More Time To Have Your Say On Draft Water Sharing Plans

The NSW Government is extending the public exhibition period for 7 draft water sharing plans across regional NSW until early 2025, giving communities even more time to have their say.

**This includes draft plans for: **

• Macquarie/Wambuul Bogan Unregulated Rivers Water Sources
• Gwydir Unregulated River Water Sources
• Murrumbidgee Unregulated River Water Sources
• Namoi and Peel Unregulated Rivers Water Sources
• Lachlan Unregulated River Water Source
• Barwon-Darling Unregulated River Water Source
• Belubula Regulated River Water Source

Residents, farmers, environmental groups, Aboriginal representatives, and all stakeholders can now make submissions until 11.59pm on Friday 10 January 2025 - an extension of 3-4 weeks, depending on the plan.

After listening carefully to community feedback, we have also added an extra submission period for comments on rules for prescribed wetlands, which will be open until 11.59pm on Sunday 2 February 2025.

For more information on these wetlands, we encourage the community to register for a webinar on Monday, 9 December from 12.30-1.30pm. The session will outline the new rules, how they may impact landholders, and the method we used to identify prescribed wetlands within a plan area.

This builds on extensive community engagement which includes 11 faceto-face workshops, 7 webinars and appointments where stakeholders can meet one-on-one with a water planner.

The draft water sharing plans set out clear rules for fair and sustainable water sharing among water users and the environment across the region for the next decade.

This includes limits on how much water can be taken, protecting resources for the environment, basic landholder rights and cultural needs along with providing secure, legal and tradeable water access rights.

They also lay out how much, where and when water can be taken by licence holders.

Communities’ views on the drafts and proposed changes play a critical role and we will carefully consider all feedback before plans go into effect on 1 July 2025.

For more information on the draft plans, visit: https://water.dpie.nsw.gov.au/our-work/plans-and-strategies/water-sharing-plans

NSW DCCEEW Executive Director of Water Planning Giselle Howard said:

“These 7 water sharing plans are incredibly important tools for managing our state’s water resources, and we’re extending the deadline so everyone can have their voices heard.”

• Topics:
• Agriculture / Farming
• Rural Roundup
• Water