Status: Complete
April 2026 Update
We have concluded this Open Tender. All tenderers have been notified that it is complete, with successful tenderers offered a contract. No more offers are being accepted.
When reviewing tender responses, we checked if the offer complied with tender requirements and delivered value for money.
We have accepted offers considered value for money and have contracted a total of 51.1 GL/y under this tender.
The Progress update table list the types and locations of water rights contracted so far for the Voluntary Water Purchase Program for the 450 GL.
You can find quarterly updates on recovered volumes on the Progress on Murray-Darling Basin water recovery page.
Tender scope
This tender sought to purchase eligible Water Rights up to 70 GL/y of surface water across 5 catchments. These catchments were:
- New South Wales – Murrumbidgee and NSW Murray
- South Australia – South Australian Murray
- Victoria – Ovens and Victorian Murray.
We started accepting offers under this tender in December 2024.
Table 1 shows the initial targeted catchments, entitlements and trading zones for this tender. Table 2 shows the total volume offered through the tender, the volume purchased and average prices paid. This is only for those catchments where water was contracted.
| State | Catchment/Water Source | Entitlement/reliability/class | Trading/extraction zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Murrumbidgee Regulated River | General Security | Zone 13 |
| High Security | |||
| Supplementary (Lowbidgee) | |||
| Supplementary | |||
| NSW Murray Regulated River | General Security | Zone 10 (above choke) | |
| High Security | |||
| Supplementary | Zone 11 (below choke) | ||
| SA | South Australian Murray | Class 3 | Zone 12 |
| VIC | Ovens and King Regulated | High Reliability | 9A Ovens 9B King |
| Victorian Murray Regulated | High Reliability | 6 VIC Murray - Dart to Barmah (above choke) | |
| Low Reliability | |||
| High Reliability | 7 VIC Murray - Barmah to SA (below choke) | ||
| Low Reliability |
| Water Source | Water Right type | Trading/extraction zone | LTDLE Volume (ML/y) | Average Price ($/ML nominal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murrumbidgee Regulated River | General Security | Zone 13 | 11,763.95 | $3,185.49 |
| Murrumbidgee Regulated River | High Security | Zone 13 | 60.73 | $9,675.86 |
| Murrumbidgee Regulated River | Supplementary | Zone 13 | 1,815.39 | $1,104.17 |
| South Australian Murray | Class 3 | Zone 12 | 1,188.50 | $7,961.50 |
| NSW Murray Regulated River | General Security | Zone 11 (below choke) | 8,538.19 | $3,298.18 |
| NSW Murray Regulated River | High Security | Zone 11 (below choke) | 9,340.58 | $10,854.13 |
| NSW Murray Regulated River | General Security | Zone 10 (above choke) | 4,371.58 | $2,240.27 |
| NSW Murray Regulated River | High Security | Zone 10 (above choke) | 21.93 | $8,000.00 |
| Victorian Murray - Regulated | High Reliability | 7 VIC Murray - Barmah to SA (below choke) | 11,612.32 | $8,526.07 |
| Victorian Murray - Regulated | Low Reliability | 7 VIC Murray - Barmah to SA (below choke) | 714.75 | $2,492.52 |
| Victorian Murray - Regulated | High Reliability | 6 VIC Murray - Dart to Barmah (above choke) | 327.46 | $4,469.83 |
| Victorian Murray - Regulated | Low Reliability | 6 VIC Murray - Dart to Barmah (above choke) | 902.79 | $1,138.13 |
Total 50,658.17 |
1 Subject to contractual processes
Social and economic considerations
Before the 2024 Selected Catchments tender began, the department prepared a report on social and economic considerations. The Minister for Water considered this report in accordance with section 86ADB of the Water Act 2007, before making a decision approving the purchasing program. A record of the Minister's decision to approve the purchase program and the department’s report are available on the Voluntary Water Purchase Program for the 450 GL page.
Contact us
Email watertenders@dcceew.gov.au or DCCEEW Contact Centre General Enquiries: 1800 920 528 The Contact Centre operates 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (AEST) Monday to Friday, except public holidays.