Draft Alice Springs water allocation plan for public comment
Water allocation plans in the Territory set out the rules for sharing water. They are created in areas of the Territory where there is competition for water and provide an additional layer of water management focus to ensure water is managed sustainably.
First and foremost, water plans ensure most of the water remains for the environment, as well as meeting cultural and social needs.
Plans identify a smaller quantity of water to be made available for use, such as for public water supply, stock and domestic use, Aboriginal economic development, and other commercial uses, such as agriculture and mining.
The sustainable take is known as the estimated sustainable yield, or ESY. The ESY is estimated to be sustainable based on ecological understanding and taking into consideration community values and priorities. Water plans are made for 10 year periods and are reviewed every 5.
Water management in Alice Springs has been guided by water allocation plans since 2007. The current Alice Springs water allocation plan was declared in 2016 and has guided water management in Alice Springs for a decade.
Updated scientific studies of the water resources of the region were undertaken and released last year ahead of the development of a new plan. The Department of Lands Planning and Environment has now developed and released for public comment, the draft Alice Springs Water Allocation Plan 2026-2036.
The largest water use in the Alice Springs plan is public water supply, drawn from the Mereenie Aquifer System. This resource is extensive and is being drawn down slowly over centuries with limited modern recharge. It will continue meeting Alice Springs’ long-term public water supply.
Other water resources in the plan area will be managed to meet water requirements for river red gums and other groundwater-dependent ecosystems.
The draft plan has been approved by the Minister for Water Resources. The department has kicked off engagement with key stakeholders and stakeholder groups in the region and is now seeking community feedback on the draft plan.
Community feedback will inform the finalisation of the water allocation plan for intended declaration during 2026.
To provide comments on the draft plan, go to the Have Your Say website.
Have Your Say is an online platform for public consultation on Northern Territory Government services. It allows you, the public, to provide input and direction so the best possible outcomes are achieved.
To have your say, register today and help shape the future of sustainable water management in the NT on the Have Your Say website.
