The following can be attributed to Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, Dr Simon Banks:
I am pleased to announce that planned watering actions using Commonwealth licences can start in some New South Wales (NSW) Murray–Darling Basin catchments.
This significant progress follows the temporary statewide pause on Commonwealth environmental watering actions I announced on 18 August 2025: Statement on Commonwealth environmental watering and non-urban water metering in New South Wales.
The decision to lift the pause in some circumstances follows careful consideration and analysis of the regulatory requirements of each Commonwealth environmental watering action. This included engagement with the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) on how held environmental water is currently interpreted under NSW law, including the NSW Non-Urban Water Metering Policy.
I am now satisfied that our regulatory obligations can be met for planned in-stream, within-channel watering actions in the Barwon–Darling, Lower Darling and Murray. I am also pleased to be able to progress important watering actions in the Macquarie Marshes and the Murrumbidgee.
I welcome NSW’s tabling of the Water Management (General) Amendment (Water Return Flow Rules and Exemptions) 2025 which I expect will enable further actions to resume in the coming weeks. This will allow actions that include regulated overbank flows and wetland inundation to proceed.
While this is good news for the environment and NSW communities, it is likely that some Commonwealth watering actions will need to remain paused for some time, while NSW works to ensure metering compliance or alternative measurement methods are assured for remaining actions. These important regulatory requirements also provide us with assurance we are receiving the volume of water ordered when and where plants and animals need it most.
We will continue to provide fortnightly updates on planned watering actions on our water by region map. The next update is due the week commencing 15 September.
Stakeholder enquiries can be directed to ewater@dcceew.gov.au.
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