Water Resources Division
Over the 2022 calendar year Water Regulation received 669 ‘statements of bores’ regarding water bore construction around the NT.
Incorrect bore construction can pose environmental risks to aquifers, including through cross contamination between aquifers.
While Water Regulation is responsible for assessing licence and permit applications and monitoring compliance with legislation, including for bore work permits and driller licence conditions, property owners, licensed drillers and employers also have a responsibility to play in aquifer protection and bore work. Moreover, the information that is provided to the department through these activities improves the understanding of the groundwater systems across the NT.
This includes information such as aquifer connectivity (or not), geographical distribution, geological and hydrological characteristics, and local and regional variations of these. A fact sheet has been completed summarising the different stakeholder responsibilities.
Due to the NT’s vast area and the remote localities of most water bores construction, Water Regulation is reliant on all stakeholders playing their part to protect the groundwater systems of the NT.
