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DWE Home > Home > Water Management > Water access and trade > Water Resource Management pricing and IPART

Water access and trade

Measuring Licensed Water Extraction and Two-Part Unregulated Tariff (TPUT)

Effective water management requires accurate and reliable information on the amount of water extracted by water users.

NSW standards for water extraction

The NSW Water Extraction Monitoring Policy (PDF file) addresses the use of water meters and other monitoring techniques in NSW. In addition, the Department of Water and Energy (in conjunction with State Water) has developed the NSW Water Extraction Monitoring Standards (PDF file)–(RTF file) which set criteria for the installation of water measurements devices.

National standards for water extraction

National standards for water meters are currently being developed under the National Water Initiative, and will apply to meters that are installed after the date that the national standard commences.

New "Two-Part Unregulated Tariff"

In September 2006, IPART made a determination (IPART 2006 Determination) that impacts on the current tariff structure for licensed irrigators on unregulated rivers.

Irrigators with entitlement-based licences and who already have their own meters, may now 'Elect' to be charged on a Two-Part Unregulated Tariff (TPUT), which is similar to the two-part tariff for town and industry customers on unregulated rivers. This is instead of the default one-part unregulated tariff (OPUT).

Irrigators who elect to be charged on a TPUT basis will be required to supply regular water meter readings to the Department. A Water Information eXchange (WIX) is being developed to provide several methods to assist irrigators in supplying such water meter readings to the Department.

Who can elect to be charged on a TPUT basis?

If you are an irrigator and hold a water licence (under either the Water Act 1912 or the Water Management Act 2000) on an unregulated river and believe that you have, or intend to install, a meter which satisfies the Department's requirements you may Elect to apply for the TPUT.

This option only applies to licences held for irrigation and does not apply, for example, to licences held for domestic and stock use or for town water supply.

What is an "unregulated" river?

In NSW a regulated river is one that has been declared by the Minister, and includes those rivers with major storages which provide water mainly for irrigation. All other rivers are unregulated.

What is a satisfactory meter?

Any water meter that is not installed in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications is unlikely to be approved by the Department.  Checks and inspections may also be undertaken by the Department to ensure that a meter is satisfactory and is giving accurate readings.

How to elect?

Irrigators who wish to Elect to be charged on the basis of the TPUT must fill out the Election to be Billed Form and return it to their local office of the Department.

The Department will send an information sheet (to accompany the 2005/06 water bills) to all irrigators on unregulated rivers advising them of IPART's determination.

Once an Election to move to the TPUT basis of charging has been made, an irrigator may NOT revert back to the OPUT basis (ie the Election is a one-way process).

What if an irrigator does not have a meter?

There is no need to take any action, and the licensee will continue to be charged on the basis of their entitlement volume or area. In the future the Department may seek to improve water usage monitoring in unregulated river systems, and may advise licensees of the activation of a condition on their licence that requires a meter to be installed.

Once a meter is installed, the licensee can then make application to the Department to be charged on the TPUT.

What if no election is made at the present time?

The licensee will continue to be charged on the basis of their entitlement volume or area.  An application to Elect to be charged on the TPUT can be made at some time if the future if desired.