Sydney
33.3 Groundwater access entitlement for allocation extraction

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.

Groundwater entitlements in 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

 

Attributes of the right

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 the 2010–11 year was assumed to be 100% of entitlement.

NSW Office of Water: Draft Water Sharing Plan – Greater Metropolitan Region Groundwater Sources.

NSW Office of Water.

Mapping values for respective entitlement categories stated in the Draft Water Sharing Plan – Greater Metropolitan Region Groundwater Sources.

Other additional information

The legislative policy governing the right is the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) and Water Act 1912 (NSW).

 

Nil.

Estimated uncertainty is +/– 0% to 5% based on professional judgment and the established practice within the NSW Office of Water.