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Government of Western Australia Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
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Planning for the future Show Sub Nav
Finding water Finding Water

Finding new water resources, including Royalties for Regions-funded programs and other drilling programs to explore resources across the state.

Water allocation plans Photo from consultation for the Gingin groundwater allocation plan

Information about allocation plans, which set out how much water can be reliably taken from groundwater and surface water sources for productive purposes while ensuring the sustainability of the resource and protection of the water-dependent environment.

Meeting demand 1.3.1 Crop irrigation

Information about ensuring sustainable water supplies for the state’s population and industries, including the Water for Growth and Water for Food programs.

Rural water support Rural Assistance

Click here to apply for rebates and grants for farmers, pastoralists and rural communities to improve local water supplies and for information about assistance to help farmers access water during dry seasons.

Flood planning and mapping Meeting demand

Information, advice and management of flood plans based on flood behaviour research and floodplain mapping for the state's major rivers.

Water and land use planning Narrows Bridge

Integrated water and land use planning based on the principles of total water cycle management.

Innovation

The Department of Water invites you to share your ideas on creating innovative solutions to water challenges.

Licensing Show Sub Nav
Water licensing Water Licensing

Licences and how to apply, licensing policies, forms to download and answers to questions frequently asked by current and prospective licensees.

Water trading Water Trading

Find out who is eligible to trade water entitlements and how applications are assessed. Click here to identify potential trading partners from the Water Register.

Metering and measurement

Metering and measuring the water you take helps you understand your water usage to make the most of your entitlements and reduce your overall costs.

Water licensing fees

New fees for water licence and permit applications are being introduced to the mining and public water supply sectors from the 13 November 2018, post

Legislation Show Sub Nav
Current legislation Current Legislation

Current legislation for which the Department of Water assists the Minister for Water. Click here for current WA legislation.

Water reform

We are updating our policy and legislation to deliver water resource management legislation that is flexible, progressive and capable of managing water today and in the future.

Urban water Show Sub Nav
Water services Water Services

Legislation and policy for Western Australia’s water service providers.

Urban development Urban Development

Planning and managing water to enable growing, liveable water smart towns and cities.

Drinking water Mundaring Weir

Protecting and managing public drinking water source areas including policies relating to public drinking water source areas, water source protection plans, water quality strategies and management and review processes.

Sprinkler restrictions Water Restrictions

Click here for information about sprinkler restrictions in Western Australia for scheme water and garden bore users. Includes area maps, rostered days and exemptions.

Recycling and efficiency Recycling

Information about wastewater recycling, water efficiencies and the use of fit-for-purpose water. Recycling is encouraged whenever it is socially, economically and environmentally acceptable to make smart use of waste water for the ongoing development of the State.

Bores Domestic Garden Watering

Garden bores are small domestic groundwater bores for private garden irrigation. Click here for more information about your garden bore, licence exemptions and being ‘bore water-wise’ in your garden.

Water topics Show Sub Nav
Groundwater Ground Water

Information on the state’s groundwater resources, locations, investigations, aquifer recharge and sustainable management of water resources, including an overview of state groundwater investigations.

Surface water Surface Water

Surface water, like rivers and streams used for public water supply, self-supply, irrigation, recreation and hydropower and rainfall and streamflow monitoring, catchment modelling and flood studies to manage surface water.

Water quality Water Quality

Click here for information about water quality, including public drinking water source areas, salinity, brochures, fact sheets and best management practices for various land uses and activities to help protect water quality and public health.

Waterways Rivers and Estuaries

Rivers and estuaries and their importance including information on monitoring and assessing waterways, protecting, understanding, planning, restoring, and risks and threats.

Estuaries

There are 166 estuaries in Western Australia as established through the National Land and Water Resources Audit (NLWRA) 2000, where an estuary is defined as

Irrigation Irrigation

Click here for information on types of irrigators, licenses and the role of irrigation as an economic enabler for industry.

Onshore petroleum and water resources 5.6 Shale_and_tight_gas.jpg

Information on the department’s role in relation to the shale and tight gas industry.

Maps & data Show Sub Nav
Maps Maps

A detailed collection of online atlases and maps with information on the State’s water resources, including depth to groundwater, garden bore suitability, geology and proclaimed management areas.

