Agricultural
31 May, 2026
Suspicious activity reports rising as dry conditions persist in parts of NSW
The independent water regulator assessed over 80 complaints in March and February.
The number of suspicious activity reports to the NSW Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) continues to rise as dry conditions persist across areas of NSW.
The independent regulator typically assesses between 50 and 60 reports per month, but the number jumped to 84 in February and 88 in March, reflecting increasing public concern about possible unlawful water use.
The number dropped to 72 in April but remains well above average. Despite encouraging rain, May is also on track to exceed the typical monthly level.
NRAR Chief Regulatory Officer Grant Barnes said public suspicious activity reports included:
allegations of creeks or streams being modified to allow more water to accumulate for pumping
dams being enlarged without permission
cease to pump rules being ignored
stock and domestic water rights being used for other purposes
pumps constantly running at night
"All of these reports are assessed by our triage team, and the most serious cases are diverted for further investigation, but the trend is concerning," Mr Barnes said.
Mr Barnes said this was not the first time NRAR had observed an uptick in public reports of suspicious activity reports related to drought.
"NRAR was formed in 2018 during the "Tinderbox Drought", and our early years were dominated by needing to react to hundreds of these reports," he said.
"Despite some recent rain, more than half of NSW remains drought affected and with the BOM predicting below average rainfall at least until the end of August, we are seeing something similar happening," he said.
"The difference now is that the agency is proactively working to stop breaches using hard-won knowledge, techniques and technology we've developed over the last eight years.
"Together those things mean the certainty of detection has never been higher, and thanks to stronger enforcement powers, doing the wrong thing carries real and meaningful consequences.
"It's clear from the number of reports we are starting to see, that the public wants the water rules to be followed, and expects NRAR to act."
Mr Barnes said that since the agency was set up, it had taken more than 3,200 enforcement actions for water law breaches - on average, one per day. These included:
49 prosecutions commenced
1000+ directions issued
700+ penalty notices issued
11 enforceable undertakings
1300+ warnings and cautions
