About the area
The Sale water supply protection area (WSPA) covers a confined sand aquifer with silt, clays and coals centred on Sale, where it partially underlies the Denison and the Wa De Lock groundwater management areas (GMAs), partially overlies the Rosedale GMA, and fully overlies the Stratford GMA.
The water authority responsible for managing groundwater in the Sale WSPA is Southern Rural Water.
The Sale WSPA Local Management Plan applies to groundwater resources for all formations between 25 m to 200 m below the surface.
More information on groundwater management can be found on the Southern Rural Water
Groundwater level trends
Table 1: Groundwater level trends, Sale WSPA
Response to water availability
Groundwater restrictions
There were no restrictions on licensed use in the Sale WSPA in 2024-25.
Entitlements and use
Groundwater entitlements have been issued for licensed (non-urban) use and urban supply to Sale in the Sale WSPA. Groundwater is also available for domestic and stock use.
Entitlement volumes
Table 2: Groundwater entitlements at 30 June, Sale WSPA
Available water and take
The table below shows the total water available and taken under entitlements, and estimated domestic and stock use in 2024-25. Total water available under entitlements is calculated as the sum of: opening carryover from the prior year (where available), allocation issued during the reporting year, and the net trade in or out of water, across all entitlements. The level of allocation issued is reduced if there are any restrictions in place.
Estimated domestic and stock use is calculated based on an assumed usage per registered bore per year. In this WSPA, the assumed usage is 1.5 ML per bore per year.
More information on groundwater use and availability has been detailed in How we account for
Table 3: Groundwater availability and take, Sale WSPA
Compliance
Compliance against water entitlements is reported for this groundwater management unit (GMU) in 2 areas:
- entitlement issued: that the volume of entitlements issued in the GMU does not exceed relevant permissible consumptive volumes (PCVs) or has not increased without appropriate approvals
- water extracted: that the volume of water taken under entitlements during the year does not exceed the total water available to licence holders.
Key points on compliance against entitlements in 2024-25
In 2024-25, the total entitlement volume for the Sale WSPA (21,263 ML) exceeded the gazetted PCV (20,297 ML) as a result of a temporary volume misalignment. Prior to 2024-25, 2 licences were incorrectly assigned to the Sale WSPA and were identified as needing to be reassigned to the Rosedale GMA. During the 2024-25 year, the Sale PCV volume was reduced to reflect the reduction in licence volume, and this amendment was gazetted. However, the licence reassignment had not yet been completed by 30 June 2025, resulting in a temporary exceedance of the PCV. Finalisation of these transfers would bring the total licensed entitlement volume for the Sale WSPA under the PCV.
In a separate (but similar) correction, one licence (volume 60 ML) had been historically incorrectly assigned to the Wa De Lock GMA, and needed to be reassigned to the Sale WSPA. In this instance, both the licence update and the PCV adjustment were completed within the 2024-25 year.
Increase in total entitlement volume
There was an allowed 60 ML increase of entitlement volume from the previous year due to reassignment of one licence.
Total volume extracted under licences was within the available volume
The total volume extracted under licences (11,534 ML) was within the volume available for the year (21,972 ML).
Table 4: PCV vs total entitlement volumes, Sale WSPA
Management responsibilities
Management of water in the Sale WSPA is undertaken by Southern Rural Water.
| Authority | Management responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Southern Rural Water |
|
