A one-time cashback offer is available for NSW Murray Darling Basin water-users who have installed, or are soon to install, state-of-the-art water monitoring devices to meet their compliance obligations.
Landholders can apply for a $1000 or $2000 reimbursement if they extract water from groundwater, or regulated or unregulated river sources in the Murray Darling Basin and hold an annual entitlement of 100 ML or greater.
It’s also on offer farmers and landholders who have used 100 ML of water or more in any one year since 2023.
The cashback ensures a ‘fair go’ for water users who are required to install telemetry devices but choose to engage their own duly qualified person instead of participating in the program’s free device rollout, which is currently underway across inland regions of the state.
The initiative is part of the Australian Government’s $10.5 million Telemetry Uplift Program, which is improving water resource management, reducing costs for water users, and supporting NSW to fast-track metering reforms.
Accurate monitoring is crucial for water resource planning by ensuring water is extracted fairly, equitably, and by the rules.
For more information on the Telemetry Uplift Program or to apply for a cashback, visit Telemetry Uplift Program.
Water users who have not yet installed a telemetry device but need to are eligible to participate in the program’s free device rollout, with places still available.
NSW DCCEEW executive director of operations resilience, Ashraf El-Sherbini, said the program is about making sure water is measured accurately and managed equitably, while also recognising the effort many water users have already made to comply with metering requirements.
“Smart water monitoring takes the guesswork out of water use, giving farmers and landholders real-time information while cutting down on paperwork and ongoing costs,” he said.
“The cashback provides fair support for users across the NSW Murray–Darling Basin who’ve invested in smart monitoring devices at their own expense and are proactively doing the right thing.
“For those who haven’t yet planned to install a device, there’s still time to opt in to the free telemetry offer while it lasts. The process is simple and can be completed online in under five minutes.”
