Who we are

Our story

NRAR was created to change the water compliance landscape in NSW. We are here to ensure that water laws are enforced. This way, communities and the environment can get their fair share of our state's precious water resources.

We are an independent law enforcement agency. The compliance actions we take are at arm's length from the government. This is so we can enforce the law firmly and fairly in the public interest.

We serve the people of NSW. We need to ensure they are confident that their water is used lawfully and shared according to agreed plans.

We have put boots on the ground all over NSW to build this confidence. Initially, we took stock of the situation. We built our understanding of the compliance landscape. More recently, we have assisted water users on their compliance pathway. We penalise those who wilfully break the law.

We continue to pioneer new compliance techniques and technologies. These improve our operations. They make us more efficient and effective at delivering quality, high-value regulation for NSW.

We’re proud to say that due to our efforts to date, communities believe it's important for water laws to be enforced. We have found that the vast majority of water users want to do the right thing.

Our purpose

We build public trust and confidence as a regulator by:

• educating, enabling, and encouraging people to comply with water laws
• enforcing the law to provide a deterrent, and to ensure fairness for the compliant
• championing improvements to the management of natural resources

Our promise

We make it easier to follow the rules and act when they are broken. We promise to protect our water so communities and the environment get a fair share.

Our values

We have six core values:

• daring
• collaborative
• creative
• kind
• inclusive
• integrity