The Inspector-General of Water Compliance publishes reviews and reports to provide transparency of Basin compliance and performance.
Sustainable Diversion Limit Compliance
Managing water-take is essential to the Basin Plan 2012. Sustainable Diversion Limits (SDL) set the amount of water that can be taken from the Murray-Darling Basin. This helps to keep the rivers and environment healthy.
The Inspector-General of Water Compliance assesses how water managers observe sustainable diversion limits. Each year, this helps water managers to comply and to protect catchment areas.
SDL Compliance 2022-23
Published July 2024
Download
SDL Compliance Statement for 2022-23 (PDF 1.5 MB)
SDL Compliance Statement for 2022-23 (DOCX 1.9 MB)
SDL Compliance 2021-22
Published September 2023
Download
SDL Compliance Statement for 2021-22 (PDF 1.1 MB)
SDL Compliance Statement for 2021-22 (DOCX 1.5 MB)
SDL Compliance 2020-21
Published August 2022
Download
SDL Compliance Statement for 2020-21 (PDF 5.3 MB)
SDL Compliance Statement for 2020-21 (DOCX 1 MB)
SDL Compliance maps
Download
Map of Groundwater SDL Resource Units (PDF 3 MB)
Map of Surface Water SDL Resource Units (PDF 1.8 MB)
SDL Compliance: Frequently Asked Questions
Download
Sustainable Diversion Limit Compliance: Frequently Asked Questions (PDF 93 KB)
Sustainable Diversion Limit Compliance: Frequently Asked Questions (DOCX 820 KB)
Murray-Darling Basin Compliance
The Inspector-General of Water Compliance enforces laws on water-take by the Basin governments and agencies. The Inspector-General of Water Compliance reports on their compliance activities. This approach helps uphold public confidence in Basin water management laws and plans.
Stocktake report: Monitoring and evaluation reporting of environmental outcomes
Published June 2025
This report was a key part of the Inspector-General’s Annual Work Plan in 2024-25. It gives insights to:
- environmental outcomes monitoring
- evaluation reporting
in the Basin. The associated spreadsheet presents the list of reports used to inform this report.
Download
Stocktake report: Monitoring and evaluation reporting of environmental outcomes (PDF 1.5 MB)
Stocktake report: Monitoring and evaluation reporting of environmental outcomes (DOCX 428 KB)
Spreadsheet: Stocktake of environmental outcomes Monitoring and Evaluation Reports (XLXS 92 KB)
Steady as it flows: An assessment of River Murray operations and environmental water management
Published September 2022
This report examined how the:
- Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) performed its role in running the River Murray system
- Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) managed its portfolio of water entitlements to improve river health in the Basin.
It found the two agencies performed their obligations, with opportunities for improvement.
Download
Steady as it flows: An assessment of River Murray operations and environmental water management (PDF 4.9 MB)
Steady as it flows: An assessment of River Murray operations and environmental water management (DOCX 4 MB)
Compliance and enforcement across the Murray-Darling Basin
Published August 2022
The Inspector-General commissioned a review of Basin State governments and agencies' compliance. The Inspector-General engaged Des Pearson (AO) for the review. This report responds to Mr Pearson’s independent conclusions.
Download
Compliance and enforcement across the Murray-Darling Basin (PDF 606 KB)
Compliance and enforcement across the Murray-Darling Basin (DOCX 622 KB)
Review by Des Pearson AO: Compliance and enforcement across the Murray-Darling Basin (PDF 1 MB)
Review by Des Pearson AO: Compliance and enforcement across the Murray-Darling Basin (DOCX 199 KB)
Performance reporting
Compliance Performance Report 2022-23
Published December 2024
This report looks at how Basin State governments and agencies manage water-take compliance. Their approaches are diverse. The report shows:
- how effective enforcement tools are
- the need for consistent and transparent reporting practice
- the importance of collaboration.
Download
Report: Murray-Darling Basin Compliance Performance 2022-23 (PDF 11.8 MB)
Report: Murray-Darling Basin Compliance Performance 2022-23 (DOCX 489 KB)
Metering Report Cards
The Inspector-General of Water Compliance's Report Card is an annual snapshot of Basin water metering reforms. The report cards track how Basin State governments and agencies are achieving metering reform commitments. The commitments are part of the 2018 Compliance Compact.
Metering Report Card 2022-23
Published April 2024
Download
Metering Report Card: 2022-23 (PDF 4.9 MB)
Metering Report Card: 2022-23 (DOCX 292 KB)
Metering Report Card 2021-22
Published July 2023
Download
Metering Report Card: 2021-22 (PDF 1.5 MB)
Metering Report Card: 2021-22 (DOCX 187 KB)
Metering Report Card 2020-21
Published January 2023
Download
Metering Report Card: 2020-21 (PDF 1.3 MB)
Metering Report Card: 2020-21 (PDF 540 KB)
Trade Price Reporting
Trade Price Reporting investigation report
Published October 2023
Water trade is crucial in managing water scarcity in the Basin. It is essential that price information reported to the market is accurate as it helps people make informed decisions about how they manage their water.
In this report, the Inspector-General of Water Compliance investigated the price reported for the sale of water allocations in Macquarie NSW. The Inspector-General of Water Compliance wanted to know whether people had followed Basin Plan(Opens in a new tab/window) reporting requirements.
Download
Investigation: Trade price reporting (PDF 1.4 MB)
Investigation: Trade price reporting (DOCX 501 KB)
Snapshot: Investigation into trade price reporting (NSW) (PDF 124 KB)
Snapshot: Investigation into trade price reporting (NSW) (DOCX 715 KB)
Modern Regulator Improvement Tool
Regulatory leaders in the Murray-Darling Basin meet in a forum. The Inspector-General set up the Regulatory Leaders Forum in 2021.
Forum members use a Modern Regulator Improvement Tool (MRIT). The tool measures their performance.
The Australasian Environmental Law Enforcement and Regulators neTwork (AELERT) developed the tool.
Regulation Enforcement Collaboration and Practice (RECAP) independently reviewed and verified the Inspector-General’s results.
Published June 2025
The Inspector-General has now finished its second self-assessment using this tool.
Download
Executive Summary: Modern Regulator Improvement Tool (MRIT) (PDF 341 KB)
Executive Summary: Modern Regulator Improvement Tool (MRIT) (DOCX 1.5 MB)
Independent assurance review: Self-assessment of regulatory maturity (PDF 313 KB)
Published September 2024
This was the Inspector-General's first self-assessment using this tool.
Download
Executive Summary: Modern Regulator Improvement Tool (MRIT) (PDF 311 KB)
Executive Summary: Modern Regulator Improvement Tool (MRIT) (DOCX 553 KB)
Independent assurance review: IGWC self-assessment of regulatory maturity (PDF 252 KB)
Archived reports
Access reports and reviews published prior to 2021 in archived reports.
These were variously released by the:
- Interim Inspector-General of Water Compliance
- Interim Inspector-General of Murray-Darling Basin Water Resources
- Northern Basin Commissioner.
These roles are no longer active.
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