specified on a water license, and is expressed as a unit share or a volume (ML). The amount of water a licence holder is allocated as a result of an available water determination and the amount they can take in any year is based on their share component or entitlement, attributes of the entitlement, and associated terms and conditions.
In areas where no allocation announcement has occurred and water plans have not been suspended, the water available for 2009–10 was assumed to be 100% of entitlement, unless a restriction announcement was made.
If water is available and restrictions are not announced, individual entitlement holder for stock and domestic, other lumped holders and some local water utilities can extract twice the annual allocation in a given year. However, the holder should not extract more than three times the annual allocation in any consecutive three years.
Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Unregulated River Water Sources
Water Management Registers, Licence and Trading Statistics (for Kangaroo River water sharing plan area)
The NSW Office of Water
Mapping entitlement values stated in the Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Unregulated River Water Sources, water management registers, and licence and trading statistics to the relevant categories of entitlements.
Estimated uncertainty is +/- 0-5% based on professional judgment and the established practice within the NSW Office of Water.
The estimates of entitlements stated in this note were compiled before finalisation of the Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Unregulated River Water Sources. Therefore, stated values are provisional and an estimate.
Water restrictions are applied in the Sydney Region for the urban holder category when there are limitations in supply. Details are available in the Section, ‘Water restrictions’.
The legislative policies governing water access entitlements from unregulated flow are the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) and the Water Act 1912 (NSW).
The entitlement for the urban class/arrangement category from regulated flow was 1,022,865 ML for the Sydney Region for 2009–10 (see the following table).
|
Utility |
Entitlement volume for 2009–10 (ML)* |
Diversions associated with the entitlement |
|---|---|---|
|
Major utility: Sydney Catchment Authority |
987,000 |
Diversions to Sydney Water Corporation for Sydney Greater Metropolitan Area Diversions from Bendeela Pondage to Kangaroo Valley for Shoalhaven City Council Diversions from Wingecarribee Reservoir to the Wingecarribee Water Treatment Plant for Wingecarribee Shire Council Diversions to some retail customers |
|
Local water utilities: Goulburn Mulwaree Council, Lithgow City Council Shoalhaven City Council and Wingecarribee Shire Council |
35,865 |
Goulburn Mulwaree Council diversions to Goulburn Water Treatment Plant from storage reservoirs Lithgow City Council diversions to Oakey Park Water Treatment Plant from a storage reservoir Sydney Catchment Authority diversions from Lake Yarrunga (Tallowa Dam) for pumping at Burrier for Shoalhaven City Council Wingecarribee Shire Council diversions to Medway and Bundanoon water treatment plants from storage reservoirs |
|
* Entitlement values are based on information available in the Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Unregulated River Water Sources and information received from entitlement holders. The National Water Account 2010 water accounting reports for the Sydney Region were compiled before finalisation of the draft water sharing plans. Therefore, stated entitlement values are provisional and an estimate. |
The NSW Office of Water records entitlements stated in the above table as unregulated for major utilities and local water utilities (to harvest unregulated inflow). The Bureau of Meteorology (the Bureau) has defined these entitlements as regulated for the National Water Account 2010 and listed under urban class/arrangement category.
Share component (as directed in the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW)) or entitlement (as directed in the Water Act 1912 (NSW)) is specified on a water licence, and is expressed as a unit share or a volume (in ML). The amount of water a licence holder is allocated as a result of an available water determination and the amount they can take in any year is based on their share component/entitlement, attributes of the entitlement, and associated terms and conditions.
There is no process of formal allocation announcement for the entitlements for the urban class/arrangement category. Water available for 2009–10 was assumed to be 100% of entitlement, because no restriction announcements were made.
If water is available and restrictions are not announced, some local water utilities stated in the above table can divert twice the annual allocation in a given year. However, the holder should not extract more than three times the annual allocation in any consecutive three years.
The NSW Office of Water: Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Unregulated River Water Sources
Goulburn Mulwaree Council, Lithgow City Council, Shoalhaven City Council and Wingecarribee Shire Council: entitlement data recorded in databases and water management licences.
