The MDBA's head of Compliance, Russell James, said the release of four discussion papers that address increasing metering, improving transparency, protecting environmental water and measuring flood plain harvesting was an important step in delivering community confidence.
"The commitments and options proposed in these papers are comprehensive and show a commitment to improve governance, compliance and on-the-ground management," Mr James said
"The MDBA particularly welcomes the proposed measures to implement a 'no meter no take policy'.
"This was recommended by the MDBA and independent panel's review of compliance as well as by NSW's own compliance review undertaken by Ken Matthews.
"Should this be adopted it will go a long way to improving compliance in the northern Basin because we will have improved information about how much water is being used.
"Another important policy available for consultation concerns the better management of environmental water.
"Proposals include the implementation of individual daily extraction limits and changing access rules for flows through the Barwon–Darling.
"These have been called for by many communities for some time and were identified in the MDBA's Northern Basin Review in 2016.
"I am very pleased that work on these important measures is progressing.
"This consultation is a good example of how the Basin Plan was always intended to work—it was designed to adapt and respond to new information and emerging issues.
"It's not just about recovering water for the environment—it's about improving policy settings, using water smarter, and getting the balance right between competing water use needs."
Members of the community can make a submission on any of the four discussion papers by 15 April 2018 at industry.nsw.gov.au/water-reform/consultation
ENDS