FAQs - Multiple applicants groundwater

You can use Water Applications Online to apply for a new approval for one or more water supply works to take groundwater under a domestic and stock right or to amend an existing approval.

All land owners listed on the Land Title Certificate or lawful occupiers of the land on which the water supply work is/will be located must be applicants.

However, there are some limitations on who can use our Water Applications Online service

• Who can apply online
  • Up to five people who are land owners or lawful occupiers of the land on which the water supply work is/will be located
• Who cannot apply online and need to download and complete a hard copy application form from our website
  • More than five people who are land owners or lawful occupiers of the land on which the water supply work is/will be located
  • If one of multiple land owners or lawful occupiers of the land is a company/corporation or organisation
  • If one of multiple land owners or lawful occupiers of the land is a government organisation

Download and complete a hard copy form from our website.

If all applicants agree to apply online, there are three main stages to be completed in Water Applications Online.

In summary, one of the applicants will need to start a new application form and complete the required details before the other applicants then review the form and provide consent. Then one of the applicants pays and submits the form.

Step 1: First applicant (Applicant 1) starts a new online application form and provides the required information

• On the Water Applications Online homepage select 'Start new application'
• Read and agree with the terms of use
• Select 'New approval for a water supply work to take groundwater under a domestic and stock right' and read the information about whether you are eligible to apply online
• Complete questions about the number of applicants and land ownership/occupation of the property on which the water supply work is/will be located. If you are a legal occupants of the property you will need to attach documentary evidence (see FAQ 7)
• Enter a valid email address and then verify your email address (see FAQ 4)
• Enter your contact details and specify whether you hold an existing approval or water licence with WaterNSW (see FAQ 6).
• Provide the contact details of all other applicants, including email addresses
• Specify the application contact
• Complete each question in the sections about:
  • The land where the proposed work/s will be located
  • The details of the proposed work/s (see FAQ 9)
  • Environmental-related details (see FAQ 9)
• Attach a map/document with required information about your property (see FAQ 10)
• Provide the name and contact details of the proposed licensed bore driller if known (see FAQ 11)
• Read and 'Accept' the terms in the declaration section. If you do not 'Accept', the application cannot proceed.

Step 2: All other applicants review the completed application form

• After Step 1 is completed all remaining applicants will receive a notification email allowing them to access the application form.
• All other applicants must:
  • (a) Review the details in the application form provided by Applicant 1
  • (b) Specify if they hold an existing approval or water licence with WaterNSW
  • (c) Read and accept the terms in the declaration. If an applicant does not accept the terms in the declaration section, the application cannot proceed.

Note: If an applicant believes any details provided in the application form by Applicant 1 are incorrect, they should decline the terms in the declaration. This will trigger an email to all applicants notifying them to discuss the application and for Applicant 1 to change the details in the application if required (see FAQ 12).

Step 3: One applicant pays & submits the application form

• One applicant (and only one applicant) accesses the application form and pays the application fee in full by credit card using a secure online payment service to complete and submit the application. This can be the last applicant to undertake Step 2 or another applicant who returns to the form. (Note: the application fee is one payment only per application form no matter the number of applicants – see FAQ 20).
• Once payment has been received by WaterNSW, all applicants will be notified by email that the completed application has been submitted.

If you are the first applicant to start the online application form (Applicant 1) you will be asked to enter a valid email address so you can receive email notifications from us regarding the application. You will be asked to verify your email address by clicking on a link in a confirmation email sent to the email address you supplied.

The verification link in the confirmation email will only be valid for 24 hours so if the link does not work when you click on it, restart the application process again by selecting 'Start new application' in Water Applications Online.

If you do not receive a confirmation email in your 'inbox', check to see if it was placed in your 'spam' folder. If the confirmation email is not in your inbox or spam folder, please contact us our Customer Service Centre.

When you click on the verification link you will receive a second email confirming your email address. This confirmation email includes a link you can click on to return to the online application form at any time (see also FAQ 13).

