Victoria’s zero-tolerance approach to water theft is to be strengthened as the recommendations from an independent review into water theft compliance measures are accepted.
The Minister for Water, Lisa Neville said the independent review had been undertaken to ensure Victorian irrigators and water users had a robust compliance and enforcement system, with checks and balances in place that helped maintain and build confidence in the market.
“Victoria has a strong track record when it comes to compliance and the review found that most irrigators and water users were already doing the right thing,” Ms Neville said.
“While compliance levels were relatively high and processes were already in place to identify and manage water theft – the review identified several areas where compliance and enforcement approaches could be further strengthened to provide consistent and quick resolutions,” she said.
“The report set a clear target for rural water corporations to reduce existing rates of water theft, currently up to 3.6 per cent of the rural water volume, to less than one per cent.”
Ms Neville said that in order to reach the one per cent target, new regulations were now in place that enabled water corporations to issue on-the-spot fines to water users for water theft.
“Better communication will ensure water users know when their account is running out, and the timing of enforcement processes will be improved so that large volumes can’t be pumped when accounts are negative,” she said.
“Other changes include rural water corporations undertaking more rigorous management and monitoring of their compliance and enforcement functions, along with finalising metering action plans and addressing enforcement issues which inhibit on-ground compliance.”
She said there would also be improved risk-based reporting on compliance and enforcement provided to water corporation boards and the Department of Environment, Water, Land and Planning.
