What water users need to know

The table below summarises the various exemptions from the non-urban metering rules.

If an exemption applies to your work, it does not need to comply with the non-urban metering rules, even if it meets one of the triggers described above.

Exemptions from the non-urban metering rules

Last updated 19 December 2022.

A duly qualified person, such as a certified meter installer must certify that your work is fitted with the following three components by your rollout date.

You can keep a non-pattern-approved meter installed before 1 April 2019, if you can show the following before your rollout date:

1. the meter’s manufacturer confirmed the meter was within +/- 2.5% accuracy in factory conditions and a duly qualified person (DQP) has certified that the meter has been correctly installed, or
2. a DQP confirmed the meter is within +/- 5% accuracy in the field.

You will also need to show that the meter has been fitted with a LID and tamper-evident seals.

Under Schedule 8.9(5) of the Water Management Act (2000), a report must be given to the Minister by a person (water user) who intends to rely on existing metering equipment. A DQP, on your behalf, must submit the report to rely on transitional arrangements to keep existing metering equipment, via the DQP Portal.

There are approximately 3,000 government-owned meters installed in the Southern Basin, Hawkesbury–Nepean and Bega regions, largely through Commonwealth–funded programs.

WaterNSW is responsible for ensuring these meters meet the relevant standards. Contact WaterNSW immediately to submit a Section91i form if these meters are not operating properly.

There are a range of NSW and Australian Government programs that can help water users manage the impact of purchasing metering equipment:

• The NSW and Australian Government have each committed $9 million for a telemetry rebate program for water users who install compliant telemetry equipment. The rebate will automatically be applied as a $975 credit on a water user's bill when they connect to the NSW Government's telemetry system and will be backdated to include water users who have already connected.
• *The Australian Government’s capital asset and expense deductions rules allow primary producers to immediately deduct the cost of water facilities that are primarily and principally for the purpose of conserving or conveying water.
• The NSW Farm Innovation Fund provides loans to meet the costs of carrying out capital works, including metering, that benefit the long-term profitability of businesses.

All metered surface water works must transmit water take information to the NSW Government’s telemetry system, unless they are surface pumps less than 200 mm.

You may voluntarily install telemetry equipment, and have it connected to the NSW Government’s telemetry system even if an exemption applies to your work. This will avoid the need for some recording and reporting requirements.

Once you are connected to the telemetry system, you will be able to access the information that is transmitted to the NSW Government’s telemetry system through a private online dashboard. You will also receive email notifications when your telemetry system is not transmitting data.

The local intelligence device (LID) that records the water taken through your work requires Telstra service to record data to you and meet your recording requirements to the government.

The government have a mobile coverage tool to identify your mobile coverage in NSW for metered telemetry. This tool can assist you and your meter installer to decide the best way to meter your water take and if telemetry is suitable for you.

Complete your details on the mobile coverage tool to see the telemetry possibilities for you. A telemetry coverage exemption may apply if your work is in a site that does not receive network coverage.

Under the non-urban metering rules, only a DQP can install and validate metering equipment, including LIDs and tamper-evident seals.

There are two main types of DQPs:

• certified meter installers (CMIs), who can install and validate metering equipment for closed conduit works, such as pumps and bores
  • To find a certified meter installer visit Irrigation Australia or try out the Virtual Marketplace
• certified practising hydrographers, who can install and validate metering equipment for open conduit works, such as channels and regulators
  • To find a certified practising hydrographer visit the Australian Hydrographers Association.

You will need to ensure that your metering equipment is maintained and re-validated in accordance with Schedule 1 and 2 in the Maintenance Specifications 2019, approved by the Minister.

Schedule 1 and 2 state:

• Meters for closed conduit works, such as pumps and bores must be checked, maintained and re-validated by a certified meter installer at least once every five years.
• Meters for open conduit works, such as channels or regulators, must be checked, maintained and re-validated by a certified practising hydrographer at least once every 12 months.

Some maintenance activities can be done by water users at any time outside of the regular maintenance intervals.

After your rollout date, you will be required to manually report your water take if you:

• are not required to have a meter
• are required to have a meter but do not use telemetry
• use a single metered work to take water under a water access licence and another right, such as a basic landholder right.

Recording and reporting – unmetered works

^{*Only if the work is used to take both licensed water and under a basic landholder right or another licence exemption.}

Recording and reporting – metered works without telemetry

^{*Only if the work is used to take both licensed water and under a basic landholder right or another licence exemption.}

Recording and reporting – metered works that take BLR

^{*Only if the work is used to take both licensed water and under a basic landholder right or another licence exemption.}

Water take recording and reporting forms are available on the WaterNSW website.

If the reporting requirements apply to you, you will need to report every month even if you do not take water.

However, you will not need to report for a period of up to six months if:

• before the period, you are to notify WaterNSW to confirm that you do not intend to take water for that period
• after the period, you are to notify WaterNSW to confirm that you did not actually take water in that period.

If you take water during this period, you will revert to monthly reporting requirements.