Water Act 1992

The Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, declare one or more water allocation plans in respect of all or part of a water control district.

The Minister must specify the period (not longer than 10 years) that a water allocation plan is to remain in force.

The Minister must ensure that a review of a water allocation plan is conducted at intervals not longer than 5 years.

Water resource management in a water control district is to be in accordance with any water allocation plan declared in respect of the district.

The water allocation plans for a water control district are to ensure that:

water is allocated within the estimated sustainable yield to beneficial uses; and

the total water use for all beneficial uses (including those provided through rural stock and domestic use and licences granted under sections 45 and 60) is less than the sum of the allocations to each beneficial use; and

as far as possible – the full cost for water resources management is to be recovered through administrative charges to licensees and operational contributions from licensees.

An allocation under subsection (5)(a) is to include an allocation to the environment.

An allocation under subsection (5)(a) is to include an