Amendments to Dairy Shed Water Licence Transition Program
In light of the amendments described below, the amnesty to apply to licence your current dairy shed water use is extended until 23 April 2010.
Metering
Previously every new licence had to be metered.
Now water corporations have discretion over whether a meter is required for new licences for surface water under 10 million litres or groundwater under 20 million litres.
Fees
Goulburn-Murray Water has reduced its application fees. If you are a Goulburn-Murray Water customer you should contact the corporation for the revised fees.
Those dairy farmers who have already applied and paid a higher application fee will have the balance refunded.
Farm dams
More flexible licensing requirements are available for dairy farmers using water from farm dams.
The volume on an existing farm dam registration licence can be amended without converting it to a Section 51 licence, affecting the term of the licence or incurring ongoing fees and charges.
If you need to apply for a new licence for water used from a farm dam you may apply for either:
- a conditional s.51 surface water licence, or
- a s.51 surface water licence.
A conditional s.51 licence:
- is exempt from ongoing fees and charges
- must be renewed after 15 years. Renewal fees may apply
- can only be transferred after conversion to a s51 licence and payment of the applicable fee
- will not be metered.
If you have recently applied for a s.51 for your farm dam, but would like to change to a conditional licence, you should contact your water authority to amend your application and receive a refund for licence fees paid.
A s.51 licence attracts fees and charges, is liable to be metered and is tradeable.
Please contact your water corporation if you have questions.
Contact details
Southern Rural Water – www.srw.com.au 1300 139 510
Goulburn-Murray Water – www.g-mwater.com.au 1800 013 357 (toll free) or (03) 5833 5500
Lower Murray Water – www.lmw.vic.gov.au (03) 5051 3400
Grampians-Wimmera-Mallee Water – www.gwmwater.org.au 1300 659 961
Melbourne Water – www.melbournewater.com.au 131 722
For more information on the transition program call the DSE/DPI Customer Service Centre on 136 186.