Groundwater usage NOT covered by the cap

Large scale metering of bores has commenced only in the last five to ten years in most states and territories, with the result that the volume of groundwater use is generally unknown in most areas. Even in metered areas, not all bores are metered and there are backlog programmes in place to install meters. This means that only 20 to 40 per cent of the major users may actually be metered now. Where there is no metered information, groundwater use can be estimated based on entitlement volumes, but this method might not be very accurate.

Domestic use of water is generally not covered by most caps

A comparison of groundwater usage with the cap for that groundwater management unit indicates the real level of development; but not all extraction is licensed and covered by the cap (refer to table below). The types of licensed entitlements used in each state and territory are noted in this study. In most states and territories, stock and domestic usage is excluded from groundwater caps.

Australian Capital Territory —coverage of groundwater caps

All groundwater use in the Australian Capital Territory is covered by the cap.

New South Wales —coverage of groundwater caps

Forestry is not included in groundwater caps in New South Wales .

Northern Territory —coverage of groundwater caps

Fifty-two groundwater management units in the Northern Territory are covered by a cap; the exceptions are the Gove Water District, the Great Artesian Basin – Western and the Great Artesian Basin – Western Recharge. All water use, including stock and domestic use, is covered in the caps.

Queensland —coverage of groundwater caps

In Queensland , stock and domestic use and aquifer storage and recovery are not included in groundwater caps.

South Australia —coverage of groundwater caps

There are 28 groundwater management units (48 per cent) in South Australia that operate under a cap (15 with an absolute cap and 13 with a provisional cap). Most water use is covered by the caps, except for stock and domestic use, drought supply, forestry. The injection of water into an aquifer requires a permit, so aquifer storage and recovery is only partially covered by caps in South Australia.

Victoria —coverage of groundwater caps

In Victoria , stock and domestic usage, oil and gas extraction and plantation forestry impacts (with regard to extraction in root zones and reduction of recharge to the aquifer) are generally not included in groundwater caps (known as the permissible annual volume). According to the information provided, artificial recharge and aquifer recovery by means of a bore are included in the permissible annual volumes. The policy and regulatory arrangements for aquifer storage and recovery measures are currently being reviewed in Victoria .

Western Australia —coverage of groundwater caps

In Western Australia , stock and domestic use is not included in the groundwater cap.

Groundwater usage NOT covered by a cap

Note: Zero indicates that the usage type is capped. A percentage higher than zero indicates the proportion of the capped groundwater management units in which the indicated type of water usage is not capped.

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