Water authorisations in Queensland
Do you need an authorisation?
In Queensland you may need an authorisation from the Department for an activity in a water area. It can take one of four forms.
More information
For more on water authorisations, contact the Department’s local business centre, or talk to us first.
Exemptions
Activities that do not need an authorisation
A number of activities do not need a water entitlement under the Water Act 2000 (Qld). Some cannot be limited by a water plan, and others can.
Cannot be limited by a water plan
- General authorisations to take water: for emergencies, for fire fighting or routine testing of fire fighting equipment, for camping, for watering travelling stock, and taking overland flow water that is contaminated agricultural run-off
- Take by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parties for traditional activities or cultural purposes
- Take of surface water from a dam, watercourse, lake or spring by landowners for stock purposes
May be limited by a water plan
- Take of overland flow water
- Taking or interfering with underground water
- Activities listed in schedule 3 of the Water Regulation 2016
- Take of water by landowners for domestic purposes
- Take of underground water by landowners for stock purposes
Domestic purposes
Water for domestic purposes
In some water areas you may not need an authorisation to take or interfere with water for activities such as stock and domestic purposes. The Water Act 2000 (Qld) lets domestic users take water from watercourses, lakes, springs, aquifers or overland flow for gardens, including lawns, of up to 0.5 hectare.
In some water planning areas the volume of water or the size of the garden may be limited where the activity is considered a high risk to existing entitlement holders. Domestic users may now sell or barter produce from gardens of up to 0.5 hectare.
Other exemptions
Construction, environmental authorities and permits
Constructing authorities
A constructing authority may take water without a permit or licence to construct or maintain infrastructure.
The requirements are set out in the exemption requirements for constructing authorities (PDF, 202 KB).
Environmental authorities and development permits
A person may take overland flow water up to the volume needed to meet the requirements of an environmental authority or development permit, and may interfere with the flow of a watercourse by impoundment as needed to meet an environmental authority.
Check with the Department whether your take or interference needs an authorisation under the Water Act.
Resources
Mining, petroleum and gas activities
Associated underground water
Taking associated underground water for some activities may be regulated under other laws, such as the Mineral Resources Act 1989, the Petroleum Act 1923 or the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004. A water licence may then not be needed under the Water Act 2000 (Qld), though reporting, monitoring and make good obligations may apply.
Projects that have been through environmental assessment but do not yet hold a required water licence may fall under transitional provisions requiring an associated water licence. See also the groundwater information.
Watercourse diversions
Mining often needs a watercourse to be diverted. Mining companies can apply to divert a watercourse under the environmental authority framework of the Environmental Protection Act 1994, so the diversion is assessed and conditioned with the other mining activities. A diversion granted this way removes the need for a water licence under the Water Act.
A technical guideline (PDF, 798 KB) helps companies apply. A water licence may still be needed, particularly where the diversion is not wholly within the mining tenement, and a modified technical guideline covers that process. Neither guideline applies to existing diversions authorised under the Water Act or other laws, such as the Central Queensland Coal Associates Agreement Act 1968.
Talk to us about water authorisations
Find out whether your activity needs an authorisation, or is exempt.