While Victorian water authorities measure water extracted by irrigators, the same cannot be said of all other states.
The Inspector General’s office said it was critical for governments and the community to understand how much water is being taken, whether legal limits are being respected, and whether the basin’s water is being shared as intended.
Existing assurance mechanisms, including the Inspector-General’s Metering Report Card and Compliance Compact Stocktake, rely largely on information reported by jurisdictions.
The inquiry will provide the independent verification needed to assess how non-urban water measurement arrangements are performing across the basin.
“Water measurement is the foundation of trust in the basin plan,” Mr Grant said.
“If we cannot rely on the data, we cannot rely on the outcomes.
“This inquiry will provide an independent, basin-wide view of how water take is measured and whether current arrangements are fit for purpose.”
The inquiry will focus on three themes: coverage — how much non-urban water take is measured and where gaps remain; accuracy — whether meters, estimates and models are producing reliable results; and timeliness — how quickly the data becomes available to measure compliance.
It will not examine floodplain harvesting or overland flow measurement, which are the subject of a current audit by the Inspector-General in NSW.
“The Commonwealth and Basin States have invested heavily in measurement over recent years,” Mr Grant said.
“That work deserves careful, independent scrutiny to identify what is working, what is not, and where practical improvements can be made.
“I expect this inquiry to identify practical lessons that will benefit every jurisdiction and strengthen confidence in Basin water management.”
The Inspector-General is seeking input from stakeholders across the basin, particularly those with involvement in water measurement, including industry bodies, meter owners and technical experts.
Submissions are open until October 28 and can be made through the Inspector-General’s dedicated inquiry website: www.inquiry.igwc.gov.au
The Inspector-General expects to report to the Federal Government in late 2027.
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