Why NSW needs strong, independent water regulation

The sustainable management of finite water resources is one of the most significant challenges facing NSW in the next 20 years.

So much and so many depend on water being managed well so everyone gets a fair share.

The water management balancing act faced by NSW is very complex and it highlights why an independent water watchdog like the Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) is crucial.

NRAR makes sure the rules are followed and water obligations are met. We boost public confidence that the system works for the benefit of all water users in NSW.

There is increasing evidence to show that the community values strong water regulation as much as NRAR does.

NRAR recently surveyed a total of 1,615 people, including licence holders and members of the public, to measure their confidence in the way water is managed in NSW.

The survey found that 70 per cent of the public asked believed illegal water take was a problem and 84 per cent wanted stronger action to fix it.

It also found that:

• 83 per cent of water licence holders believe it is never okay to break the rules
• 99 per cent of those who thought it was sometimes OK to break the rules cited emergency scenarios such as fire as the most common justification
• most stakeholder groups believe that because of NRAR, rule breakers are more likely to be caught.

This kind of feedback helps inform and shape NRAR’s activities in regions across the state.

As water resources come under increasing pressure from population growth, changing industry and community needs, and a more variable and changing climate, effective regulation is needed for all sectors.

For the more than 2.8 million people who call regional and rural NSW home, water is especially critical.

For the dozens of cities, towns and villages that have a stake in good water management to keep their facilities and businesses going.

For the diverse and important agricultural sector whose water entitlements in NSW were last year valued at $41 billion and rising.

For all the water-dependent ecosystems in the 800,000 square kilometres of land regulated by NRAR, including wetlands of international and national significance.

NRAR was established in 2018 to enforce the water laws, which underpin fair access to limited water resources for all these competing interests.

Our independent structure is at arm's length from Government, which means we’re not swayed by short-term political pressure. The people of NSW can be confident that the state’s water resources are being used and shared lawfully and that NRAR is watching.

NRAR will continue to focus strongly on education, and we'll keep using the latest technology to detect breaches more effectively than ever before.

We will continue to be transparent about our activities and regularly publish data on our website to show how we use our resources and the results of our work.

Coverage of our major enforcement actions in the mainstream media helps keep us publicly accountable and helps to deter further breaches of the law.

It's what the public expects and what we will keep working to deliver.