Water Register FAQs

Below are some Frequently Asked Questions about the new Water Register.

If you have a question that isn’t answered below, please feel free to get in touch at dew.mywater@sa.gov.au or call us on 08 7133 7333 during business hours.

2024/25 Landscape Water Levy

When will I get my landscape water levy (letter) for the 2024/25 water use year?

• We are currently preparing annual landscape water levies for 2024/25. These invoices will be provided to water account holders later than in previous water use years.
• To help with the transition to mywater, levies will have the payment window extended to 50 days, instead of the standard 28 days.
• Levy rates were published in the Government Gazette for the 2024/25 water year on 20 June 2024.

What are the payment options for water levy invoices?

• Once levies have been issued and you have a mywater login and user profile, you may pay for your levy invoices by credit or debit card.
• The following offline payment options are also available to all water users and water businesses:
  • BPay
  • Australia Post Billpay
  • Credit or debit card by telephone
  • Cheque

• Please contact the mywater Contact Centre if you need assistance with your levy payment.

The Water Register

How can I search the Register?

• For a Water Licence, Site Use Approval, or a Permit: You will need either the water licence, approval or permit number (e.g. WL-012345) OR a land title prefix, title volume number & title folio number (e.g. CT Volume 1234 Folio 523)
• For a Water Resource Works Approval – you simply need the works approval number.

Why can’t I find my licence when I search for it in the new Water Register?

• All water licences now have six digits.
• Your water licence number has been updated so that it has six digits.
• In most cases an additional '0' has been added at the beginning of five-digit water licence numbers.
• We can advise your new licence number over the phone (we will check your identity first of course)
• Your new water licence number will be on all future correspondence from us.

How can I find out who holds a specific water licence?

• This information used to be accessible for free via Water Connect.
• Now it can only be obtained by purchasing a Water Register extract.
• Requiring payment for this information adds a layer of protection for the identity of water licence holders.

Where can I find the details of a Security Interest (SI)?

• You can search for the water licence you wish to know about. The search result box that appears will note whether a licence has a security interest registered against it.
• For details of the security interest, check the box at the end of the table to obtain an extract from the Register. Please note that a fee is payable for this extract ($13.00).

Where can I find Licence holder’s names?

• Details of licence holders on are no longer available on the Water Register free of charge.
• You can now pay for an extract of a water licence which provides various details including the licence holders’ name.
• An extract of a water licence will also include additional details such as security interests.
• Requiring payment for an extract of a water licence enables the department to provide an additional a layer of protection for the identity of licence holders.

Why do I need to pay for some things now?

• Our new Water Register is a contemporary online system that contains personal information about South Australia’s water users.
• Requiring payment for some types of data helps us to keep that data more secure.
• It also contributes to the cost of operating and maintaining our new system.

How much does an extract cost?

• $13.00 (GST free).

Can I get a receipt for the Water Register extract I just paid for? 

• Please contact your regional Water Licensing Office.
• A receipt can be arranged and emailed to you.

I recently applied to transfer my licence / trade entitlement but the relevant information in the new Water Register is not up to date.

• System transition issues are still impacting a small number of licence transfer and entitlement trade applications.
• We are working to process and decide all outstanding licence transfer and entitlement trade applications as soon as possible.
• Once these remaining licence transfer and entitlement trade applications have been processed and decided, relevant information in the Water Register will automatically update.

Information that I can consider private (or commercially sensitive) is visible in the Water Register and I am worried.

• The Water Register is a public register, just like the land titles register.
• In accordance with relevant laws and other government decisions, the Water Register contains information about the water licences issued in South Australia and the people/organisations that hold those licences, as well as associated entitlements/security interests.
• We take your privacy seriously.
• If you believe that there is other information about you visible in the Water Register, please call the mywater Contact Centre. We will investigate immediately.

Can I submit an application to trade allocation via mywater?

• Yes, if you are set up to use mywater, you can lodge applications to trade 24/25 allocation via mywater. If you need assistance you can contact the mywater Contact Centre.
• If you are not yet set up to use mywater, you can submit applications to trade annual water allocation for the 2024/25 water use year at any time by filling out an offline application form. These can be downloaded from the DEW website.
• South Australian water account holders are encouraged to contact their regional Water Licensing Office if they need help to submit an offline application form or need information about the water account balance.

