Water assist
Not sure where to start with your water licence or approval enquiry?
Water Assist is an easy step-by-step tool to help you find the information and support you need for water licensing and approvals.
About the Customer Portal
The Customer Portal is a digital platform for customers to lodge, track and manage a new water supply work and/or water use approval. These approvals permit the applicant to take, obtain or use water from surface and groundwater sources.
Customers can also:
- Register a business/organisation to view and manage new and existing water supply work and/or water use approvals and view water access licences
- Update and manage business /organisation details and users
- Update the status of water supply work and/or use approvals.
The Customer Portal is being developed and released to customers in stages. More licence and approvals will be added to the Customer Portal over time. The Customer Portal is an initiative of the department and WaterNSW to make it easier, faster and more efficient for our customers to do business with us.
The Customer Portal is one of three online portals for department customers to manage water licence and approval applications:
- NSW Planning Portal – for integrated development referrals and controlled activity approval applications
- Major Projects Portal – for State significant development and Infrastructure applications
- Customer Portal – for new water supply work and/or water use approvals applications
Who can use the Customer Portal?
The Customer Portal is currently available to the following customers of the department (and representatives acting on their behalf):
- Councils
- Mining corporations
- Irrigation corporations
If you are one of these customers, please read the information below at: How to use the Customer Portal
The Customer Portal is currently NOT available to the following department customers (and representatives acting on their behalf):
- State or Commonwealth government agency or authority
- Major utilities, water supply authorities
- Aboriginal communities, organisations and businesses.
If you are one of these customers, please continue to make applications for water supply work and/or water use approvals and other licences and approvals using the PDF application forms and processes:
- Water supply work and/or water use
- Zero share water access licence
- Specific purpose access licence
- Water Act 1912 licence
- Flood work approval
If you are not sure whether to use the Customer Portal we encourage you to check before you start an application by:
- contacting us at: water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au or 1300 081 047
- using the Water Assist e-tool to find out the information and support you need for water licencing and approvals.
WaterNSW issues licences and approvals to all other applicants.
WaterNSW issues licences and approvals to all other applicants. Find more information at: WaterNSW
To learn more about the role of each NSW Water agency with licences and approvals see: Water agencies
What licences/approvals can I apply for on the Customer Portal?
You can apply for the following licences and approvals on the Customer Portal:
- A new water supply work and/or water use approval – available to all WaterNSW customers and some department customers – councils, mining corporations and irrigation corporations. Find out more at: Who can use the Customer Portal?
- A basic landholder rights (BLR) bore approval, amend an existing approval or update the classification of unintended work/s – available to all WaterNSW customers. Further information at: WaterNSW.
The Customer Portal does not currently support these licence and approvals:
- Extend, amend, surrender or make active/inactive an existing water supply work and/or use approval
- Zero share water access licence
- Specific purpose access licence
- Water Act 1912 licence
- Flood work approval
Applications for these licences and approvals can be made using the PDF application forms and processes.
The following information is for eligible customers of the department that want to register on the Customer Portal or apply for a new water supply work and/or water use approval on the Customer Portal.
How to use the Customer Portal
Before you start:
- The Customer Portal cannot be used on mobile devices including smart phones, tablets and iPads. Please use your desktop or laptop computer and we suggest using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge web browsers for the best experience of the Customer Portal.
- Before applying for a new water supply works and/or use approval, you need to register your business/organisation on the Customer Portal by creating a business account (see instructions below).
- Creating a business account on the Customer Portal is a two-step process. You need to register the business/organisation and then register the business/organisation representatives – see instructions below.
- The term ‘business account’ is used to describe a business or organisation.
- WaterNSW is managing Customer Portal registrations for both WaterNSW and the department. You may receive correspondence from WaterNSW to verify your identity as part of the registration process. Once your registration is complete, all further correspondence regarding your water licence or approval applications will be sent by the department.
Create a business account on the Customer Portal
Follow the instructions in the guide and accompanying video: How to register an account on the Customer Portal
Step 1. Register a business/organisation
Please contact us when you are ready to create a business account and we will help you do this: water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au or 1300 081 047.
Step 2. Register an individual
Once your business/organisation is registered on the Customer Portal, all nominated representatives will receive an email inviting them to register as an individual on the Customer Portal. This will allow you to view and manage your business/organisation account.
Before you start:
- You will be asked to provide proof of identification, for example, a copy of your driver’s licence, to verify you are a person. Once you are verified, all proof of identification is deleted from the Customer Portal.
- Use your work email address e.g. Council email address
- Use your work mobile phone number – you will be required to have 2 factor authentication when using the system
- Verification for the department's customers is completed by WaterNSW.
Apply for a new water supply works and/or use approval
Before you start:
- Your business/organisation must be registered on the Customer Portal before you can apply for a new approvals, view and manage your existing approvals and licences and manage your account users, authorised signatories and consultant applicants. See registration instructions above
- When using the Customer Portal, you will be asked a few questions that determine the type of approval you need and which agency is responsible for managing your application
- Payment of application fees: The Customer Portal accepts payment by card (Visa, Mastercard and American Express) and BPAY.
Steps:
- Get everything ready using the checklist below
- Complete an application online
- Get consent and signatures
Checklist:
You will need to have the following information available:
- Property address or Lot/DP where the proposed work will be located.
- Proof of identification i.e. driver’s licence
- Details of the person/s listed as owner/s in the land title - you will need to provide personal information for each applicant - full legal name as shown on your proof of identification, address and date of birth. If you are a lawful occupier, include your lease agreement.
- If you are an organisation or company, we require the details of all individuals authorised to execute documents on behalf of the organisation or company, as well as one primary contact person.
- Professional service providers or agents will be required to submit documentation of their credentials.
- You will need to select an exact location on a map for the proposed work.
Please note: Any sensitive information collected, including personal documentation, is either securely stored or removed at the completion of the verification process.
Before applying for a new water supply works and/or use approval, you need to register your business/organisation on the Customer Portal by creating a business account (see instructions above).
Apply for a new water supply work and/or water use approval on the Customer Portal
Customer support
For help using the Customer Portal to register or apply for a new water supply work and/or water use approval, we can support you in the following ways:
Co-browsing
Share your screen with us in real time.
Click on the blue Support tab on the left-hand side of the Customer Portal screen.
Note: our staff will only be able to see the Customer Portal screen and cannot see or access any other information on your screen or device.
How-to videos and guides
How to register in the Customer Portal
How to apply for a water supply works approval in the Customer Portal
How to map a dam, pump, pipeline or water work in the Customer Portal
Note: The videos provide indicative instructions only. Use the guides for step-by-step instructions.
Terms of Use
The Customer Portal is subject to the following Terms of Use.
By using the Portal you will be deemed to have accepted and agreed to be bound by the Terms of Use.
These Terms of Use may be amended at any time. You are encouraged to periodically refer to the Terms of Use to ensure that you are aware of any changes. Subsequent or continuing use of a Portal will constitute acceptance of any change to the Terms of Use