Restriction on accessing carryover water in the Lachlan extended

The NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment today announced an extension to the temporary water restrictions for access to general security carryover in the Lachlan regulated river.

In the Lachlan, from 1 July 2020, 50% of the volume of water held in the water allocation accounts of general security access licences that was permissible for take prior to 1 July 2020 has also been restricted from take to cope with the continued water shortage and to protect public health and safety.

The Lachlan is now in Drought Stage 3 under the NSW Extreme Events Policy, with a severe water shortage. The general security carryover water remaining in accounts in the Lachlan regulated river cannot be delivered in full until there is significant resource recovery, without jeopardising critical supplies.

This amendment continues to allow the trade of frozen general security carryover water, but prohibits buyers of the frozen general security carryover water from taking or using it.

The temporary restriction does not apply to the take of water for testing metering equipment of up to a total of 1 megalitre for pumps larger than 500mm and 0.5 of a megalitre for all other works. The duly qualified persons testing metering equipment will be required to notify the Natural Resource Access Regulator within 24 hours of any take for testing.

The restrictions will remain in effect until 30 June 2021. However, the restrictions can be amended or repealed if water resource availability improves.

For more information visit temporary water restrictions