Water Resources Regulation 2007

The Water Resources Regulation exempts certain activities from the requirements under the Water Resources Act to have a water access entitlement or a bore work licence. It enables the EPA to exempt certain activities from such requirements (or a requirement to have a licence to take water) if satisfied that they would lead to improved environmental outcomes or other public benefit.

The Regulation provides an exemption for:

• the requirement for a water access entitlement in relation to water to be taken from the Cotter water management area if a utility is transferring that water to the Googong water management area
• the requirement to hold a bore work licence for certain specified bore work, including excavation for buildings or swimming pools and trench work for the laying of gas, water or electricity pipes.

Some of the exemptions that the EPA may grant if satisfied that it would lead to improved environmental outcomes (or reduced demand on urban water supply) include:

• an exemption from the requirement for a water access entitlement (in the context of obtaining a licence to take water) where the taking is part of a treated sewage water reuse scheme, and certain criteria are satisfied (s 7)
• an exemption from a requirement to have a licence to take water if the water is to be used for certain purposes including testing a bore, or geothermal heating or cooling (s 6(1)(f)-(g)).