Monitoring and data Data logger hut

Information and reports collected from the department's extensive State-wide monitoring network, which are provided free for water management, state development and research purposes.

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Water supply planning

Economic growth and a drying climate are major challenges for water resource management and water supply development.

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation carries out water supply planning to identify water demand-supply gaps well before they occur and identify future supply options. We also:

  • provide technical and policy advice to government
  • identify development 'hot spots' and major water supply options to support growth
  • work with government and self-managed water supply stakeholders to ensure demand projections are considered and supply options are planned and implemented in due time
  • work with water service providers to improve the security of town water supplies.

The department provides public information and advice to government on three levels – state, regional and local.

State level

Our new water demand and supply model improves the accuracy of water demand and supply forecasts across the state. This allows us to highlight emerging issues, taking into account trends in economic growth and predictions of a drying climate.

Regional level

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation engages with planning and development agencies to ensure an integrated approach to regional development, land use planning, water planning and infrastructure priorities. We published the Pilbara regional water supply strategy in 2013, the Great Southern regional water supply strategy in 2014 and the Mid West regional water supply strategy in April 2015.

Local level

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation works with government agencies and other organisations to advise on water supply options for developments that are of strategic significance to the state, such as the Ord River irrigation area expansion and heavy industry in Kwinana (Western Trade Coast heavy industry water supply strategy, 2016). Advice may include pre-feasibility and feasibility assessments of water supply options (e.g. Myalup irrigated horticulture managed aquifer recharge prefeasibility study, 2018).

We regulate the sustainable take of water and encourage efficient use of groundwater and surface water resources to meet additional demand. Future water supply options will be identified when this is no longer feasible. New water sources may include those that are not of drinking water quality, but can be utilised in other ways that are ‘fit-for-purpose’, such as using recycled wastewater to irrigate sporting ovals.

Planning hierarchy

Water supply planning can be carried out at different geographic and time scales and at different levels of detail.

The strategic scale covers large geographic areas and looks further into the future, where a wider range of options can be considered. At smaller scales and closer timeframes, fewer options may be available or appropriate, and the costs and benefits can be assessed in greater detail and with more certainty.

Roles and responsibilities

In addition to our legislative functions, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation coordinates cross-agency advice on future water demand and water supply options,  including:

  • policy direction and advice on the best use of the state's water resources
  • advice on how much water is available and how demand will change in the short, medium and long-term
  • advice on water supply options to meet current and future water needs.

Water service providers and self-supplied water users also have roles and responsibilities in water supply planning and development.

Department of Water and Environmental Regulation

Water service providers

Self-supplied water users

Geographic scale of planning

State, regional and local

Regional scheme or development

Site and property

Water uses covered

All water uses

Town scheme water (potable, domestic, commercial, institutional, industrial)

Irrigation scheme water (non-potable, agriculture)

Mining, agriculture, industry, domestic, commercial, parks and gardens

Scale and range of water supply options assessed

All realistic major options meeting legislative requirements and government policy objectives

Range of feasible options leading to a preferred option to meet policy and commercial objectives

Small range or preferred option to meet commercial objectives or private needs

Type of water resource investigations

Water yield, quality and sustainability of water resources

Water yield and quality at a range of locations to meet licensing requirements and scheme needs

Water yield and quality at specific locations to meet licensing requirements and commercial or private needs

Role in supplying water

Setting sustainable limits on water abstraction

Licensing abstraction from water resources

Constructing source and scheme infrastructure and supplying customers

Constructing infrastructure for private use


Page last updated - 28 May 2018


Contact us

Contact your local office

Contact us

Supply planning enquiries

supply.planning@dwer.wa.gov.au

Related publications

Myalup irrigated horticulture managed aquifer recharge – Prefeasibility study (Report summary, 2018)

Western Trade Coast heavy industry local water supply strategy (2016)

Water for Growth: Urban (2016)

Securing water resources for the South West (2015)

Mid West regional water supply strategy (2015)

Great Southern regional water supply strategy (2014)

Water for Growth (2014)

Pilbara regional water supply strategy (2013)

Predicting the future demand for water resources in WA (2010)

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The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation was established by the Government of Western Australia on 1 July 2017. It is a result of the amalgamation of the Department of Environment Regulation, Department of Water and the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority. This website/publication may contain references to previous government departments and programs. Please email the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation to clarify any specific information.

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