About the water market reforms
Reforms are in progress for water markets in the Murray–Darling Basin. These are enabled by legislation changes.
Key aspects of the reforms include:
- reporting of water markets decisions from 1 July 2026, in line with the water markets decisions regulations
- new water markets information obligations for data providers from 1 July 2027
- new standards and systems.
Latest updates
Water markets survey now open
Anyone with an interest in Murray–Darling Basin water markets can have a say in our annual water markets information survey.
Submissions close on 30 June 2026. Take the 2026 Water Markets Information Survey.
Water Data Hub registration
Organisations preparing for new reporting obligations can now register for the hub. Obligations to report water markets decisions start from 1 July 2026.
Legislation changes
The Australian Government enacted the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 on 7 December 2023. It strengthens the Water Act 2007.
The changes aim to deliver the conduct, integrity, and transparency recommendations from the Water market reform: final roadmap. This document and background about the water market reforms are available on the DCCEEW website.
The legislation:
- expands the Bureau's water information role
- gives the Bureau new functions and powers as custodian of information about water markets in the Murray–Darling Basin. These powers allow us to collect water markets information and share it for compliance purposes.
Learn more about legislation and compliance.
Water markets decisions regulations
From 1 July 2026, government agencies and irrigation infrastructure operators must either:
- provide water markets decisions to the Bureau for publication
- announce the decisions before providing details to the Bureau.
This applies to:
- Commonwealth and state government agencies
- public and private infrastructure operators.
These changes are supported by the Water Amendment (Water Markets Decisions) Regulations 2026.
The requirements were established by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
Learn more about providing water markets data.
Standards and systems
As part of the reforms, there are new standards and systems.
Water markets data standards
We are developing water markets data standards to improve the transparency, consistency and availability of water markets information. Learn more on our Water data guidelines and standards page.
Water Data Hub
A digital platform to store and access information about water markets. For more about the Water Data Hub, view Providing water markets data.
Online water markets data
Near real-time water markets data publicly available on a webpage from 1 July 2026.
Engagement and consultations
We are working closely with the:
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW)
- Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
- Inspector-General of Water Compliance (IGWC)
- stakeholders affected by the new water markets data reporting requirements in the Murray–Darling Basin.
For details of past engagement and consultations on water markets data standards, view the Water data guidelines and standards page.