New commentary on water access rights has been added to the By Lawyers Sale and Purchase Guides (SA).

The new content covers the right to take and use water in South Australia which is regulated under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004. Under the Act, rights in relation to the ability to take and use water include water licences, water access entitlements and stock and domestic rights.

Information in relation to water licences and water access can be found on the Department for Environment and Water website.

Ownership of water rights is recorded on the Water Register.

By Lawyers do not currently offer a full commentary on the increasingly complex and valuable rights attaching to the usage, allocation and trading of water, but the new content in the Sale and Purchase Guides assists as a starting point for SA practitioners who are called upon to advise clients in relation to the rights attaching to water in various circumstances, whether in the context of property transactions, property development, or stand-alone water trading transactions.

Helpful interactive links are also provided in the new content to allow users to quickly access the detailed information available on the Department for Environment and Water website and the WaterConnect website.