NRAR releases spring-summer 2023 water compliance data
The Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) has released compliance data for the spring-summer of 2023 with more than 600 investigations finalised.
Water law compliance data from NRAR's Quarterly Reporting tool shows that from July to December last year, there were:
- 10 active prosecutions in court
- 127 directions, enforceable undertakings and stop work orders issued
- 35 penalty notices issued
- 154 formal warnings and official cautions issued
- 602 investigations finalised
- 1753 suspicious activity reports received
NRAR Chief Regulatory Officer Grant Barnes said publishing compliance data was a crucial part of the regulator's commitment to transparency about its activities.
"This is key to building public confidence in the state's water management system," Mr Barnes said.
"The people of NSW can be confident that NRAR is watching and that rules will be enforced firmly and fairly for communities, industry and the environment," he said.
"However, the data is also reassuring because it confirms that most people follow the rules," Mr Barnes said.
"Across 800,000sqkm of NSW there are 167, 975 licenced works subject to regulation by NRAR and we know that the number of breaches is small compared to the majority of licence holders who do the right thing."
As well as highlighting the independent regulator's activities and results, water users can also use the quarterly reporting tool to see data for their own area and neighbouring areas.
This is shown the regional compliance breakdown, with data for each of NSW's 14 water sharing plan areas.
