The Albanese Labor Government's voluntary water purchase open tender has received more than 1,000 responses across the southern Murray-Darling Basin, far exceeding the volume of water required.
The government is progressively returning 450 gigalitres of water to the environment by 2027 as it delivers the Basin Plan in full.
About 27.5 gigalitres, or 11,000 Olympic swimming pools of water, have already been recovered - up from just two gigalitres in May 2022.
The tender, which closed in September 2024, sought to purchase eligible water rights for up to 70 gigalitres of surface water per year across five catchments in the southern connected Basin.
Responses are being evaluated and value-for-money offers will be accepted from December 2024.
Voluntary purchase is just one of the ways that water will be recovered, with the government prioritising non-purchase options.
The Resilient Rivers Program provides more than $494 million for water saving infrastructure projects nominated by states. One construction project, one water saving program and four feasibility projects, worth close to $90 million, have already been approved with more in the pipeline. The program also makes another $3 million available to states to develop land and water partnership proposals.
Earlier this year, the government made a record $300 million available to Basin state governments to support jobs and businesses in communities affected by voluntary water purchase.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek:
"We said from day one we're committed to delivering the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in full - and that's exactly what we're doing.
"The overwhelming response to the voluntary tender shows there are many willing sellers who want to work with the Government to ensure the Basin river system continues to be healthy and sustainable for the communities, businesses, farmers and irrigators who rely on it."
"We're continuing to progress all options to deliver the 450 gigalitres of water for the environment."
