The Rural Water Use Strategy (2021) establishes Tasmania’s policy framework for the sustainable, fair and efficient use of freshwater resources to 2050. It outlines the pressures on water availability, including increasing demand, catchments nearing full allocation, climate change effects on reliability, and the need to support agricultural growth and renewable energy development. The Strategy aims to ensure that water is allocated, regulated and planned in a manner that balances commercial, environmental and social values while maintaining Tasmania’s competitive advantages. The document confirms that the Water Management Act 1999 provides the legislative foundation for water licensing, dam and well permitting, water management planning, and dam safety, and notes that the framework has supported significant irrigation expansion and alignment with national water reforms. It identifies emerging challenges requiring improved hydrological data, modelling, groundwater understanding, environmental flow assessments and strengthened monitoring networks. The Strategy sets four goals. It supports sustainable management through enhanced data, environmental assessments, accountability and reporting. It promotes strategic development via sustainable irrigation schemes, modernisation of Hydro Tasmania’s water rights and enabling emerging water‑dependent industries such as renewable hydrogen. It seeks stronger regulation and planning by reviewing allocation policy, enabling flexible allocation mechanisms, improving community involvement, modernising water districts, addressing dam safety issues and improving water trading arrangements. Finally, it advances service optimisation through legislative amendments, modern licensing and permitting systems, and improved information sharing among water entities.
Australia · 2021-03-01