No-meter, no-pump. NSW Government announces a thorough review to crack down on non-urban metering compliance

The NSW Government will conduct a thorough review into non-urban metering rules to make it easier for water users across the state to become compliant and to ensure water use is being measured and managed fairly and sustainably.

Minister for Water Rose Jackson said the review will look closely at non-urban metering regulation to accelerate progress on compliance.

“I have instructed the Department of Planning and Environment to begin this work immediately because we know that getting everyone on the same page with non-urban metering rules has been taking too long,” Ms Jackson said.

“This review is happening because the compliance rates for the non-urban metering requirements have been unacceptably low and the switchover has been too slow.

“Let me be clear here – progress has been far too slow and we are committed to ensure everyone complies with the law.

“Nearly five years have passed since these metering rules were put in place and while more than 90 per cent of the largest commercial water users with irrigation pumps bigger than 500mm have jumped onboard, thousands of smaller operators have not – this needs to change.

“We know there are some valid reasons for this including difficulties in accessing the right people to install new meters, supply chain disruptions, the cost of equipment and of course the recent flooding. These are barriers we will be addressing.”

While the review is underway, there will be no change to the regulations and compliance expectations that are already in place and the Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) will continue to enforce these requirements and will not hesitate to take compliance action against people who refuse to adhere to them.

No meter no pump was a core principle of the important Matthew Report and it's a principle the NSW Government is committed to.

“As Minister for Water, I am taking a no-meter no-pump approach to water extraction, and with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting a return to dry conditions by the end of this year, counting every drop of water is critical,” Ms Jackson said.

“Today I am sending a clear message – we are taking compliance seriously and I expect serious consequences for those who do not follow the rules.

“We know our regional and rural areas face more extreme climate challenges, by accurately measuring our water usage we can effectively manage our regional water strategies.

“It’s time to look at ways we can remove speed bumps to compliance and get NSW on track in this space because if you can’t measure the amount of water being taken from the system, you can’t manage it properly.