IN A win for landholders across the Great Artesian Basin, the federal government has resurrected the popular Cap and Pipe the Bores Scheme after four months in limbo.
Funding ran dry in June after 15 years and $115 million of valuable work across the basin.
Despite calls from landholders to continue the scheme, no news was forthcoming, until today.
Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss and Parliamentary Secretary for Environment Simon Birmingham will be in Moree today to announce a three year, $15.9 million investment, spread across NSW, South Australia and Queensland.
“Uncontrolled bores continue to threaten secure access to water across a range of communities, pastoralists, irrigators, and mining and extractive industries, as well as the health of important groundwater dependent ecosystems,” Mr Truss said.
Funding for cap and pipe the bores scheme is shared between State and federal governments.
NSW Water Minister Kevin Humphries has stated he wanted the scheme to continue.
When news broke (“Cap bores, not funding”, June 5) the program had stalled, after an ongoing campaign in The Land, landholders rallied to keep it alive.
Sue Hearn, “Savanna”, Brewarrina, said in June capping their bore and piping drains had been a saviour in the current drought.
“Without the bore we wouldn’t have been able to maintain our main breeding stock,” Mrs Hearn said.
Member for Parkes Mark Coulton welcomed the announcement.
“With those bores that have already been capped, it has actually increased the pressure, so bores that weren’t flowing before have started again,” he said.
“That has increased the need to recap more bores.”
The other side of it is the Walgett and Lightning Ridge farmers who have been able to handle the current drought much better than those who haven’t capped their bores.
“They have been able to get their water out to where their feed is and manage their property more efficiently.”
According to the NSW Artesian Bore Water Users Association more than 200 bores still need capping and more than 1000 kilometres of bore need to be piped, which could save up to 25,000 megalitres of groundwater.
Mr Birmingham said he would now work with stakeholders to develop a new strategic management plan for the Artesian Basin.
The federal government would also look to develop private sector model for future delivery of the program.
Mike Foley
Senior journalist for The Land.
Senior journalist for The Land.
