Processing Times for Water Trades - Report

Service standards for processing allocation and entitlement trade applications in the Murray-Darling Basin have been developed as part of COAG water reforms to improve the operation of the water market. The trade service standards for South Australia are:


Allocation Trade Service Standards


Entitlement Trade Service Standards

Intra-state allocation trades

90 Percent of allocation trades within 10 business days

Interstate allocation trades

90 Percent o​f allocation trades within 20 business days


Approval Stage (intra-state and interstate)

90 Percent of entitlement trades within 20 business days

Registration Stage (intra-state and interstate)

90 Percent of entitlement trades within 10 business days

The allocation trade service standards commenced on 1 January 2009. The entitlement trade service standards, which apply only in relation to the River Murray Prescribed Watercourse, commenced on 1 July 2009.

Performance against the trade service standards is to be monitored and reported in accordance with Monitoring and Reporting Frameworks for Allocation and Entitlement Trades. Reporting of performance is on a cumulative basis for each water year, updated monthly.

Service standards for processing transfer of allocations in the McLaren Vale Prescribed Wells Area will be completed in a timeframe consistent with the trade service standards for South Australia. A new on-line application and self-assessment tool has been introduced into the McLaren Vale PWA, resulting in expected application processing times of 10 business days or less.

South Australia’s performance against the trade service standards is shown in the following tables:


South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Water Allocation Trading 2021-22


South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Watercourse Entitlement Trading 2021-22

Allocation Trade Processing Times 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022 Number of trades Performance against standard Intended service standard
Inter-State trade - % of trades processed within 20 business days 595 100% 90%
Intra-State trade - % of trades processed within 10 business days 689 98.4% 90%

South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Water Allocation Trading 2022-23
Entitlement Trade Processing Times 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022 Number of trades Performance against standard Intended service standard
Approval process - % of trades approved within 20 business days 197 98.48% 90%
Registration process - % of trades registered within 10 business days 197 98.48% 90%

South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Watercourse Entitlement Trading 2022-23
Allocation Trade Processing Times 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023 Number of trades Performance against standard Intended service standard
Inter-State trade - % of trades processed within 20 business days 562 99.64% 90%
Intra-State trade - % of trades processed within 10 business days 663 86.89% 90%

South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Water Allocation Trading 2023-24
Entitlement Trade Processing Times 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023 Number of trades Performance against standard Intended service standard
Approval process - % of trades approved within 20 business days 259 98.46% 90%
Registration process - % of trades registered within 10 business days 259 98.46% 90%

South Australian Murray-Darling Basin ​Watercourse E​ntitlement Trading 2023-2​4
Allocation Trade Processing Times 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 Number of trades Performance against standard Intended service standard
Inter-State trade - % of trades processed within 20 business days 611
97.05% 90%
Intra-State trade - % of trades processed within 10 business days 753
93.49% 90%

Entitlement Trade Processing Times 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 Number of trades Performance against standard Intended service standard
Approval process - % of trades approved within 20 business days 202
99.01% 90%
Registration process - % of trades registered within 10 business days 202
99.01% 90%
South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Water Allocation Trading 2024-25

Allocation Trade Processing Times 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025
Number of trades Performance against standard Intended service standard
Inter-State trade - % of trades processed within 20 business days 794
99.50% 90%
Intra-State trade - % of trades processed within 10 business days 973
92.81% 90%


South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Watercourse ​E​ntitlement Trading 2024-25


Entitlement Trade Processing Times 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 Number of trades Performance against standard Intended service standard
Approval process - % of trades approved within 20 business days 203
81.77% 90%
Registration process - % of trades registered within 10 business days 203
81.77% 90%
South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Water Allocation Trading 2025-26

Allocation Trade Processing Times 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026
Number of trades Performance against standard Intended service standard
Inter-State trade - % of trades processed within 20 business days 1020
99.90% 90%
Intra-State trade - % of trades processed within 10 business days 889
88.86% 90%


South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Watercourse ​E​ntitlement Trading 2025-26


Entitlement Trade Processing Times 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026
Number of trades Performance against standard Intended service standard
Approval process - % of trades approved within 20 business days 220
80.45%
90%
Registration process - % of trades registered within 10 business days 220
80.45​% 90%

Notes:

  • 1 - In South Australia the service standard will apply within the River Murray prescribed watercourse only.