The NSW Office of Water, Shoalhaven City Council, Goulburn Mulwaree Council, Lithgow City Council and Wingecarribee Shire Council
The Bureau of Meteorology compiled volumetric entitlement values for the urban class/arrangement category by mapping entitlement values stated in the draft water sharing plan and information received from entitlement holders for 2009–10.
Entitlement values were compiled based on the National Water Account 2010 interpretation of regulated and unregulated licences. Uncertainty is ungraded.
The estimates of entitlements stated in this note were compiled before finalisation of the Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Unregulated River Water Sources. Therefore, stated values are provisional and an estimate.
The legislative policies governing water access entitlements are the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) and the Water Act 1912 (NSW).
The entitlement for industrial and commercial holder category from regulated flow is 25,000 ML for the Sydney Region for 2009–10. This is Delta Electricity’s entitlement as stated in its Water Management Licence. The entitlement holder has been categorised as a major utility.
As stated in the Water Management Licence, Delta Electricity is entitled to take and use up to 23,000 ML/y from the Coxs River water source for requirements at Mt Piper and Wallerawang power stations. In the event that Delta Electricity’s supplies from the Fish River Water Supply Scheme are reduced by 30% or greater, Delta Electricity is entitled to obtain an additional 2,000 ML/y from the Coxs River water source, which was the case for 2009–10. Delta Electricity manages Lake Lyell, Lake Wallace and Thomsons Creek Reservoir to store water from the Coxs River source before releasing to the power stations.
The NSW Office of Water records Delta Electricity’s entitlement as unregulated under major utility. The Bureau of Meteorology (the Bureau) has interpreted this entitlement as regulated for the National Water Account 2010 (the 2010 Account), and listed it under the industrial and commercial category.
The share component (as directed in the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW)) or entitlement (as directed in the Water Act 1912 (NSW)) is specified on a water licence, and is expressed as a unit share or a volume (in ML). The amount of water a licence holder is allocated as a result of an available water determination and the amount they can take in any year is based on their share component/entitlement, attributes of the entitlement, and associated terms and conditions.
There is no process of formal allocation announcement for the entitlement holder considered in this line item. Water available for 2009–10 was assumed to be 100% of entitlement, because restriction announcements were not made.
The NSW Office of Water: Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Unregulated River Water Sources
Delta Electricity: Water Management Licence
The NSW Office of Water and Delta Electricity
The Bureau of Meteorology compiled the entitlement values by mapping information available in the draft water sharing plan and Delta Electricity Water Management Licence to the entitlement category.
Entitlement values were compiled according to the 2010 Account interpretation of regulated and unregulated licences. Uncertainty is ungraded.
Nil.
The legislative policies governing water access entitlements are the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) and the Water Act 1912 (NSW).
This disclosure note includes information on banked environmental flow managed by the Sydney Catchment Authority (SCA) in the Sydney Region. See Line item 8.1.9.7 for details of banked environmental flow.
Anyone who holds a groundwater basic right can extract water to meet basic requirements for household purposes (noncommercial uses in and around the house and garden) and for watering of stock. This water cannot be used for irrigating crops or garden produce that will be sold or bartered, washing down machinery sheds or intensive livestock operations. A breakdown of the right is provided in the following table.
|
Groundwater source (aquifers) |
Domestic and stock |
|---|---|
|
ML/year |
|
|
Botany Sands |
1,849 |
|
Maroota Tertiary Sands |
17 |
|
Metropolitan Coastal Sands |
298 |
|
Sydney Basin North |
722 |
|
Sydney Basin Richmond |
1,623 |
|
Sydney Basin Central |
2,601 |
|
Sydney Basin Blue Mountain |
421 |
|
Sydney Basin Nepean |
5,971 |
|
Sydney Basin South |
2,098 |
|
Hawkesbury Alluvium |
305 |
|
Sydney Basin Coxs River |
454 |
|
Goulburn Fractured Rock |
3,114 |
|
Coxs River Fractured Rock |
179 |
|
Total |
19,652 |
As recorded by the NSW Office of Water, there is a 19,652 ML groundwater basic right available in the Sydney Region. The annual extraction for a groundwater basic right was assumed to be the figure stated in the Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Region Groundwater Sources (100% of the right); however, in times of limited supply, there may be restrictions on taking water for domestic and stock use.
