Water use and monitoring

Learn about water restrictions and how you can save water.

A secure and safe supply of drinking water is fundamental to public health. The NSW Government uses the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines to ensure our water is safe to drink.

Chemicals, litter and waste in our waterways and oceans can have serious impacts on human health, drinking water quality and the environment.

Wastewater that is cleaned, treated and purified and stormwater, when harvested and treated, can be recycled for many uses including watering parks and gardens, irrigating farms or used in industrial processes and manufacturing.

It is an offence to take water from a water source without a water access licence. Water theft is a serious crime.

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment manages a portfolio of water on behalf of the NSW Government to support the health of rivers, floodplains and wetlands across the state.