The 'place of take approvals' framework is a new approach to water delivery entitlements in Victorian declared systems. It came into effect on 20 November 2023.
The new framework will:
- clarify and protect existing water users’ rights to take water during the rare event that river rationing is required
- provide flexibility for water users to manage their own delivery risks.
Declared systems are the regulated Murray, Goulburn, Campaspe, Loddon, Broken, Bullarook and Ovens systems.
The new approach does not affect anyone’s water shares, it simply clarifies the right (entitlement) to have water delivered.
The changes will:
- Give water users more certainty about their rights to have water delivered down our rivers and enable more flexibility to manage their own delivery risks.
- Enable the Minister to make rules to cap and allow for the trade of these delivery rights.
- Protect the rights of existing entitlement holders in water systems where delivery risks are increasing.
- Give water users confidence there are strong penalties to protect them from impacts of others taking more than their fair share during any river rationing.
River Murray delivery risks
In the River Murray downstream of the Barmah Choke, there has always been a risk of not being able to deliver all the water that people are entitled to during peak demand periods over summer and autumn. The river is actively managed to avoid rationing water users wherever possible.
However, a shortfall can occur if there is either:
- a heatwave and a sudden spike in demand (a delivery shortfall)
- not enough capacity in the system to supply water to meet all downstream needs throughout the summer and autumn (a system shortfall).
More information about Murray delivery risks and shortfalls can be found at the Victorian Water Register website.
Calculating your extraction share during shortfall
GMW has developed a calculator to assist you in understanding how rations impact your supply in the unlikely event of a delivery shortfall. The calculator has been designed to allow you to select the river reach that your service point is located within and get real-time information about the ration level, and how this applies to your specific service points. It also has the functionality for users to enter simulated scenario information to assist you in planning for rationing periods.
The “Current Rationing” section will automatically update the ration percentage based on the river reach selected. This information will be updated by GMW as changes are required and will reflect the actual ration level active at the time in any selected river reach.
The “Simulated Rationing” section allows the user to enter a range of different ration percentages to provide predictive impacts. The information is intended to assist users in planning where Extraction Shares and Delivery Shares are best allocated on a service point by service point basis.
Repeat the steps for each separate service point you operate.
For more information on how to use the calculator, or if you have questions about General Place of Take policy and the impacts to your service points, please contact GMW on 1800 013 357.
Extraction Share Calculator