Water Act 1989

An Authority must prepare a permanent water saving plan and submit that plan to the Minister for approval on or before the date specified by the Minister.

The Minister may, by notice served on the Authority, give directions or issue guidelines concerning the form of, and the information to be contained in, such a plan.

In preparing a plan, an Authority must—

comply with any written directions; and

have regard to any written guidelines—

Without limiting subsection (2), a plan must contain a Schedule setting out restrictions or prohibitions on the use of water in any area, or a specified part of any area, in respect of which the Authority has the function of providing a water supply system.

Without limiting subsection (4), a restriction may require a use of water to be approved by a specified person or a specified class of person.

Before submitting a plan to the Minister under subsection (1), an Authority must ensure that a notice in accordance with subsection (7) is published in the Government Gazette and a newspaper circulating generally in any area capable of being affected by the plan.

A notice must—

summarise the restrictions and prohibitions proposed by the plan;

specify where a copy of the proposed plan can be obtained;

invite public comments or submissions within such time (being not less than 28 days from the latest day on which the notice is published under subsection (6)) as is specified in the notice.

An Authority must ensure that all comments and submissions received before the date specified in the notice in response to the notice are considered, and any variations to the proposed plan that the Authority thinks fit are made, before the proposed plan is submitted to the Minister under subsection (1).

An Authority must adopt a plan as approved by the Minister under subsection (1).