Water Act and Regulations

The Australian Water Act was introduced in 2007 as a national framework for the management of Murray-Darling Basin water resources. The Water Regulations 2008 support the Act with guidance on how its provisions shall be applied. The Act, which is administered by the Commonwealth water minister, has the following objectives:

• Return the Basin to environmentally sustainable levels for extraction of water resources;
• Give effect to relevant international agreements;
• Promote the use and management of Basin water resources in a way that optimises economic, social and environmental outcomes;
• Protect, restore and provide for the ecological values of the Basin;
• Ensure information is available on Australia’s water resources.

Want to know more about this policy ? Learn more