If you are an existing WaterNSW customer, providing the details of an existing water licence or approval issued by WaterNSW will help us identify you and make sure we don't duplicate your customer record in our database.

All owners listed on the Land Title Certificate or all lawful occupiers of the land on which the water supply work is/will be located must be applicants.

Owner of the land

If you are unsure who are the owners of the land you can:

• Check the current local council rate notice for the property
• Undertake a land title search through NSW Land Registry Services (fees apply)

If you do not own the land, but anticipate that you will own the land within a reasonable period of time of the date of application, you should apply using a hard copy application form and attach an explanation of anticipated ownership together with documentary evidence.

Occupier of the land

If the application is made as the lawful occupiers of the land on which the work is/will be located, it is not necessary for the owners of the land to be listed as applicants.

If the application is made as the lawful occupiers, you must attach documentary evidence of lawful occupation, such as a:

• lease agreement (just attach the pages that identify you)
• court order
• easement
• licence or lease over Crown Land
• permissive occupancy

Please note:

• Only the following file types may be attached: .doc; .pdf; .bmp; .png; .jpeg
• File size is limited to 50 MB

Owner & occupier of the land

If your landholding includes a parcel of land you own and a parcel of land where you are the lawful occupiers, and you want to construct a work on the land you own, as well as a work on the land where you are the lawful occupiers, then you will need to indicate on the online form that you are an owner and occupier. You will need to attach documentary evidence of lawful occupation (examples of evidence are listed above).

Most applicants will only be seeking approval for one water supply work to take groundwater under a domestic and stock right. But you can apply to seek approval for more than one water supply work to take groundwater under a domestic and stock right on your landholding. If you apply online, you can seek approval for up to ten water supply works to take groundwater under a domestic and stock right on your landholding. You will need to provide information about each of the works you are seeking approval for.

You will need to provide various information about each proposed work including but not limited to:

• Location
• Type
• Depth of work if a bore
• Supply to other landholders (if applicable)
• Distance from property boundary and any sites of potential contamination
• Environmental issues

Lot/DP

If you are unsure of the Lot/DP you can either:

• Use SIX Maps, Land and Property Information's spatial viewing tool
• Use NSW Globe, Land Property Information's spatial data tool using the Google Earth application
• Undertake a land title search through NSW Land Registry Services (fees apply)
• Check the current local council rate notice for the property

If the work is an excavation

For the purpose of the application, an excavation is a minor work constructed for the purpose of taking groundwater under a domestic and stock right.

If you propose to construct an excavation for a different purpose then you will need to apply for a different type of approval.

For more information on constructing an excavation for the purpose of taking groundwater under a domestic and stock right contact us our Customer Service Centre.

Pumping rate for work

You should provide the maximum pumping rate of the proposed work for taking groundwater, even if you do not plan to operate the work at its maximum rate.

Location from property boundary

You must specify the distance of the proposed work from the property boundary. If a bore is constructed near another existing bore it could have an impact on the existing bore and may affect the level of the water table.

Sites of possible contamination

You must specify the distance of the proposed work from any site of potential contamination that has or may contaminate the groundwater into which the bore will be constructed.

You must not locate a work for taking groundwater near any site of possible contamination which could contaminate the groundwater source. If you propose to construct the work/s near a contaminated site the risk to the groundwater source and the risk to human health must be minimised.

Environmental issues

The information you provide regarding various environmental issues, such as clearing of native vegetation, will assist WaterNSW to undertake an assessment of likely impacts of the water supply work/s during and after construction of the work/s. You may have to seek advice from a suitably qualified person to provide this information if your property is located in a sensitive environment.

You will need to attach a topographic map, aerial photo, farm plan of A3 or A4 size and/or a sketch of your property boundary with the following information:

• Location of property (identifiable by a landmark and with a North arrow included)
• Property boundary
• Location(s) or work(s) proposed in the application
• Location of all existing works on the property. Include bores, pumps, diversion works, storages, channels, flood protection works, etc.
• Location of habitat or vegetation that needs to be cleared or disturbed to construct the proposed work(s).

