Water pollution is covered by a number of Acts including the Water Resources Act 1997, the Public and Environmental Health Act 1987, the Environment Protection Act 1993 and the Natural Resources Management Act 2004. However, the Water Resources Act 1997 has been made largely redundant since the implementation of the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 and now focuses mainly on the levies associated with taking water. The Natural Resources Management Act 2004 aims to promote sustainable and integrated management of the State's natural resources and to make provision for the protection of the State's natural resources. It provides for the protection and management of catchments and the sustainable use of water resources and seeks to try and restore degraded water resources. It is now one of the key pieces of legislation with regard to water pollution, setting out general rights in relation to water and the control of activities affecting water. It also provides for enforcement, such that any person guilty of a breach of the Act can be charged and face penalties of up to $70 000 for a body corporate or $35 000 for a natural person [Natural Resources Management Act 2004 s.127]. Under the Environment Protection Act, the sections relating to the protection of the environment (such as the General Environmental Duty (s.25) or the offence provisions) apply equally to air, water, noise or other types of pollution. The Act also makes special provision for protection of water quality in water protection areas.

The Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2003 aims to improve the quality of water and water usage through legislated standards, guidelines and practice codes.

The Public and Environmental Health Act 1987 contains measures mainly aimed at preventing the contamination of water that is used for human consumption.