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Water Supply Schemes

Fraser Coast Regional Council is the Resource Operations Licence holder for the Wide Bay Water Supply Scheme (Burrum River) and Teddington Weir Water Supply Scheme (upper Tinana Creek).
Wide Bay Water manages these schemes as set out in:

Scheme

Licence

Manual                         
Teddington Weir Water Supply Scheme Resource Operations Licence Operations Manual
Wide Bay Water Supply Scheme Resource Operations Licence Operations Manual

What is a water allocation?

  • A water allocation is an authority/entitlement to take water from a specified catchment.
  • A water allocation holds a title, separate from a land title, and therefore may be traded independently.
  • The governing body for the trading of water allocations is the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water.
  • A water supply scheme has a set volume of allocations, so to obtain a water allocation you must purchase or lease from an already existing customer.
  • In the Teddington Weir Water Supply Scheme and Wide Bay Water Supply Scheme you cannot take water from the catchment, other than riparian water, without a water allocation.
  • For more information on obtaining a water allocation see Water Trading below.

Announced Allocations

An announced allocation is the percentage of your water allocation that may be taken in a water year.
The announced allocation is calculated according to the rules detailed in the relevant operations manual and is designed to apportion available water in any given year.

2024/2025 Announced allocations

  • Announced allocations per scheme are: -

    100% - Wide Bay Water Supply Scheme
    100% - Teddington Weir Water Supply Scheme

How is an announced allocation set?

The Announced allocation is calculated and reset on the first day of a water year (July 1).
The announced allocation is reviewed each month and if there is an increase by 5% or more, or an increase to 100% the announced allocation is reset. 

The announced allocation must:

  • Not be less than zero or greater than 100 percent.
  • Be rounded to the nearest percent.
  • Not be reduced during a water year.
Taking of water under allocation

The total volume of water taken under a water allocation in a water year (July 1 to June 30) must not exceed the nominal volume of the water allocation multiplied by the announced allocation.
For example: If your nominal allocation is 55ML and the announced allocation is 60%, the volume of water you can take during the water year is: 55ML x 60% = 33ML

Water Trading

Customers can benefit from water trading and may trade their allocation with another customer or new customer through a temporary or a permanent transfer.

  • A temporary transfer is commonly called a Seasonal Water Assignment

    A temporary transfer/seasonal water assignment enables two allocation holders to transfer water to one another within a current water year (July-June). It does not mean selling your allocation, it just allows another customer to access your allocation (through their own infrastructure) if you are not going to use it.

    All or part of a water allocation may be transferred. The seller must acknowledge that their allocation will decline by the nominated volume transferred for the period of time that the approval exists. The seller must warrant that they have the sufficient volume available from their allocation for the transfer. This includes any water that may have already been used by the seller.

    The buyer must acknowledge that their nominal volume will increase by the nominated transfer amount for the period of time that the approval exists and therefore water use charges may increase if the allocation is used.

    Each temporary transfer will expire on 30 June of the year that the approval is given and the nominal volume of each allocation holder will revert back to their original volume. A new application is required each year.

    The fees and charges issued by FCRC will not change as part of the temporary transfer.

    FCRC must grant approval for the temporary transfer to occur prior to the allocation being accessed.

    To apply for a Temporary Transfer/Seasonal Water Assignment complete and submit the Application Form Seasonal Water Assignment/Temporary Transfer 2020/21.

  • What is a permanent transfer?

    Ownership of a water allocation can be traded, similar to the sale of a land title. An application should be made to Titles Queensland to complete the transfer, however first an approval needs to be given by FCRC, through endorsement of a W2F152 Form (Notice to registrar of water allocation of existence of supply contract).

    To apply for a FCRC endorsed W2F152 form for your permanent allocation transfer, complete and submit the Application Form Transfer/Sale of Water Allocation. 

    Permanent Transfer Process
    1. Customer to complete and submit a Transfer/Sale of Water Allocation form and pay the associated administration fee.
    2. The Seller must pay any outstanding amounts that may be on their account.
    3. FCRC will supply a Supply Contract to be signed by the buying customer (if a Supply Contract is not already held).
    4. Upon return of a fully signed Supply Contract, FCRC will issue a form W2F152 Form Notice to registrar of water allocations of existence of supply contract with the new allocation holder details on it.
      This form will need to be submitted to Titles Queensland. Other forms and payment of fees may be required by Titles Queensland as part of the application.


    Once the transfer is complete, FCRC will need to receive the Registration Confirmation Statement with the new allocation holder details to update the allocation holder details and debtor account.

Riparian water access

  • What is "Riparian right"

    The Water Act 2000 identifies the ‘riparian right’ which is the right of an owner of land adjoining a watercourse, lake or spring to take water from that stream for stock or domestic purposes. This use includes watering gardens, filling stock water troughs. This right sits separate from a water entitlement.

Standard supply contract

All customers that take water from the supply scheme as a customer of FCRC are required to have a Standard Supply Contract. This contract is an agreement between the customer and FCRC and defines the responsibilities of both parties.
When applying for an allocation you will be supplied with a Standard Supply Contract to sign and return.

In March 2021, FCRC finalised a review of the deemed Standard Supply Contract.
This new document is now referred to and can be viewed here: Supply Contract and associated FCRC Rules.

Water Supply strategy

For any questions relating to a water allocation or the resource operating licence please contact our Catchment Officer. EMAIL:  enquiry@frasercoast.qld.gov.au 
PHONE:  1300 79 49 29
VISIT:  https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/mining-energy-water/water/water-markets

Catchment Management and Water Storages