Office of Water
Taking care of our water properly helps to keep our city lively and strong. The Office of Water was created after considering how the government looked after water in 2021-2022. Its job is to help us manage our water wisely, and improve our rivers, lakes and waterways.
The Office of Water:
- manages water
- creates policies for how we use water
- helps Canberrans get access and better understand water
- makes sure the Ngunnawal community has a say and is involved in water matters.
The 2022-23 ACT Budget allocated $4.2 million to strengthen the Office of Water.
ACT water policy
Many Territory and national policies shape how we manage water in the ACT. Our main national policies include:
Murray-Darling Basin Plan (2012)
The ACT is special because it’s the only area entirely in the Murray-Darling Basin.
This policy helps us:
- manage water better
- use water to keep our environment healthy
- work with other areas that share the same water
- manage water in our unique area.
Find out more about the Murray-Darling Basin Plan 2012.
Water Resources Act 2007
This policy tells us how to manage water resources in the ACT. It defines:
- who has rights and access to surface and ground water resources
- environmental flow specifications
- water licensing requirements
- resource management and monitoring responsibilities
- penalties for water-related offences.
Find out more about the Water Resources Act 2007.
Water Resources Environmental Flow Guidelines 2025
The Water Resources (draft Environmental Flow Guidelines) Consultation Notice 2025 invites public comment on the draft Water Resources Environmental Flow Guidelines 2025 [PDF 1.8 MB] (the Guidelines).
The Guidelines are a legislative instrument under the Water Resources Act 2007 that sets the flow requirements needed to maintain aquatic ecosystems. Since their release in 1999, the Guidelines have been reviewed every five years. The current draft has been informed by the most recent review.
Written comments on the draft Guidelines are welcomed between 24 October 2025 and 22 December 2025. Comments can be emailed to officeofwater@act.gov.au. Additional options for submitting comments are detailed in the Consultation Notice.
All comments received will contribute to finalising the Guidelines.
Water research
The Office of Water conducts research through internal research activities and in collaboration with research partners.
It can be challenging to maintain a secure and affordable water supply and good water quality. Science and research help the ACT Government to:
- improve decision-making in water policy and management
- identify policy or management problems
- assess policy or management options
- evaluate investment effectiveness
- ensure accountability for results.
Research priorities
Hydrological processes, ecosystem and climate change
Hydrological processes include:
- the movement and storage of water in the environment
- the interaction of water with air, soil, vegetation, ecosystems, human and infrastructures.
Understanding these processes can help us better manage our water resource and prepare for future changes.
Research priorities include:
- quantifying the current state of the ACT’s water resource, how much water enters the ACT and how much leaves (the water balance) and how the water ways are connected
- reviewing and analysing the impacts of climate change and climate variability on ACT’s water resources
- understanding pollutant and sediment sources and movements in ACT waterways
- understanding ecological responses to water regimes in ACT rivers.
Social values and behaviours
Water is critical to the liveability of the ACT and region catchment area. Waterways:
- provide water for our homes and gardens
- support important environmental, recreational, cultural and economic values.
It is important for us to understand the ACT community’s knowledge, values, attitudes and behaviours towards water. This is key to successful water resource management.
Research priorities include:
- better understanding of social and cultural values of water
- supporting social and behavioural changes for a water sensitive city.
Management options and prioritisation
Water management priorities focus on long term water security and catchment planning. This includes exploring alternate options like water supply that does not rely too much on rainfall. This also includes identifying useful and cost-effective ways to improve water quality.
Research priorities include:
- identifying options for climate resilient solutions
- identifying and evaluating water quality management options.
Policy and governance
Effective public policy and water governance are critical to sustaining our water resources. Targeted economic and social science studies and policy analyses can help support the development and evaluation of water policy and governance.
Research priorities include:
- supporting priority policy evaluation and development
- supporting the development of coordinated and adaptive water governance.
Tools, data and technology
Models, data and technology are vital to improve the efficiency of and trust in policy making and catchment planning. This requires us to:
- develop appropriate and high-quality modelling and data tools
- collect and manage useful and relevant water data
- make use of advanced technology such as remote sensing and computational technology.
Research priorities include:
- identifying fit-for-purpose tools, data and technology for monitoring, assessment and reporting
- building trust and confidence in water information.
Water security
The ACT Water Security Vulnerability Assessment Technical Report 2025 [PDF 2.4 MB] was undertaken by the Office of Water. It models possible futures for ACT water security using a series of climate and population growth scenarios to 2050.
Contact
For water research and technical information email officeofwater@act.gov.au or call Access Canberra on 13 22 81
If you are a university, industry and/or government body interested in collaborating on research or co-investing email officeofwater@act.gov.au. We would love to hear from you.