Northern Territory Consolidated Acts Northern Territory Consolidated Acts(1) The Minister may, by notice in the Gazette , declare a water allocation plan in respect of a water control district.
(2) The Minister must specify the period (not longer than 10 years) that a water allocation plan is to remain in force.
(3) The Minister must ensure that a review of a water allocation plan is conducted at intervals not longer than 5 years.
(4) Water resource management in a water control district is to be in accordance with the water allocation plan declared in respect of the district.
(5) A water allocation plan is to ensure in the water control district that:
(a) water is allocated within the estimated sustainable yield to beneficial uses;
(b) the total water use for all beneficial uses (including those provided through rural stock and domestic use and licences granted under sections 45 and 60) is less than the sum of the allocations to each beneficial use;
(c) the right to take or use water under a licence granted under section 45 or 60 is able to be traded (in part or in full); and
(d) as far as possible – the full cost for water resources management is to be recovered through administrative charges to licensees and operational contributions from licensees.
(6) An allocation under subsection (5)(a) is to include an allocation to the environment.