The NSW Office of Water: Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Region Groundwater Sources
The NSW Office of Water
Mapping values for the groundwater basic right as stated in the Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Region Groundwater Sources.
Estimated uncertainty is +/–30% to 50% based on professional judgment and the established practice within the NSW Office of Water.
Nil.
The legislative policy governing the right is the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) and Water Act 1912 (NSW). The source for information provided in this note is the Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Region Groundwater Sources.
The estimates of basic landholder requirements stated in this note were compiled before finalisation of the Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Region Groundwater Sources. Therefore, stated values are provisional and an estimate.
Two classes of groundwater access entitlements (urban and other lumped) are available in the Sydney Region.
The urban class includes entitlements for local water utilities. The other lumped class (aquifer licence category) may be issued for a wide range of purposes including irrigation, commercial, industry and environmental. It is not possible to provide a breakdown on the purpose of the right.
The following table was produced by mapping the rights of different categories for the Sydney Region.
|
Category |
NSW Office of Water Access Licence type |
Total right (ML) |
|---|---|---|
|
Groundwater entitlement—urban class |
Local water utility |
140 |
|
Groundwater entitlement—other lumped class |
Aquifer |
62,204 |
Groundwater access entitlement is specified on a water licence, expressed as a volume (in ML). The amount of water a licence holder is allocated as a result of an allocation announcement and the amount they can take in any year is based on their entitlement.
In any areas where no allocation announcement has occurred, the water available for 2009–10 was assumed to be 100% of entitlement.
The NSW Office of Water: Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Region Groundwater Sources
The NSW Office of Water
Mapping values for respective entitlement categories stated in the Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Region Groundwater Sources.
Estimated uncertainty is +/–0% to 5% based on professional judgment and the established practice within the NSW Office of Water.
Nil.
The legislative policy governing the right is the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) and Water Act 1912 (NSW). The source for information provided in this note is the Draft Water Sharing Plan—Greater Metropolitan Region Groundwater Sources.
Details of the Sydney’s desalinated water supply and the supply agreement between the plant operator and Sydney Water Corporation are provided in the note Significant water accounting policies.
Sydney Water Corporation: the contract agreement between the corporation and the plant operator.
Sydney Water Corporation
Obtained from the contract agreement
There is no uncertainty. The value (maximum volume to be provided in a year) has been obtained from the contract agreement.
Nil.
Sydney Water Corporation supplied 15,389 ML (excluding 1,980 ML released to Boundary Creek which is a tributary of the Nepean River) of recycled water to a variety of users during 2009–10. Although some of this supply was covered by contracts, no information is available regarding any volumes committed to be supplied under those contracts. The same applies to recycled water supplied by Shoalhaven City Council (763 ML) and Wingecarribee Shire Council (60 ML).
Recycled water supply agreements between service providers (water utilities) and users
Shoalhaven City Council, Sydney Water Corporation and Wingecarribee Shire Council
Obtained from recycled water supply agreements
There is no uncertainty. The value, which is zero, is based on information available in recycled water supply agreements.
Nil.
Details of bulk water supply agreements applicable for water utilities operating within the Sydney Region are provided in the following table.
|
Water provider |
Water receiver |
Agreed volume/supply rate |
Other details |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Sydney Catchment Authority
|
Shoalhaven City Council |
As requested by Shoalhaven City Council subject to the limit stated in its Water Management Licence (WML) |
Water was diverted from Lake Yarrunga (Tallowa Dam) and Bendeela Pondage as specified in the Bulk Water Supply Agreement (BWSA) between two parties |
|
Wingecarribee Shire Council |
Subject to the limit stated in the Wingecarribee Shire Council’s WML (40 ML/d) |
Water was diverted from Wingecarribee Reservoir as specified in the BWSA between two parties |
|
|
Sydney Water Corporation |
As agreed between Sydney Water Corporation and the Sydney Catchment Authority |
Water was diverted from supplier’s reservoirs and weirs to Sydney Water Corporation’s water treatment plants (WTPs) excluding North Richmond WTP |
No water trading took place in the Sydney Region during 2009–10 (NSW Office of Water and Australian Water Markets Report 2009–10). Basic details on water trading arrangements in the region are available in ‘Trades and Water Right Transfers’ of the contextual statement.