Non-urban metering

Use the graphic below to determine what your metering requirements are.

For further assistance using the NSW Water Register, please view the information listed under 'how do I find my entitlement' below. Watch the NSW Water Register video to learn how to view water access licence and approval details and conditions.

Alternatively, you can also use the NSW Government's online metering guidance tool to see if, and how, the rules apply to you.

To find the information relevant to your metering requirements, you can search the NSW Water Register. To locate both your cumulative entitlement and authorised work size, you will need to search the NSW Water Register.

Before using the NSW Water Register, you will need to locate your work approval number. You can find your work approval on your WaterNSW invoice.

Step 1: Open the NSW Water Register and click ‘I want information about a particular water licence or approval (including conditions)’.

Step 2: Select ‘Approval issued under the Water Management Act 2000’, type in your approval number and click search.

Step 3: Your authorised work size will be located under ‘Description’. If the authorised size is less than 100mm in diameter for surface water pumps or less than 200mm in diameter for groundwater bores, you are exempt from non-urban metering requirements. Take note of your water access licence numbers listed under the approval.

Step 4: If you do not have a size-based exemption, you will need to search each of your licences on the NSW Water Register to find the entitlement associated with them. First you will need to click ‘I want information about a particular water licence or approval (including conditions)’.

Step 5: Select ‘Water access licence (WAL) issued under the Water Management Act 2000’ and type in your WAL and click ‘search’.

Step 6: You will notice under the search results the ‘share components’, which outlines the entitlement for that licence.

Step 7: You will need to add up all share components for each licence listed on the approval to understand what your cumulative entitlement is. Your requirements are tied to your approval, not each individual water access licence.

Water users in this category are exempt from metering. An unintended work is a work that is listed on a work approval but is not taking licensed water. The work may not be taking licensed water due to several reasons including it has been decommissioned, is inactive, has not been constructed or is not taking from a water source – including taken under basic landholder rights (BLR).

Water users in this category are not required to physically modify the work to make them incapable of taking licensed water, but it does enable the Minister to amend a water supply work approval to categorise it as an unintended work.

Water users will have a condition on their licences prohibiting them to take water if it is indicated as a work that falls into a category above.

Water users not nominated by licensed water entitlements have no change. They are not required to meter.

Exemptions have been established for types of water take that are considered ‘low risk’. This includes:

• works that take water solely for basic landholder rights.
• works that are not nominated by water access licences.
• works that are classified as unintended (e.g. not constructed, not capable of taking water, inactive or decommissioned).
• single surface water pumps less than 100mm in diameter and single groundwater bores with external casing less than 200mm in diameter, and multiple works that fall below cumulative size thresholds.
• works associated with entitlements that only take a low volume of water: in the order of up to 15 ML per year of cumulative share component (or equivalent).
• multiple sized-based thresholds for pumps and bores - If there is more than one pump or bore on a property, the following size exemptions apply:

For further information on these exemptions, please visit the NSW DCCEEW website.

Groundwater sources previously listed in Schedule 9 of the regulation – sometimes referred to at-risk water sources – have been removed until more accurate information is available to address these water sources.

Water users within these 53 groundwater sources must continue to record and report their water take, as outlined within the above categories. For example, if your bore is 200mm or more in diameter and your entitlement is 100ML or more, you are required to install an AS4747 meter with a LID and telemetry.

When NSW DCCEEW has more data, they will consider whether there will be an additional criterion for identifying at-risk water sources and would require all water supply works to be metered, with no exemptions.

After each rollout date, all water users, even those who have installed a meter, may have ongoing recording and reporting requirements that are required under clauses 244, 244A and 250 of the Water Management (General) Regulation 2018. You will find more information and resources on our recording and reporting webpage, such as your requirements, our new megalitre calculator and videos to help you to record and report correctly.

To help you stay on top of your monthly or annual reporting requirements, you can now sign-up to our complimentary SMS reminder service.

As part of the non-urban metering framework, WaterNSW will continue to manage the compliance and ongoing maintenance of existing government-owned meters.

If you are currently using a government-owned meter, we’ll be in touch before your rollout date. However, if you have any questions regarding your government-owned meter, please contact us on 1300 662 077 or email meter.maintenance@waternsw.com.au

If you no longer want WaterNSW to provide and manage your government-owned meter, please complete this online opt-out form and we will contact you to discuss the next steps. Please note if you opt-out of the government-owned meter program you will be responsible for your metering equipment and ongoing compliance obligations, which includes engaging your own DQP.

You can find more information using our:

• Government-owned meter - fact sheet
• Government-owned meter - meter service charge fact sheet
• Government-owned meter - buried meter fact sheet
• Government-owned meter - S91i process fact sheet

It is your responsibility to check whether the size and type of work installed on your property is the same as what is listed on your approval. You can view your approval details by visiting the NSW Water Register.

Notify us

Some water users may have works installed which are smaller than what is listed on their approval. Under recent amendments to the metering regulations water users can now notify us of the actual size of their work if it is smaller than what is listed on their approval. This means that you will be required to comply with the installed size, not the size listed on your approval. Approval holders must also notify the department within 90 days if they demolish a work that is smaller than what is authorised on their work approval but then construct a different sized work – refer to clause 248A in the regulation.

Notify us of a smaller work

Please note: By notifying us that you have a smaller work installed than what is listed on your approval does not amend your approval. Therefore, the fee associated with amending a work approval does not apply.

What if your work is larger than what is listed on your approval?

If your work is larger than what is listed on your approval, you are in breach of your approval conditions and may be subject to NRAR compliance checks.

You can apply to amend your approval to increase the authorised work size here. However please note, this is subject to the regular assessment process.