IPART administers operating licences for Sydney Water Corporation, Hunter Water Corporation, State Water Corporation and Sydney Catchment Authority.

The administration of operating licences is designed to:

- maintain and improve service quality and the reliability of supply

- protect consumers

- assess the impact of the industry on the environment

It achieves these objectives through regular review of the operating licences and annual audits of performance.

Under the National Water Initiative Agreement, IPART coordinates the data collection and audits for the:

National Performance Report 2007-2008: Urban Water Utilities and

National Performance Report 2007-2008: Rural Water Service Providers.

These reports were released by the National Water Commission on Friday 3 April 2009