The Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) has recorded the highest ever number of suspicious activity notifications in a single quarter since it began quarterly reporting in mid-2019.
The latest round of data shows 774 suspicious activity reports were lodged for the period April to June 2022, mostly related to the state's non-urban water metering rules.
Director Regulatory Initiatives Ian Bernard said the increase in reports was driven by NRAR's proactive focus on helping water users comply with the new rules.
"About half of all the reports have been raised by our teams who have been out in the field reviewing and reporting on how water users are complying with these rules," Mr Bernard said.
"We've audited properties with pumps or bores that needed compliant metering equipment by 1 December 2020, as well as 1 December 2021."
"Water users with large pumps or bores across NSW needed to have installed accurate meters that have been independently validated by certified meter installers by 1 December 2020. Most of these pumps are also required to transmit data about water taken to a central database," Mr Bernard said.
"Water users with medium to large-sized pumps or bores in the Macquarie, Gwydir, Namoi, Border Rivers and Barwon-Darling regions needed to have compliant metering equipment by 1 December 2021," he said.
Mr Bernard said water licences in NSW were worth almost $30 billion and meters are the best way to protect this asset on behalf of the people of NSW and the environment.
"We understand some water users are grappling with challenges, but we expect everyone to have made a reasonable effort to comply by their deadline," Mr Bernard explained.
"Our expectation is that water users will have at least a formal agreement or contract with a certified meter installer. Those who can't provide this evidence may receive fines and legal directions to comply."
Water users can check if the new non-urban metering rules apply to their water supply works on the NSW government's online metering guidance tool.
Mr Bernard said a further 25 per cent of the suspicious activity reports for the quarter were the result of regular routine monitoring activities.
The bulk of routine monitoring was concentrated in the Lower North Coast, Hunter, Lachlan, Macquarie-Castlereagh, Murrumbidgee and Murray regions.
"We've got an expanded presence across regional NSW and we're harnessing various kinds of technology to improve our monitoring capacity," Mr Bernard said.
"This means the chances of identifying metering non-compliance have never been higher, but that also gives us a chance to assist people with any challenges they might have."
NRAR's online quarterly reporting tool allows users to see NRAR's enforcement activity data at state, regional and local scale.
The reporting tool reveals that during April to June 2022:
Table 1 NRAR enforcement activity and regional results
NRAR enforcement activities |
Regional results |
177 desktop inspections completed |
Highest number of PINs issued was in the Lower North Coast region (8) |
378 onsite inspections completed |
Highest investigations finalised were in the Namoi region (45) |
289 investigations finalised |
Highest number of warnings/cautions were in the Lower North Coast (7) |
22 formal warnings/cautions issued |
Highest stop work orders/ directions were in the Lower North Coast (17) |
16 Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) issued |
|
28 stop work, enforceable undertakings or other directions issued |
|
9 active prosecutions in court |
Key Facts:
In the April - June 2022 quarter:
NRAR recorded the highest ever number of suspicious activity reports, mostly related to the state's non-urban water metering rules.
The increase in reports has been driven by NRAR's proactive focus on helping water users comply with the new non-urban metering rules.
