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Government of Western Australia Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
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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

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Rural water support

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

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

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Meeting demand

Information about how we work with government, water service providers, industry and communities to identify water demand management and supply options that enable sustainable water use.

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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.

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Current legislation

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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.

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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.

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

For information on groundwater, garden bores and waterwise gardens please visit our Be Groundwater Wise website. You can find questions and answers about garden bores,

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.

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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

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.

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Murray drainage and water management plan

The Murray drainage and water management plan contains principles, strategies and tools to achieve best water resource management practices for the Murray area.4.2.4R

The study area comprises a series of inter-connected wetlands, lakes, rivers and groundwater aquifers that contribute to the highly complex and internationally important hydrological and ecological system of the Peel-Harvey estuary catchment. The main environmental condition of the plan area, particularly during winter, is one of excess water, coupled with limited availability of allocated water resources that are traditionally considered useable.

The plan area contains land which, if developed, could result in residential areas that are prone to seasonal inundation by shallow groundwater, significant flooding during major storm events and at risk of flooding from extreme tidal conditions and storm surges.

Historically, such areas were bypassed for urban development in favour of higher, drier easier prospects.

The Department of Water considers that, with sufficient initiative, effort and investment, it may be possible to overcome these considerable challenges and the landscape may become suitable to support urban development, from a water management perspective, provided that the principles and strategies in this document are adhered to.

The draft plan was made available for public comment in late 2010. The comments and the Department of Water's responses are detailed in the Murray  drainage and water management plan: Statement of response.

A DVD with the DWMP, statement of response and supporting technical studies and current flood mapping (Oct 2011) is available from the Department of Water (Mandurah Regional office, head office) and Shire of Murray.

Managed aquifer recharge

Stormwater has the potential to become an asset for local communities, as a water supply for industry, public open spaces, sporting fields and private gardens.

The Feasibility of managed aquifer recharge using drainage water study outlines the potential of the confined Cattamarra Aquifer for storing harvested stormwater of a suitable quality. You can also find regulatory requirements in the department's The managed aquifer recharge policy and how it may be used for storing recycled water.


Publications

Murray drainage and water management plan

Murray drainage and water management plan: Statement of response

Murray hydrological studies: Conceptual model report

Murray hydrological studies: Land development, drainage & climate scenario report

Murray hydrological studies: Acid sulfate soil risk assessment and hydrochemistry

Related publications

Feasibility of managed aquifer recharge using drainage water

Nambeelup groundwater modelling report

4.2.4Q

Page last updated - 13 Jun 2022
Related publications

Murray hydrological studies: Conceptual model report

Murray hydrological studies: Land development, drainage & climate scenario report

Murray hydrological studies: ASS risk assessment and hydrochemistry

Feasibility of managed aquifer recharge using drainage water

Nambeelup groundwater modelling report

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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 contact the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation to clarify any specific information.

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