Water levy

About the water levy

The water levy is payable on water allocated to the mining, energy, gas and petroleum sector (collectively called industrial licences), for town water suppliers, irrigators and for commercial operations, such as tourist park operators in the Far North Wells Prescribed Area. The water levy is not payable on water licences held for stock and domestic use. Anyone who has a water management authorisation including a water licence or a water access entitlement contributes to the water levy.

How is the water levy collected?

The water levy is collected by the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) and provided to the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board.

Anyone who has a water management authorisation (water licence or water access entitlement) is invoiced annually in July by DEW.

How is the water levy calculated?

Water licence holders contribute to the water levy by paying a levy based on the number of entitlement shares or allocation volume held on their water licence at 1 July each year.

The levy payable in the Far North Prescribed Wells Area is calculated using the water allocation as endorsed on the water licence, or the volume of water authorised to be taken under an authorisation issued pursuant to section 105 of the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.

The applicable rates are provided in the below table (correct as at 1 July 2024).

The levy does not apply where:

• the water is taken from the Stock and Domestic Consumptive Pool;

• the water is taken from the Cultural Water Consumptive Pool;

• the water is taken from the All Purpose Consumptive Pool for bore-fed wetlands or recreational use;

• the water is authorised under section 105 of the Landscape South Australia Act 2019 and the authorisation is listed on page 40 of the Water Allocation Plan for the Far North Prescribed Wells Area adopted on 28 February 2021.

For more information on your water licence or invoice contact the DEW Water Licensing Team on 8463 6876 or DEWwaterlicensing@sa.gov.au