What the ACCC does

  • We monitor and report on regulated water charges and compliance with the water market rules and water charge rules.
  • We provide advice to the minister on the water market and water charge rules.
  • We enforce the water markets intermediaries code and trust accounting framework for eligible water markets intermediaries.

What the ACCC can't do

  • We don’t enforce the Basin Plan water trading rules or trading rules made by state governments.
  • We don’t regulate urban water prices.
  • We don’t oversee water markets.

The new mandatory Water Markets Intermediaries Code came into effect from 1 October 2025.

Find out more about the new water markets intermediaries code.

Rules and advice

Water Markets Intermediaries Code

The Water Markets Intermediaries Code and trust accounting requirements regulate the conduct of intermediaries towards clients. They also regulate how intermediaries set up and manage trust accounts and tradeable water rights.

Water charge rules

The ACCC has functions under law for water and related markets. This includes enforcing the water charge rules.

Water market rules

Water Market Rules 2009 provide protections for irrigators who want to permanently transform their irrigation right into a statutory entitlement to water.

Water trading

We enforce the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and the Australian Consumer Law which applies to the behaviour of water brokers and exchanges. We also provide advice on the Basin Plan water trading rules to the Murray–Darling Basin Authority.

Industry reporting and monitoring

Water regulation and monitoring

The ACCC roles under the Water Act 2007 include to enforce the water market and the water charge rules. We also monitor and report on regulated water charges and compliance with the water market and water charge rules.

ACCC inquiries into water

ACCC action in water markets

See media releases on water markets