2013
THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

(As presented)
(Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development)
Water Resources Amendment Bill 2013

Contents
	Page
	1	Name of Act	2
	2	Commencement	2
	3	Legislation amended	2
	4	Licence to take water—where water may be taken
New section 32 (2) (c)	2
	5	Offences—do bore work without licence
Section 77B (1) (b), new note	2
	6	Section 77B (3) (b), new note	2
	7	Offence—do waterway work without licence
New section 77C (1A) and (1B)	3
	8	Offence—contravening licence conditions
Section 77F (2)	3
	9	New section 77J	4
Schedule 1	Other amendments	6
Part 1.1	Magistrates Court (Water Resources Infringement Notices) Regulation 2007	6
Part 1.2	Water Resources Regulation 2007	6

2013
THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

(As presented)
(Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development)
Water Resources Amendment Bill 2013

A Bill for
An Act to amend the Water Resources Act 2007, and for other purposes

    

The Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory enacts as follows:

1	Name of Act
This Act is the Water Resources Amendment Act 2013.
2	Commencement
This Act commences on the day after its notification day.
Note	The naming and commencement provisions automatically commence on the notification day (see Legislation Act, s 75 (1)).
3	Legislation amended
This Act amends the Water Resources Act 2007.
Note	This Act also amends the following legislation (see sch 1):
·	Magistrates Court (Water Resources Infringement Notices) Regulation 2007
·	Water Resources Regulation 2007.
4	Licence to take water—where water may be taken
New section 32 (2) (c)
insert
	(c)	if the water is to be used for road works, earthworks or other construction, or landscaping—any water management area.
5	Offences—do bore work without licence
Section 77B (1) (b), new note
after the penalty, insert
Note	Driller’s licence means a licence under s 35.
6	Section 77B (3) (b), new note
after the penalty, insert
Note	Bore work licence means a licence under s 39.
7	Offence—do waterway work without licence
New section 77C (1A) and (1B)
insert
	(1A)	A person commits an offence if the person—
	(a)	does waterway work; and
	(b)	does not have a waterway work licence for the waterway work.
Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.
	(1B)	An offence against subsection (1A) is a strict liability offence.
8	Offence—contravening licence conditions
Section 77F (2)
substitute
	(2)	The holder of a bore work licence or driller’s licence commits an offence if—
	(a)	the holder’s licence is subject to a condition requiring the holder to give a bore completion report to the authority; and
	(b)	the holder contravenes the condition.
Maximum penalty: 25 penalty units.
	(3)	An offence against this section is a strict liability offence.
	(4)	In this section:
bore completion report, for a bore, means a report prepared by the person who drilled the bore that sets out the details of the bore.
Examples—details of the bore
1	diameter and length of the bore
2	whether a sleeve or case was fitted inside the edge of the bore
3	the geology and soil types found while drilling the bore
Note	An example is part of the Act, is not exhaustive and may extend, but does not limit, the meaning of the provision in which it appears (see Legislation Act, s 126 and s 132).
9	New section 77J
in part 9A, insert
77J	Offences—water meter tampering
	(1)	A person commits an offence if the person tampers with a water meter.
Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.
	(2)	This section does not apply if the person is—
	(a)	a person prescribed by regulation who is installing, maintaining, repairing or replacing the water meter; or
	(b)	acting with the written permission of the authority; or
	(c)	a holder of a licence to take water complying with a requirement under this part.
	(3)	In this section:
tamper with a water meter—
	(a)	means interfere with, damage or destroy the water meter; and
	(b)	includes—
	(i)	unsealing any sealed component of the meter; or
	(ii)	blocking any part of the meter; or
	(iii)	attaching to the meter any device that is likely to affect the operation of the meter; or
	(iv)	disconnecting the meter from its power source.

Schedule 1	Other amendments
(see s 3)
Part 1.1	Magistrates Court (Water Resources Infringement Notices) Regulation 2007
[1.1]	Schedule 1, new items 2A and 2B
insert
2A	77C (1A)	50	1000	
2B	77F (2)	25	500	
Part 1.2	Water Resources Regulation 2007
[1.2]	Section 6 (1) (b)
omit
[1.3]	New section 8A
insert
8A	Exemption from requirement for water access entitlement—road works, earthworks, construction or landscaping—Act, s 30 (2) (a)
	(1)	The authority may exempt a person from the requirement mentioned in the Act, section 30 (2) (a) (i) in relation to surface water if the water is to be used for—
	(a)	road works, earthworks or other construction; or
	(b)	landscaping.
Examples—landscaping
1	establishing new plants along a street
2	establishing vegetation, including an erosion control blanket to stabilise the terrain, where road works or earthworks have been completed
Note	An example is part of the regulation, is not exhaustive and may extend, but does not limit, the meaning of the provision in which it appears (see Legislation Act, s 126 and s 132).
	(2)	The authority may give the exemption only if satisfied that giving the exemption will result in improved environmental outcomes or other public benefit.

Endnotes
1	Presentation speech
	Presentation speech made in the Legislative Assembly on 6 June 2013.
2	Notification
	Notified under the Legislation Act on	2013.
3	Republications of amended laws
	For the latest republication of amended laws, see www.legislation.act.gov.au.

© Australian Capital Territory 2013