NRAR regulates water use across New South Wales to support healthy rivers, thriving communities, strong industries and enduring Aboriginal cultures.
Our Strategic Plan incorporates our:
- Outcomes framework
- Regulatory approach
Together, these explain what we're trying to achieve, how we'll achieve it, and how we'll measure success.
Our purpose
Why water regulation matters
When water laws are followed:
- Rivers and ecosystems are protected
- Communities receive their fair share of water
- Industries can operate with confidence
- Aboriginal cultural values are respected
Our purpose is simple:
To ensure water is used lawfully so communities, industries and the environment get a fair share.
Our vision is:
Sustainable water use through fair and effective regulation.
Our outcomes framework
The outcomes framework supports our Strategy by providing a way to monitor progress across the three outcomes we want to see
- 1. Water users know the rules and how to follow them
- 2. Rule breakers are held to account
- 3. Communities trust that water is regulated fairly
- water users understand the rules
- water users get the fundamentals right
- Higher risk water users comply with the rules
- Water users expect to be caught and penalised if they break the rules
- Unlawful activities are identified
- Rule breakers face proportionate regulatory action
- The public is confident that water laws are enforced
- Water is accurately accounted for
- Improvements to water management legislation are championed
- Staff are culturally capable
- Staff are skilled, knowledgeable and committed to delivering compliance outcomes.
Our regulatory approach
One model – six ways we work
Our regulatory approach brings together six connected ways of working. Together, they help us achieve our vision of sustainable water use through fair and effective regulation.
Most water users want to do the right thing – so we start with education and support, monitor compliance using risk and intelligence, and reserve enforcement for those who break the rules.
Click on a segment of the Q to explore how we regulate water use in NSW
Our 2026-27 Regulatory Plan
The regulatory plan guides and aligns operational activity to deliver on our Outcomes Framework
- Water users know the rules and how to follow them
- Rule breakers are held to account
- Communities trust that water is regulated fairly
We do this through:
- education & guidance
- water user and industry engagement
- compliance programs
- practical tools and resources
- Identify and track current & emerging risks
We do this through:
- inspections
- investigations
- compliance monitoring
- remote sensing and technology
- enforcement and prosecutions
We do this through:
- public reporting
- publishing enforcement outcomes
- policy leadership
- accurate water (data) accounting
- protecting Aboriginal cultural water values
Our regulatory priorities also align with and support our strategic outcomes.
We publish these priorities to:
- let water users know how and where our efforts are focused,
- build and maintain public confidence in water resource management.
What we'll measure
Measuring the difference we make
Our results are measured against our outcomes:
- Water users know the rules and how to follow them
- Rule breakers are held to account
- Communities trust the water is rgulated fairly
Our measures will include:
- Whether water users understand the rules
- Whether people know what their water licence requires them to do
- Whether water users have the right systems and processes in place
- Whether our education and compliance programs help people do the right thing
Our measures will include:
- Whether people think rule-breaking is likely to be detected
- The number of water users we assess and monitor
- The number of potential breaches we identify
- Whether appropriate action is taken when rules are broken
- Whether enforcement action matches the seriousness of the offence
Our measures will include:
- Community confidence that water laws are being enforced
- Whether water use is measured and recorded accurately
- Improvements to water laws and regulations
- Building a skilled, capable and culturally aware workforce
Accountability and transparency
How we'll report
We will publicly report on our performance against the Outcomes Framework to provide a regular health check of our regulatory system.
Reporting will help demonstrate:
- accountability
- transparency
- consistency
- progress against our goals
No single measure tells the whole story. We use a range of indicators together to understand how effectively our regulatory system is working and where improvements are needed.
Our regulatory priority projects
Learn more about where and how we focus our efforts to ensure water laws are followed.
Progress and outcomes
Find our latest compliance reports, progress updates and insights into the risks and issues shaping our regulatory priorities.
Community surveys
Read the results of our regular surveys that provide insights to help inform our activities and priorities.