Water share

A water share is a legally recognised, secure share of the water available to be taken from a water system. It can be traded permanently or leased.

A former water right or take and use licence is converted straight into a high-reliability water share. One hundred megalitres (ML) of water right becomes 100 ML of high-reliability water share.

Seasonal allocations will depend on how much water is available. During a drought the seasonal water allocation might be only 50 per cent. This means a person with a 100 ML high-reliability water share will be allocated 50 ML of water use in the drought year.

Access to sales water has been converted into a low-reliability water share with the volume  scaled down to more closely match the water available .

As a result of a landmark sales water agreement between the Government and farmers in northern Victoria, 20 per cent of the new entitlements were given to the environment.

Delivery share

Delivery share provides an entitlement to have water delivered to land in an irrigation district. When a delivery system is congested it provides a share of the available water flow.

The delivery share is linked to land and stays with the property if the water share is traded away.

Irrigators who do not need part or all of their delivery share can either:

• continue paying to maintain and renew the delivery system’s infrastructure, or
• pay a termination fee and surrender part or all of their delivery share.

Water-use licence

A water-use licence allows an irrigator to use water for irrigation. It reflects existing water-use conditions, includes an annual use limit and recognises existing approved drainage.

A water-use licence is attached to a specific parcel or parcels of land. It runs with the land if the land is sold, unless part of the property is sold separately.