2024 Non-urban water measurement progress report

This report outlines state-wide progress in implementing the Non-urban water measurement policy (PDF, 2MB) for 2024.

The department also reports to the Australian Government on a range of water management matters as part of national commitments to the Murray-Darling Basin Compliance Compact, including via the annual Murray-Darling Basin Metering and Measurement Report Card.

2024 implementation overview

Changes to the regulatory framework take effect

Operational and administrative amendments were made to the Water Regulation 2016, to support on-ground implementation of measurement requirements. These amendments support changes made to the Water Act 2000 in 2023 to establish the regulatory framework for water measurement.

Updated standards

Queensland’s new non-urban water measurement standards for metering, telemetry and data loggers, water level stations (for water storages) and information requirements were published in December 2024. These standards align with Queensland’s measurement policy and national frameworks for metering and measurement. This ensures more consistency across metering, measurement and reporting of water use.

New digital services and online forms

New digital capabilities were introduced to the Water IQ platform to support water measurement. These included:

• a portal to enable water meter inspection forms to be submitted online by Duly Qualified Persons
• new online functions to enable water users to submit their mid-year and end of water year meter reads.

New metering

New meter installations were completed in the following areas:

• All remaining Upper Condamine Alluvium (Tributaries) Underground Water Unit in the Condamine and Balonne Water Plan area
• All remaining Upper Condamine Basalts Underground Water Unit in the Condamine and Balonne Water Plan area
• Condamine and Balonne Tributaries Water Management Area in the Condamine and Balonne Water Plan area
• Condamine -Balonne tributaries management area - Zone CBT-04; CBT-05; CBT-06; CBT-07; CBT-08; CBT-09.
• The Whitsunday Water Plan area
• The Belyando Suttor subcatchment area in the Burdekin Basin Water Plan area.

Meter recertification

The periodic recertification of meters was completed in the following areas:

• Border Rivers Alluvium underground water sub area
• Groundwater sub-areas: Kolan – Burnett B; Burnett – Elliot B; Elliot – Gregory B; and Fairymead B in the Coastal Burnett groundwater management area
• Boyne and Stuart Rivers water management area
• Lower Callide, Prospect Creek and Upper Callide groundwater sub-areas in the Fitzroy Basin Water Plan area
• Plan AP10054 in the Burdekin groundwater management area
• Lakeland water licence zones 1 and 2 of the Cook Underground Water Management area in the Cape York Water Plan area
• Mulgrave-Russell catchment area in the Wet Tropics Water Plan area
• Gilbert River catchment area in the Gulf Water Plan area.

Dual product meters

The department has been working with water supply scheme operators on a scheme-by-scheme basis to ensure the recertification of dual product meters (meters that take both supplemented and unsupplemented water) aligns to the new water measurement standards.

Telemetry subsidy in Murray-Darling Basin

The Australian Government funded Increase Telemetry Capability subsidy program began rolling out telemetry devices on surface water meters in six water management areas in the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin (QMDB).  The subsidy covers the cost of the telemetry device, installation and the first 12 months of data transmission for eligible water users.

Sunwater also received funding under this program to install telemetry devices on their dual product meters and scheme meters in water supply schemes within the QMDB.

Telemetry uplift program

A further round of telemetry funding was agreed with the Australian Government. This will fully subsidise and complete the installation of telemetry across all remaining surface water management areas and supplemented schemes in the QMDB.

On-farm overland flow measurement trial

Planning for the overland flow measurement on-farm trial was completed. The trial will field test the proposed approach for improving the measurement of overland flow water take. The trial will be run by industry experts on selected overland flow properties in the Lower Balonne, and the Border Rivers and Moonie Water Plan areas in the QMDB.

Key implementation activities for 2025

Metering

• New metering installations are required in water management areas within the Border Rivers and Moonie, Condamine and Balonne, Great Artesian Basin and Other Regional Aquifers, and Logan Basin water plan areas.
• Recertification of existing meters is required in the water management areas within the Logan Basin, Fitzroy Basin, Condamine and Balonne, Warrego-Paroo-Bulloo-Nebine, Border Rivers and Moonie water plan areas.

Telemetry

• The subsidy under the Increase Telemetry Capability program will be available to support the installation of telemetry devices in the following six water management areas by 1 December 2025 —as required under the Water Regulation 2016:
  • Lower Balonne
  • Condamine and Balonne
  • Upper Condamine
  • Condamine and Balonne Tributaries
  • Moonie
  • Stanthorpe.
• Sunwater will install telemetry on water meters including dual product meters in two water supply schemes in the QMDB through funding under the Increase Telemetry Capability program.
• The department will establish the Telemetry Uplift Program to support the installation of telemetry devices in remaining water management areas and water supply in the QMDB by 1 December 2027.

On-farm overland flow measurement trial

• Activity will focus on industry engagement, property selection and setting up participant farms ready to test the measurement approach during overland flow events.