The State Government has put forward changes that aim to make it easier for NSW landholders to lawfully take small volumes of water to fight bushfires that threaten their properties.

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After a request from NSW Farmers, the period to provide feedback on the changes has been extended until May 17.

The current laws allow rural fire brigades and their officers to take water from a water source to extinguish or control a fire without a licence.

However landholders themselves are only exempt if there is an emergency and they have received a lawful direction from an authorised officer.

There are no provisions at the moment for farmers or landholders to extract water from rivers or aquifers to help them prepare for imminent bushfires or fight active fires on their own land without holding water licences that can cost many thousands of dollars.

Kaia Hodge, Executive Director Strategy and Policy – Water, NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, said, “Community consultation plays a critical role in shaping the way water is managed across the state which is why we take the views of stakeholders seriously.

“We received a request from NSW Farmers to extend the consultation period to give people more time to respond, which is why we have pushed the deadline out to 17 May.

“I encourage everyone to use this time to share their feedback on the proposed changes for water for bushfire preparedness and firefighting because every submission counts.”

To view the documents and share your views, go to https://water.dpie.nsw.gov.au/our-work/allocations-availability/drought-and-floods/water-for-bushfire-preparedness-and-firefighting