Talking Water - Tuesday 31 March 2026

Water orders and Daylight Saving

Daylight Saving ends this Sunday 5 April.

For customers placing water orders that end after this date, the water ordering system will automatically reduce your order by an hour to the normal finish time to enable lodgement.

Our Customer Experience staff will manually adjust all orders ending after 5 April to the correct finish time for the channel system.
 
For more information or assistance with orders, call our Customer Experience team on 1300 138 265. 

Business News

IPART releases draft decision on WaterNSW charges for rural valleys 

Following the single-year determination last year, IPART has just released its draft decision on the WaterNSW charges that will apply for the next three years from 1 July 2026. 

Despite the limited time before new WaterNSW prices take effect, this isn't IPART's final decision, which means it could be subject to some changes.

You can read IPART's draft decision below: 

For Murray General Security licence holders, IPART is proposing an annualised increase in WaterNSW bills of 4.5% plus CPI each year, for the three years up to 2028-2029.

The total increase over the three years is proposed to be capped at 14.2% plus CPI.

This determination includes our Murray Valley MDBA pass-through charges.

Murray Irrigation’s own costs for supplying water are not included in this determination. Our internal charges are determined by our Board.

Typical bills by Riverina Valley, including MDBA costs for Murray General Security ($2025-26) 

In our most recent submission to IPART, Murray Irrigation recommended WaterNSW charges be capped at CPI.

While IPART's proposed increase is higher than what we advised, it is still lower than what WaterNSW was seeking.

IPART has put out a call for submissions on its draft decision, which are due on Monday, 11 May. 

Murray Irrigation will be working with RMCG to prepare our response.

IPART is also holding an online public hearing on its draft decision on Tuesday 21 April. It's free to register, and you can do so by clicking on the button below. 

Murray Irrigation will keep you updated as we finalise our submission on IPART's draft decision.

March Board meeting

Murray Irrigation held its latest Board Meeting last Thursday 26 March 2026.

This Board meeting was administrative in nature, touching on a few important elements related to ongoing company projects. 

You can find more information in the below Chair Update. 

Restoring Murray Waterways Project 

"We've seen the benefits that environmental water flows have played to this creek; the birdlife, the insect life, the frog life ... the landscape is just healthier." 

Burraboi farmer and Restoring Murray Waterways (RMW) project participant Hayley Pattison expresses her joy at being able to see and hear water running through the Jimaringle Creek. 

Without environmental water, this ephemeral creek would run dry most years.

Hayley is one of 45 local landholders who have collaborated with Murray Irrigation in the recently completed Stage 4 of this multi-million dollar environmental watering initiative.

"This is a really exciting project," she says.

"We're so stoked that we've been able to be a part of this." 

Watch the video to find out what else Hayley has to say about her RMW experiences and the benefits it brings, and visit our project webpage below for information.

Stage 4 of Murray Irrigation's Restoring Murray Waterways project has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy the Environment and Water.

Narromine Irrigation info sharing tour 

We had the pleasure of showcasing Murray Irrigation's gravity-fed irrigation network to representatives from the Narromine Irrigation Board of Management last week, as part of a two-day information sharing tour.

It follows a reciprocal excursion made by Murray Irrigation last October.

Our Macquarie Valley visitors had an extensive itinerary to cover, starting with a presentation of the company's business activities and current key strategic initiatives, followed by a tour of Murray Irrigation's Network Operating Centre to find out how water is ordered and delivered 24/7.

After that, the group headed out to see our water delivery system in action, while getting a close up look at the various technologies Murray Irrigation utilises as part of our asset management activities.

There were site trips to Dahwilly Main Channel, Edward River Escape/Lawson Syphons, the Denimein and Birganbigil regulators, Sandhill's Crossing, the Wakool Offtake and Mascotte Escape, as well as stop-offs at various bridges and culverts to examine some completed life extension works.

All in all, it was a fantastic visit, with the group taking away valuable information to reflect on and some superb southern Riverina sights to remember.

Basin Plan Review community webinar presentation 

The Murray Regional Strategy Group (MRSG) hosted a community meeting last Tuesday at the Deniliquin Golf Club for the purpose of gathering input for its submission to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan Review .

An online presentation summarising the Basin Plan Review Discussion Paper was then hosted online last Thursday.

This presentation can be viewed by clicking on the button below.

To help further inform its response to the Basin Plan response, MRSG is encouraging community members to complete the below short survey. 

Murray Floodplain Management Plan consultation report 

The NSW Government has released its 'What We Heard' report, summarising the most recent round of consultation on the Murray Floodplain Management Plan.

You can read the report below.

Officials are now finalising the Floodplain Management Plan. Pending Ministerial approval, it will start on 1 July 2026.

Sheep eID Basics Workshop 

Not sure how to start using electronic identification (eID) to add value to your sheep or goat operation? 
 
Join Local Land Services to learn how to begin recording and using data on-farm with eID.

Date: Thursday 16 April 
Time: 8.30am - 12.30pm
Location: Bunnaloo (specific property location provided on registration)