GAB access threat to bores

Anne Kennedy, "Yuma", Coonamble, was outraged that the Qld government passed the Water Reform and Other Legislation Amendment at the end of November.

This legislation allows mining, petroleum and gas companies to "take or interfere with underground water in the area of the licence" provided this occurs during mining activities, without any limits on the amount taken proscribed.

It will also allow petroleum and gas companies to seek a permit to take "non-associated water" from the basin to be used for a range of purposes including hydraulic fracturing, constructing and testing infrastructure or developing production wells and providing water for workers' camps.

"It beggars belief how can this be allowed," said Mrs Kennedy, who is the president of the Artesian Bore Water Users Association (ABWUA).

She said when it came to the Great Artesian Basin, States could not make laws that would adversely affect people in other States, and ABWUA would look for a legal channel to stop the legislation coming into effect.

"It is a national resource... they're basically using up a finite resource as quickly as possible."

"My biggest concern is they are draining the Artesian Basin, and polluting it with fracking," she said.

She said along with possible contamination, Queensland farmers were also losing pressure at their bores "hand over fist".

A spokesman for the Qld Department of Natural Resources and Mines advised the reform was necessary to keep up with changing economic circumstances.

"The petroleum and gas sector is undergoing considerable growth, with further expansion of an onshore oil and deep gas industry predicted," the spokesman said.

"This expansion will require increased take of non-associated water for activities such as hydraulic fracturing."

Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps said the reform would revitalise the management of water resources across the State to boost economic development opportunities.

He said a key aspect of the reforms was delivering a fairer and more consistent framework for regulating the mineral resources sector in relation to groundwater impacts on other water users.

"The government will continue to ensure the mineral resources sector, petroleum and gas sector and other water users maintain reliable and secure access to water."

Mrs Kennedy said it was short-term thinking.

"The drought has highlighted the critical importance of our groundwater," she said.

Most of the changes in the reform will come into effect early this year.

Updated 29.01: Minister Cripps issued the following statement, in response to The Land's article

"Irrigators and graziers can be confident under the new reforms, that before a mine starts to take underground water near their property, the mining company will be required by law to undertake an assessment of impacts.

"The reforms were designed to give landholders whose bores were potentially affected by mining activity the same rights as those impacted by the petroleum and gas sector.

"Under these new reforms, companies only have the right to take underground water where this is unavoidable and will require a licence or permit to take any other water for use in their operations.

"Labor’s outdated Water Act 2000 did not provide a consistent framework to manage the impacts of resource activities on groundwater resources, creating uncertainty for landholders affected by different resource developments.

"The new laws do not change the longstanding EIS process overseen by the independent Coordinator-General, nor do they guarantee a water entitlement to a proponent before a project is approved."