Frequently asked questions

Below are some Frequently Asked Questions regarding the mywater system. If you have a question that isn’t answered below, please feel free to get in touch at DEWWaterLicensing@sa.gov.au or call us on 08 8463 6876

What is mywater?

Mywater is a 24/7 online system that provides access to a range of information products for account and public users.

You can use mywater to:

• better manage and understand your water accounts
• apply to trade water entitlements and allocations
• make online applications and payments
• monitor the progress of an application
• take advantage of shorter application processing times
• manage and update your contact details.
• register a security interest against your water licence

What are some of the features of mywater?

• A customer-focused online water licensing portal;
• Up-to-date and easily accessible State Water Register;
• Flexibility to buy and sell water when customers require;
• Online access so customers can manage/update their accounts;
• Reduced trading times, with automation and faster processing;
• Easier and streamlined water licensing and permit applications;
• Access to more information to inform critical decisions about water;
• Timely information/data to help plan for issues such as extreme droughts, floods, changes to policy and regulations;
• Improved alignment of data interfaces between the South Australian, New South Wales and Victorian water management and accounting systems.

How do I login to mywater?

mywater offers licence holders and nominated third parties access through www.mywater.sa.gov.au.

Many licence holders have already been assigned a UserID and Password that they can use to login to mywater. If you are in this category, you would have received an email or letter from our Water Licensing Branch with your log in details.

Otherwise, you may apply for a mywater account by clicking here [hyperlink to mywater.sa.gov.au but can we make this visually interesting? Eg a button?].

If you don’t have an account, you may also use www.mywater.sa.gov.au to access and search South Australia’s Water Register.

What operations can I do in mywater?

DEW currently administers 170 individual water management-related application forms. These forms will be consolidated and accessible through the new system. For example, customers will be able to:

• view, apply for, vary or cancel a water licence
• apply to transact a temporary or permanent water trade
• check your water account balances
• apply, vary, or renew a well drillers licence
• apply for a well construction permit
• provide notification of an installed, replaced, moved, repaired or removed water meter
• submit a water meter reading
• apply for or vary a site use approval
• check the status of an application

What support is available?

Process videos

For help with common mywater processes, you may want to view our how-to videos at the below links [hyperlink per video once created]

How to log-on and/or register and how to access online support

How to submit a meter reading

How to use the Water Register

How to apply for a well permit

How to apply to trade and/or transfer water

Fact sheets

A series of fact sheets have also been developed to help. You can view or download those here [single hyperlink to subpage]

Contact us

You can also contact the Water Licensing teams at DEWWaterLicensing@sa.gov.auor call 08 8463 6876.

Who can use mywater?

Once a licence holder has set up an account, they can nominate other people to transact on their behalf. You can select different permissions for different users: for example, you may want to allow multiple employees to submit water meter reads on your behalf, but only one person can view and pay invoices.

Third parties may have viewer-only access or be able to perform limited functions as nominated by a licence holder.

Third parties include (but are not limited to):

• Conveyancers
• Financial Institutions
• Water brokers
• Employees of licence holders, for example farm managers or agents
• Drilling companies

Can I access mywater from mobile devices?

Yes. mywater has been designed and tested to be compatible with mobile devices, including tablets and mobile phones, as well as desktop computers. mywater uses a hybrid cloud system and is compatible with:

• Google Chrome
• Firefox
• Safari
• Microsoft Edge

Will I still be able to lodge applications manually?

Yes. Customers who prefer or require more traditional (offline) means of doing business will continue to be supported by DEW staff by email or telephone.

However, manual applications will not enjoy the benefits of the new online system, such as faster processing, online applications and payments and being able to track the progress of your application.

What other interfaces are integrated with mywater?

SA Geodata

SA Geodata is the primary source of geoscientific data for South Australia. The interface retrieves and validates basic well details, including well construction permits, drain or discharge permits.

GIS

GIS (geographic information system) is a spatial system to create, manage, analyse and map data. It connects data to a map, integrating spatial and descriptive information about water taking infrastructure (works and meters), water use sites (e.g irrigation) and water affecting activity permits.

Online Payment Gateway (BPOINT)

BPOINT is a real-time online payment processing facility from Commonwealth Bank for customers to make payments from websites and online applications.

Records Management (SharePoint)

SharePoint is a Microsoft product that is used to support Records Management compliance for DEW.

Interstate Water Trading (Interoperability with Victorian and NSW Water Authorities)

Interstate water trading supports interstate trading of water allocations by SA River Murray customers within the southern-connected Murray-Darling Basin.

SAILIS

SAILIS (South Australian Integrated Land Information System) notifies mywater about transactions related to land ownership transfers, subdivisions and amalgamations, and property interest report requests.

What are the payment options for paying Water Licensing invoices?

Once mywater is live, you may pay invoices by:

• Logging into mywater and paying via credit or debit card
• bPay
• Australia Post billpay
• Credit or debit card by telephone
• Cheque or money order

Will my applications be processed faster?

In most cases, yes. Many processes will now be automated, and improvements like content pre-population will reduce the time it takes to submit and therefore process an application. This will bring water trade processing times in South Australia in line with other Murray-Darling Basin states.

Please note that some processes, such as applying to trade your water entitlement, require manual processing by DEW staff. The mywater portal is available 24/7, meaning that you can submit the application at any time including an evening or weekend. However, applications are still subject to standard processing times.

You can check the progress of your application at any time in your personal mywater dashboard.

Will this affect the cost of applications?

Fees and charges will remain unchanged for the remainder of the 2022-23 financial year. Fees will be reviewed one year after the new system is implemented.

Why have we updated our water licensing system?

There is a significant economic and regulatory imperative to deliver a new water management system for South Australia. The current system has served South Australia well but it is ageing and increasingly inflexible for the modern water market.

The new mywater system is customer centric and provides online management of transactions and dealing relating to water licenses, water access entitlements and water allocations and water accounts, mywater delivers dynamic, context rich real-time data. The introduction of mywater will remove existing barriers to doing business in South Australia and will give customers the power to manage their water management instruments and obligations. It will help South Australia to meet its commitments, particularly around the Murray-Darling Basin, and ensure the state is able to manage and protect its water resources for future generations.

Key features of the new system were developed in response to early engagement with key stakeholders – including growers, water traders and brokers, irrigators, financiers, bore drillers and dam constructors – who told us where improvements could be made on the current water management system.

How were stakeholders involved in defining the improvements to the new system?

Users of DEW’s current water management system – including growers, water traders and brokers, irrigators, financiers, bore drillers and dam constructors – provided comprehensive feedback that was essential to developing the business case and securing funding to develop the new water licensing system. The industry group interviewees represented over 2400 irrigators and growers and there was general agreement and support for water management system reform.

All user groups reported they would like to see:

• a system similar to online banking that linked licenses, water use, reports and trades
• improved use of technology to approve requests and submit meter readings (eg mobile, smartphone)
• improved tracking of application progress
• improved data access (eg water allocation)
• a more intuitive (customer-centric) entrance to system (eg through primary water source)