A recent deadline of December 2020 was imposed to ensure all pipes over 500mm were fitted with validated and accurate meters. While compliance has increased recently, there's still a large number that aren't qualifying.

NRAR will now be cracking down on owners who haven't updated their pipes in line with the regulations.

Chief regulatory officer Grant Barnes said that while the last months had seen improvement, NRAR would be fining and directing those without proper meters.

""We are encouraged to see a positive shift in the rate of full compliance recorded in April. We believe this positive shift is a result of our efforts to engage directly with water users," he said.

"The water users who own the 45 per cent of works without accurate meters are now subject to fines and directions to install them ... For those who continue to ignore the rules, our response will become progressively severe, up to prosecution if necessary."

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He also promised to be 'firm but fair' in punishing that 45 per cent, being light on water users who could prove reasonable effort in attempting to follow the new guidelines. Proof could include product orders, invoices or bookings for validators.

The crackdown comes just two months after NRAR took two Griffith irrigators to court for water theft, in the largest ever prosecution they've put forward. The irrigators were found to have taken around 6000 megalitres more than they were allocated.

The next step in the changes will be to expand to all works, requiring pumps above 100mm and bores above 200mm to install similar meters by December 1.

Mr Barnes encouraged irrigators to begin planning for the next stage.

"Get cracking now, to ensure you are doing the right thing when our officers pay you a visit next year."

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