Farmers and landholders across regional NSW can now access free and independent irrigation dispute resolution through the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW.
From 1 July 2026, customers of NSW’s five statutory irrigation corporations can lodge complaints with EWON for independent review at no cost.
The change gives irrigation customers the same independent complaints pathway already available to other water and energy consumers across NSW.
EWON said the expansion will strengthen accountability and customer protection across the irrigation sector.
Which irrigation customers are covered?
The expanded service applies to customers of five NSW statutory irrigation corporations.
They are Coleambally Irrigation Co-operative, Jemalong Irrigation, Murray Irrigation, Murrumbidgee Irrigation and Western Murray Irrigation.
Customers can bring complaints about the water supply and service delivery.
That includes supply interruptions, delivery issues, billing and charges, customer service, complaint handling and metering disputes.
The service also covers complaints about infrastructure impacts on customers or neighbouring landholders.
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Why has EWON’s role expanded?
The change has been enabled by the Water Management Amendment (Water Access Licence Register Reform) Act 2024.
The legislation requires irrigation corporations to be members of a dispute resolution organisation.
EWON has provided independent dispute resolution services to NSW customers for more than 25 years.
It operates independently of Government and industry.
It is not a consumer advocacy body.
Last financial year, EWON managed 27,588 complaints across the energy and water sectors.
For irrigation customers, the expansion creates a formal external pathway when complaints cannot be resolved directly with their corporation.
What happens if EWON cannot handle a complaint?
EWON said it will refer matters outside its jurisdiction to the most appropriate organisation.
That will occur through its “no wrong door” referral service.
The approach means customers can still seek guidance even when their issue falls outside EWON’s formal powers.
Energy & Water Ombudsman Janine Young said the change would help improve confidence in water management and delivery across regional NSW.
“Expanding EWON’s role will help strengthen trust, accountability and confidence in how water is managed and delivered across regional NSW,” Young said. “Expanding our jurisdiction to include irrigation complaints ensures that customers in rural NSW have access to a fair, independent dispute resolution process, reflecting our commitment to improving consumer outcomes across essential services.”
Why does independent review matter?
Irrigation services are central to regional production, property management and local economies.
Disputes can affect water access, billing certainty, farm operations and relationships between customers and service providers.
Independent irrigation dispute resolution gives customers a structured pathway outside the corporation involved in the complaint.
It also gives irrigation corporations a clearer accountability framework.
Minister for Water Rose Jackson said independent dispute resolution plays an important role in regional communities.
“Independent dispute resolution plays a critical role in ensuring irrigation services are delivered fairly, particularly in regional communities where water is so vital to livelihoods and production,” Jackson said. “EWON has built a strong reputation over many years as a genuinely independent body, where customers know that their concerns will be heard and assessed fairly.”
Jackson said that independence would give regional water users greater confidence in the handling of complaints.
“For farmers and landholders, that independence provides confidence that issues can be raised and resolved in a structured, impartial way, giving regional water users the same level of trust in complaint handling that already exists in other essential service sectors.”
