Tasmania
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Water Licence
A water licence specifically states and provides approval for where you are allowed to take water from in Tasmania. This includes any river, stream, creek or in-stream dam within your property boundary that connects to other watercourses in the catchment.
You must have a water licence to take, trap or store water for the use of watering stock for commercial sale or for crop irrigation.
Water Allocation
A water allocation provides how much water you can use/take in a specific period of time. If you intende to draw water from any water body other than an isolated land based dam for commercial farming purposes, you must also have a water allocation (specific megalitre limit stated on your licence). Under Section 59 of the Water Management Act 1999 (Tas), conditions on a water allocation may relate to the area that the water is able to be taken from, the area the water is to be used on, the specific purpose for which the water may be used and/or that the water is only to be taken to fill a specific dam.
A water allocation can be obtained through application to the Minister, or by transferring water from another licence.
You can hold a water licence without necessarily having a water allocation but you cannot have a water allocation without holding a water licence.
Once a person has established a water allocation under the Water Management Act 1999 (Tas), an allocation may be attached to the water licence held by the individual/entity/company. A water allocation can be obtained by either establishing a right to take water from the stream at the licence location, or by transferring water from another licence.
Water Rights in Tasmania
Tasmania’s Water Legislation
In conjunction with the Water Act 2007 (Cth), water in Tasmania is governed by the Water Management Act 1999 (Tas).
6. Objectives of Act
(1) The objectives of this Act are to further the objectives of the resource management and planning system of Tasmania as specified in Schedule 1 and in particular to provide for the use and management of the freshwater resources of Tasmania having regard to the need to –(a) promote sustainable use and facilitate economic development of water resources; and(b) recognise and foster the significant social and economic benefits resulting from the sustainable use and development of water resources for the generation of hydro-electricity and for the supply of water for human consumption and commercial activities dependent on water; and(c) maintain ecological processes and genetic diversity for aquatic and riparian ecosystems; and(d) provide for the fair, orderly and efficient allocation of water resources to meet the community's needs; and(e) increase the community's understanding of aquatic ecosystems and the need to use and manage water in a sustainable and cost-efficient manner; and(f) encourage community involvement in water resource management.(2) It is the obligation of the Minister, the Secretary, a water entity and any other person on whom a function is imposed or a power is conferred under this Act to perform the function or exercise the power in such a manner as to further the objectives specified in subsection (1) and in Schedule 1 .
