The NSW Government says it is reducing red tape, which has stifled farmers’ ability to fight fires on their own property.

Common sense has prevailed in a new policy introduced by the NSW Government.

During a fire emergency, a landholder can now take water from surface water and groundwater sources on their land without needing a water licence and water use approval. This includes streams, creeks and rivers within the immediate emergency area. 

This exemption has been made via recent amendments to the Water Management (General) Regulation 2018. 

The water can be used by landholders on their property and on adjacent land to fight fires. It can also be used for training and controlled burning when it is carried out by or under the authority of a firefighting agency such as the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS), and for the testing and maintenance of firefighting equipment. 

Landholders who wish to prepare for the threat of bushfires can now also lawfully take water and store it in a tank or dam for future firefighting purposes. The maximum volume for each property is 100,000L (0.1 ML) per year. 

The NSW Government will soon carry out targeted surveys of landholders to better understand how the exemption is being used and to identify the extent and scale of water use. 

While landholders are not required to submit reports, they are encouraged to log the volume of water they take under the exemption for their own records. 

“But the fact is, when there is a fire, no one should need to stop and think if they are allowed to access water to keep themselves and their property safe,” New South Wales Acting Minister for Water Jodie Harrison, said.

“This is a common-sense decision, and it is great to see these amendments now in place in time for summer. When fire threatens life and property, landholders need fast and easy access to water to protect their properties and themselves. 

“These changes make it easier and cheaper for farmers and property owners to access water to prepare for and respond to emergency fire situations.” 

New South Wales Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib, said that when it comes to emergencies, landholders can play an important role in bushfire response, and this change further empowers them to act when their properties are under threat. 

“The New South Wales Government has been proactive in finding common sense ways to make it easier for landholders to fight fires on their properties, which also includes a trial to make it easier for farmers to keep firefighting vehicles on their properties.”