Department for Environment and Water

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South Australia’s Department for Environment and Water (DEW) is a state government agency responsible for managing the state’s natural resources, including water, parks, biodiversity, and environmental regulation. It administers water licences, allocations, levies and compliance for prescribed water resources across South Australia.

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
environment.sa.gov.au
Owned by Government of South Australia

About Department for Environment and Water

The Department for Environment and Water (DEW) is a South Australian state government agency responsible for managing the state’s environment, parks and public lands, water resources and biodiversity. It oversees national parks and reserves, marine parks, water licensing and allocations, River Murray operations within SA, natural resources regulation, and a range of environmental programs and compliance activities. DEW operates from Adelaide and across regional South Australia, and many of its services are accessed online via environment.sa.gov.au and related portals (such as water licensing and park bookings).

A charge from the Department for Environment and Water may appear on your bank or card statement for a range of reasons. Common examples include payment of water licence application or renewal fees, water allocation or trading transaction fees, NRM/water levies, park entry passes, camping and accommodation bookings in SA parks, guided tours, educational programs, or permits (for example, marine park permits or scientific research permits). You may also see a DEW-related charge for online bookings made through the parks booking system, for penalty or compliance fees issued by the department, or for one-off purchases such as maps, publications or event tickets. Some charges are recurring (for example, annual water licence fees or levies), while others are one‑off transactions or temporary pre‑authorisations when a card is validated.

If you’re unsure about a Department for Environment and Water charge, first review recent activity such as park bookings, water licence renewals, or permit applications made by you, your business, or a family member using your card. Check your email for receipts or booking confirmations from an environment.sa.gov.au or sa.gov.au address, and log in to any relevant online accounts (e.g. the SA Parks booking system or the online water licensing portal) to view invoices and payment history. For billing questions, you can start at environment.sa.gov.au and follow links to ‘Contact us’, or phone the general information line or the relevant regional office listed there, quoting the exact date, amount and any reference number on your statement. Having your licence or booking number ready will help DEW staff quickly locate the transaction, explain the charge, correct any errors, or advise on refunds and cancellations in line with South Australian Government policies.

Bank Statement Variations

1 known variations

These are the raw merchant codes that appear on bank and credit card statements that we've identified as belonging to Department for Environment and Water.

  1. DEW Water Licensing Adelaide AU

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I seeing a Department for Environment and Water charge for around $10–$40 on my card?

Amounts in this range commonly relate to South Australian park entry passes or day/overnight camping bookings made through the SA Parks online booking system. They may also be for smaller permit fees, vehicle entry to specific parks, or maps/publications purchased from DEW. Check your email for a booking confirmation from an environment.sa.gov.au address around the date of the charge and review any recent park visits or bookings you (or someone using your card) may have made.

Why was I charged an annual fee by the Department for Environment and Water for my water licence?

DEW administers water licences and allocations for prescribed water resources in South Australia, and most licences attract annual water licence and/or water levy charges. These fees are typically billed once per year based on your licence conditions, allocation volume and the applicable fee schedule for your water resource area. You can view your current charges, due dates and invoices by logging into the online water licensing portal or reviewing the annual notice sent to you by post or email.

How do I cancel or change a SA national park or camping booking charged by DEW?

To modify or cancel a park entry or camping booking, log in to the SA Parks online booking system via environment.sa.gov.au and go to your bookings or account history. Many bookings can be changed or cancelled online within certain timeframes, subject to the terms and conditions displayed at the time of purchase. If your booking date has passed or you are unable to change it online, contact the Parks booking support team using the details on your booking confirmation email to discuss options or any applicable fees.

How can I query or change a Department for Environment and Water water licence or levy charge?

If you believe your water licence, allocation or levy charge is incorrect, first compare the amount on your bank statement with your latest invoice or assessment notice from DEW. If there is a discrepancy, contact the DEW water licensing team using the phone or email listed on your notice or via the ‘Water licences and permits’ section of environment.sa.gov.au. Have your water licence number, property details and the exact transaction amount and date ready so staff can review your account and explain or adjust the charge in accordance with legislation and policy.

How do I request a refund from the Department for Environment and Water for a mistaken or duplicate payment?

Refunds are assessed in line with South Australian Government and DEW refund policies and depend on the type of product or fee (e.g. park booking vs. statutory licence fee). If you accidentally paid twice or were charged after cancelling a booking within the allowable period, contact DEW with your receipt number, booking or licence details, and the last four digits of the card used. Start via the ‘Contact us’ page on environment.sa.gov.au or reply to your original invoice/booking email; DEW will review the transaction and, if eligible, process a refund back to your original payment method.

Why do I see a small or temporary Department for Environment and Water charge (e.g. $1) that later disappears?

In some cases, DEW’s online payment systems or third‑party gateways may place a small pre‑authorisation on your card to verify that the card is valid before processing a larger payment. This amount is not actually taken by DEW and should drop off or be reversed automatically by your bank within a few business days. If a small authorisation hold does not disappear after several days, contact your bank first, then DEW if your bank confirms the amount has settled as a completed transaction.

Can I pause or stop recurring Department for Environment and Water charges to my account?

Most DEW charges are linked to specific obligations (such as annual water licence fees or levies) or to dated products (like park passes and bookings) and are not traditional ‘subscriptions’ that can be paused freely. To change or stop recurring charges such as annual licence fees, you generally must vary or surrender the underlying licence or entitlement in accordance with water resources legislation. Contact the relevant DEW team via environment.sa.gov.au to discuss your options before the next billing period, and speak with your bank if you need to block future card payments while a dispute is being resolved.

How do I contact the Department for Environment and Water about a charge if I don’t know what it’s for?

Visit environment.sa.gov.au and go to the ‘Contact us’ section to find phone numbers and email addresses for general enquiries, parks bookings, and water licensing. When you contact them, provide your full name, the last four digits of the card, the exact transaction date, amount, and any reference that appears on your statement (for example, “DEW SA PARKS” or “DEW WATER LIC”). This information allows staff to search their systems, identify the transaction (such as a specific booking, licence or invoice), and explain the nature of the charge or guide you through any next steps.

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