Note: A photocopy of a topographic map with hand-drawn property boundaries and features is acceptable.

File size/type:

• Only the following file types may be attached: .doc; .pdf; .bmp; .png; .jpeg
• File size is limited to 50 MB

Landholders must engage a driller with a NSW driller's licence of the correct class to construct the bore.

Drillers must sight the landholder's water supply work approval before drilling the bore and must comply with any relevant conditions.

After the bore has been constructed, the driller must complete the Form A – Particulars of completed works providing details of the construction and location of the bore.

The landholder must send the completed Form A to WaterNSW, together with any further information required in the water supply work approval, within two months of completion of the bore.

Find out more information about NSW licensed drillers and the Form A.

If an applicant believes any responses provided in the application form by Applicant 1 are incorrect, they should decline the terms in the declaration. This will trigger an email to all applicants notifying them that they may want to discuss the application and for Applicant 1 to change the details in the application if required.

If the details in the application are to be changed, Applicant 1 should click the link provided in their email and update the appropriate responses.

All other applicants will subsequently receive another notification email and must again review the details in the application form and accept the terms in the declaration for the application to proceed.

If you are Applicant 1 and you're not able to complete the online form in one sitting, click the 'Logout' button (located at the top right on most screens of the application form).

To resume the draft application open up the confirmation email you received after verifying your email address (see FAQ 5) and click on the link to return you to the online application form.

Yes. Once the online payment has been received as part of the application process, the applicant making the payment will be notified on screen that your completed application has been submitted.

Additionally, all applicants will be notified by email that their completed application has been submitted.

The email includes a unique application number that identifies your submitted application.

You can use this application number to view your application (see FAQ 15) and also track the progress of your application (see FAQ 18 and FAQ 19).

Yes. To view your completed application, go to Water Applications Online and select 'View completed application'.

Enter the application number you received by email after the application was submitted.

You cannot make edits to your online application once it has been completed and submitted for processing. If you've submitted your application and need to change it, please contact our Customer Service Centre.

Applications will be assessed according to WaterNSW's assessment procedures. One of our Water Regulation Officers may contact your nominated application contact person if we need more information.

Applications are assessed in five stages. You can check the stage of your application using Water Applications Online (see FAQ 18) or our trackNOW phone app (see FAQ 19).

WaterNSW will either determine to grant the application with appropriate conditions or refuse it. Applicants will be notified in writing of the determination and, if granted, a copy of your water supply work statement of approval will also be issued.

To track your submitted application, go to Water Applications Online and select 'Track completed application'

Enter the application number you received by email after the application was submitted.

You can also track your submitted application using our trackNOW iPhone app (see FAQ 19).

To track your submitted application using the trackNOW iPhone app, download the free app from the Apple store.

Enter the application number you received by email after the application was submitted.There are five stages in the assessment of your application. You will be able to see the stage of your application in the table shown on screen. You will also be automatically notified of the progress of your application during the assessment process.

The application fee is one payment per application no matter how many applicants – for example, if there are three applicants the application fee is only paid once by one applicant on behalf of all applicants (and not paid three times by each applicant).

Find more information on application fees.

We only accept MasterCard and Visa credit cards.

The applicant making the payment should print a copy of the receipt/tax invoice that will appear on screen during the payment process. If a receipt page does not appear on screen please contact us our Customer Service Centre.

An approval for a water supply work solely used to take groundwater under a domestic and stock right (other than water from the Great Artesian Basin) has effect until it is cancelled.

If you experience computer problems during a payment transaction, you must restart the transaction process. If you have already progressed to the 'confirmation of payment' screen, you should contact us our Customer Service Centre as your payment may have been processed.

If you experience any difficulties during the online application process and receive an error message you do not understand, you should contact us our Customer Service Centre.

Water Applications Online uses the most up-to-date Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. More information on security is available under Privacy and security.