Water Industry Award pay rates
Award code MA000113, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 10 adult classifications under the Water Industry Award 2020, from 1 July 2026: $27.11 to $43.54 an hour before tax. Casuals get a 25% loading on top.
Lowest adult rate
$27.11an hour
For Level 1. $1,030.10 for a full-time week. Up 4.75% from $25.88. Casuals get $33.89 an hour, with the 25% loading.
Its lowest adult rate is $27.11 an hour, 2.5% above the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 33 have a higher minimum. The dashed line is the minimum wage; each tick is another award.
Pay by classification
Dollars an hour, from 1 July 2026- Level 1$27.11
- Level 2$27.97
- Level 3$29.03
- Level 4$29.45
- Level 5$31.30
- Level 6$33.87
- Level 7$34.46
- Level 8$37.24
- Level 9$39.83
- Level 10$43.54
Hover or tap a row for last year's rate. Every rate, in every unit, is in the tables below.
Penalty rates at a glance
Percent of the ordinary rate, and dollars an hour at Level 1.
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$27.11 | 125%$33.89 |
| Public holiday | 250%$67.78 | 275%$74.55 |
Minimum pay by classification from 1 July 2026
Weekly rates are for a full-time week; hourly rates apply to full-time and part-time hours. Casual hourly adds the 25% loading.
| Classification | Weekly | Hourly | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $1,030.10 | $27.11 | $33.89 |
| Level 2 | $1,062.90 | $27.97 | $34.96 |
| Level 3 | $1,103.00 | $29.03 | $36.29 |
| Level 4 | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Level 5 | $1,189.40 | $31.30 | $39.13 |
| Level 6 | $1,287.20 | $33.87 | $42.34 |
| Level 7 | $1,309.50 | $34.46 | $43.08 |
| Level 8 | $1,415.00 | $37.24 | $46.55 |
| Level 9 | $1,513.70 | $39.83 | $49.79 |
| Level 10 | $1,654.40 | $43.54 | $54.43 |
Penalty and overtime rates
Percentages as the award sets them, and what they come to an hour at the first adult level. Higher classifications get the same percentages of their own rate. The tick on each bar marks 100%, the ordinary rate.
Evenings, weekends and public holidays
Adult day workers: ordinary and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$27.11 | 125%$33.89 |
| Public holiday | 250%$67.78 | 275%$74.55 |
Shiftwork
Adult shiftworkers: ordinary and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Day shift | 100%$27.11 | 125%$33.89 |
| Afternoon shift | 115%$31.18 | 140%$37.95 |
| Night shift | 130%$35.24 | 155%$42.02 |
| Public holiday | 250%$67.78 | 275%$74.55 |
Overtime
Full-time and part-time adult day workers and shiftworkers: overtime rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday - first 2 hours | 150%$40.67 |
| Monday to Saturday - after 2 hours | 200%$54.22 |
| Sunday | 200%$54.22 |
| Public holiday | 250%$67.78 |
Allowances paid on top
11 allowances are for the work itself, paid when the job calls for it, and 5 cover costs you'd otherwise pay yourself, like meals, laundry or travel. The amounts are the Commission's, in force today; the award sets out exactly who gets each one and when.
For the work
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Leading hand allowance | ||
| Supervisor level 3 or 4, supervising 1 to 5 employeesClause 18.2(a) | $32.40 a week | |
| Supervisor level 3 or 4, supervising 6 to 15 employeesClause 18.2(a) | $44.18 a week | |
| Supervisor level 3, 4 or 5, supervising over 15 employeesClause 18.2(a) | $55.96 a week | |
| First aid allowanceClause 18.2(b)(i) | $19.14 a week | |
| Adverse working conditions allowance | ||
| Level 1Clause 18.2(c)(ii) | $1.03 an hour | |
| Level 2Clause 18.2(c)(ii) | $1.47 an hour | |
| Level 3Clause 18.2(c)(ii) | $14.73 an hour | |
| Transfers, travelling and working away from normal starting pointClause 18.2(e)(v) | $14.73 a day | |
| On-call allowance | ||
| WeekdayClause 20.6(b)(i) | $44.18 a day | |
| SaturdayClause 20.6(b)(ii) | $58.90 a day | |
| Sunday or public holidayClause 20.6(b)(iii) | $73.63 a day | |
To cover costs
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Meal allowance in relation to overtime | ||
| After more than 2 hours of overtime or 10 continuous hours’ workClause 18.3(a)(i) | $24.57 each time | |
| After a further 4 hours’ continuous overtimeClause 18.3(a)(ii) | $15.60 each time | |
| Vehicle allowance | ||
| Motor vehicleClause 18.3(b)(i) | $1.01 a km | |
| MotorcycleClause 18.3(b)(i) | $0.34 a km | |
| Tool allowance, tradespersons and apprenticesClause 18.3(e)(i) | $22.25 a week | |
The award is the final word
These are the minimum rates the Fair Work Commission publishes for the award. Shift rules, rostering and who each classification covers are in the award itself, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay. Employees no award or agreement covers get the National Minimum Wage: $26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026.
The awards most people look up
Questions people ask
- What is the minimum pay rate under the Water Industry Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $27.11 an hour ($1,030.10 a week full time), for Level 1. The highest adult classification is $43.54 an hour.
- How does the Water Industry Award minimum compare?
- Its lowest adult rate is $27.11 an hour, 2.5% above the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 33 have a higher minimum.
- How much did Water Industry Award rates go up on 1 July 2026?
- The lowest adult rate rose 4.75%, from $25.88 to $27.11 an hour, in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. The table shows each classification's rate before and after.
- What is the casual loading under the Water Industry Award?
- 25% on top of the ordinary hourly rate, paid instead of leave entitlements. For Level 1 that makes $33.89 an hour.
- What allowances are paid under the Water Industry Award?
- 16 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a leading hand allowance, Supervisor level 3 or 4, supervising 1 to 5 employees of $32.40 a week, a leading hand allowance, Supervisor level 3 or 4, supervising 6 to 15 employees of $44.18 a week and a leading hand allowance, Supervisor level 3, 4 or 5, supervising over 15 employees of $55.96 a week. The full list, with the clause each comes from, is on this page.
- Where do these rates come from?
- The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database, which publishes every award's minimum rates; we read it when the Commission changes an award. The award itself prevails if the two ever differ, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay.
Source: Fair Work Commission, Modern Awards Pay Database, licensed CC BY 4.0, read 27 Oct 2026 and arranged by The Finance Algorithm. Not endorsed by the Fair Work Commission. Read with the award: if they differ, the award prevails. General information, not legal or payroll advice.