New Offline/PDF Forms

Why have all the forms on the website changed?

• The online forms you could previously access via DEW’s website are not compatible with our new system.
• Once you have a mywater login you can submit applications online via mywater.
• Once you have a mywater profile (call the mywater Contact Centre, our staff will help to get you set up), online applications will be quick and easy (the system will recognise you and will pre-populate most information in most application forms).
• If you don’t have a mywater login yet, you can download PDF versions of all our water licence and permit applications forms from our website to proceed with any transactions or applications.

mywater Portal / mywater Login

South Australia has a new online portal – mywater

• mywater is a new portal that allows South Australian water users and water businesses to do their water related business with government online.

Who can request a mywater login?

• Water users who want to use mywater need to request a mywater login.
• Likewise, water businesses that want to use mywater will need to authorise specific employees or representatives to request a login on behalf of the business.
• To make the most of mywater’s capabilities (e.g. pre-population of applications with details relating to instruments; online payments, water account balances) people with a login will also need a mywater user profile.

Can my organisation have a mywater login that all our staff can use?

• No, each of your organisation’s employees or authorised representatives will need to have their own unique mywater login.
• This helps to ensure the integrity of South Australia’s Water Register and to protect the valuable water assets recorded in the Register.
• It also means that organisations can easily keep track of applications made on their behalf and ensure accurate record keeping in relation to each transaction.

Do I need to request a login straight away?

• We encourage all water users in South Australia that undertake water business to sign up for a mywater account. In the interim you can continue to do water business with government using PDF application forms and by reaching out - directly to their relevant regional water licencing office.
• These PDF forms can be downloaded from the DEW website and submitted via email.
• We will be reaching out to all licence holders over the coming months to help them to get set up to use mywater.

How do I request a mywater login?

• Use the sign-up button on the mywater landing page – access.mywater.sa.gov.au - and follow the prompts.
• You will receive an email confirming receipt of your request for a login.

When will my login request be activated?

• We will review your request and activate your login within 2 business days if all required information has been provided.
• You will receive an email to confirm that your login has been activated.
• You will not be able to see your instruments, permits or water account balance until we have set up your user profile.
• You can call mywater Contact Centre during business hours at your convenience – we will help you to set up your user profile.

Why can’t I see any of my licences or permits when I log in?

• You don’t have a user profile yet.
• mywater is a ‘smart’ system but we need to do some work to set you up so that mywater recognises you when you login.

Why do I need a mywater user profile?

• You can use mywater without a user profile but if you do not have a user profile none of the information specific to you will be visible when you login.
• For example, you will not be able to see any of your licences or permits, or your water account balance.
• Also, you will need to manually enter all required information each time you lodge an application (e.g. to trade allocation).

How do I set up a mywater user profile?

• You cannot do this by yourself.
• You can call mywater Contact Centre during business hours at your convenience – we will help you to set up your user profile.
• To create your mywater user profile, we will need to know who you are, how you will use mywater (for yourself or on behalf of someone else or your employer) and which instruments (water licences or water related approvals and permits) you want (or are authorised) to deal with via mywater.
• We will use this information to ensure that only you and people you properly authorise can deal with your water instruments (or lodge water related approval or permit applications in your name) via mywater.

Why can’t I see the application to trade allocation that I recently submitted when I login?

• If you don’t have a user profile yet, you will not be able to see your trade applications.
• mywater is a ‘smart’ system but we need to do some work to set you up so that mywater recognises you when you login.

Why isn’t my water account balance up to date?

• If you don’t have a user profile yet, you will not be able to see your water account balance.
• mywater is a ‘smart’ system but we need to do some work to set you up so that mywater recognises you when you login.
• If you do have a user profile, and you are still concerned that your water account balance is incorrect, you can contact your relevant regional water licencing office.

I have never had a water account before, what is it?

• Your water account is like your bank account: it tells you how much water has been allocated to you for 2024/25 (in accordance with your licence and relevant Ministerial determinations etc).
• Each time you submit a meter read or trade water, your water account balance is updated. You can monitor your water account balance online once your mywater user profile is set up.
• If you have more than one licence, you will have a water account for each licence.
• If you have a licence that authorises take from more than one resource, you will have a water account for each resource that you are authorised to take water from.