What are the ongoing costs of owning water licences and water access entitlement shares?
A NRM Water Levy is payable by holders of some River Murray water access entitlement shares and non-Murray water licences under Section 101 of the Natural Resources Management Act 2004. The levy is based on the number of shares that are held on 1 July each year, and is a minimum of $200. Levies are invoiced in July each year.
Levy rates are published in the South Australian Government Gazette prior to the commencement of each new water year, usually toward the end of June. The June 2018 Gazette notice regarding water levies for 2018-19 is here (page 2601-2605).
Penalties for unauthorised take and use of water
There are penalties associated with unauthorised take and use of water, or for take and use in excess of your authorised water allocation (overuse). The penalties are published each water year prior to the end of December in the South Australian Government Gazette. The Gazette notice for penalties in 2017-18 is here (page 719-721).
The penalties can and do vary by water resource area and for overuse, incorporate a sliding scale that increase significantly with overuse. For example, the penalties in the 2017-18 water year in the McLaren Vale, River Murray, Mount Lofty Ranges and Northern Adelaide Plains prescribed water resources are reproduced in the following table:
|
Prescribed Water Resource
|
Penalty for overuse
|
Penalty for unlawful taking or use of water
|
|
For first 10 per cent
|
Above 10 per cent and up to and including 25 per cent |
Above 25 per cent
|
|
McLaren Vale PWA
|
$1.98/kL ($1980/ML)
|
$5.94/kL
($5,940/ML)
|
$10.89/kL ($10,890/ML)
|
$15.84/kL ($15,840/ML)
|
|
River Murray PWC
|
26 cents/kL ($260/ML)
|
$0.78/kL
($780/ML)
|
$1.43/kL ($1430/ML)
|
$2.08/kL ($2080/ML)
|
|
Mount Lofty Ranges PWRA (Eastern and Western)
|
46 cents/kL ($460/ML)
|
$1.38/kL
($1380/ML)
|
$2.53/kL ($2530/ML)
|
$3.68/kL ($3680/ML)
|
|
Northern Adelaide Plains PWA
|
46 cents/kL ($460/ML)
|
$1.38/kL
($1380/ML)
|
$2.53/kL ($2530/ML)
|
$3.68/kL ($3680/ML)
|
Current application fees
Fees for standard applications relating to water licences, water access entitlement transfers, water allocation transfers, water resource works approvals, site use approvals and notations of interest are:
|
1
|
Application for a water licence
|
$237
|
|
2
|
Application to transfer a water licence
|
$440.00 plus a technical assessment fee of $296.00
|
|
3
|
Application to vary a water licence on transfer of an allocation, other than in relation to an unbundled prescribed water resource
|
$440.00 plus a technical assessment fee of $296.00
|
|
4
|
In relation to an unbundled prescribed water resource—
|
|
|
(a) application to transfer a water access entitlement
|
$440.00
|
|
(b) application to vary a water allocation
|
$259.00
|
|
(c) application to transfer a water allocation
|
$259.00
|
|
(d) application for a water resource works approval
|
$440.00
|
|
(e) application to vary a water resource works approval
|
$440.00
|
|
|
(f) application for a site use approval
|
$440.00 plus a technical assessment fee of $296.00
|
|
|
(g) application to vary a site use approval
|
$440.00 plus a technical assessment fee of $296.00
|
|
5
|
Application to vary a licence for any other reason
|
$440.00 plus a technical assessment fee of $296.00
|
|
6
|
Application for notation on NRM Register or for the removal of a notation (e.g. to register a security interest)
|
$9.15
|
Source: Schedule 1 of the Natural Resources Management (Fees) Regulations 2018. Also see this link for additional fees in relation to applications for: permits and licences relating to wells; other general permits; obtaining copies of documents, and; forest water licences. Last updated 2 July 2018.
