Concerns about pumping precious groundwater into plastic drinking bottles have taken a political turn on the North Coast with outgoing MP for Lismore calling for an independent investigation into water extraction, and requesting state government cease future licencing of commercial operations which take water off-farm.
On Tuesday Mr George’s request was granted with Minister for Regional Water, Niall Blair, announcing an independent review into the impacts of the bottled water industry on groundwater sources in the Northern Rivers.
A current development application on the Alstonville Plateau to erect a shed for bottling, making use of an existing 100 mega litre irrigation licence, was the impetus for Mr George’s request, after more than 200 opposing submissions – mostly from local horticulturalists – were received by Ballina Shire Council.
On this red soil plateau small acreage high value horticulture sometimes relies on irrigation which is pure and plentiful – until drought causes the water table to plummet. Now growers of macadamias and avocados want to keep water extraction for irrigation and are not satisfied with it being exported off farm.
“Who’s to say this 100 mega litres won’t turn into 1000ml?” asked macadamia producer Andrew Leslie of Lynwood and who was offered money for his own 98ml allocation by a broker from Elders Water.
To the north, Tweed Valley residents are worried about increased traffic from five bottled water bore sites. Add to this concern a lack of social licence regarding plastic bottles and there is reason behind the passion. Is the concern validated by science?
As a result of the uproar Labor candidates at Lismore, Ballina and on the Tweed followed the Nationals’ lead, vowing to hold a parliamentary inquiry into sustainable extraction should their party win government and the Greens candidate for Lismore, former former CEO of the Environmental Defenders Office Sue Higginson, called on the planning minister to give full control over water “mining” to local government.
Meanwhile there is a 2016 DPI Water report entitled Water Sharing Plan for the North Coast Fractured and Porous Rock Groundwater Sources and which outlines exactly how much groundwater is being extracted for commercial purposes and how much is left over for the environment.
On the Alstonville Plateau nearly 9000 mega litres each year are pumped out of the ground for commercial purposes, like irrigation, while more than 41,000ml are retained for the environment.
On the Tweed, where volcanic rock from the Mount Warning complex supplies 13,000ml for commercial purposes, nearly 300,000ml are calculated for “planned environmental water”.
Former DPI Water planner Dave Miller contributed to the 2016 report and said the Alstonville Plateau, like other basalt aquifers on the North Coast, had a robust recharge rate through rainfall and 100ml of extraction was insignificant. However, there were parts of the plateau that were oversubscribed during dry times and more extraction equalled a greater chance of the aquifer drying up on a temporary basis.
“Where do you draw the line?
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“Bottled water always attracts more attention than it deserves,” he said, citing an example on Mangrove Mountain, inland from the Central Coast, a decade ago when an application from Coca Cola to extract a similar amount of ground water created enough backlash from horticulturalists that the big corporation backed down.
“There was a huge outcry that was not commensurate with the risk to the resource,” he recalled. “It was irrational.”
As far as transferring decision making on water extraction to local government from the state, which has responsibilities clearly outlined in the constitution, Mr Miller said the biggest risk was losing valuable expertise.
“Local government doesn’t have water expertise, this is a role for state government and besides you can’t devolve responsibility under our constitution. In the end it is the minister’s call.”
In saying that, Mr Miller admitted previous state government water ministers had a “terrible track record” when it came to transparency with the result that “people don’t trust politicians and they are not sure about the bureaucracy”.
Mr Miller said departmental models used to predict impact from extraction could“always be improved”, particularly when it came to small-scale and local scale issues – where neighbouring bores were close and could be more affected.
“But to suggest the water science at state level is dodgy is a stretch,” he said. “When it comes to negotiating about water you always bring science to the table but in the end it’s a trade-off between all the factors.
“It is always a tug of war between jobs and wealth creation versus environmental river health. There are endless arguments about where to draw the line and it doesn't matter if that is on the Murray Darling or on the North Coast. In the end a good outcome involves everyone being a little bit unhappy.”
Independent review announced
Meanwhile, Minister for Regional Water, Niall Blair on Tuesday announced an independent review into the impacts of the bottled water industry on groundwater sources in the Northern Rivers.
The NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer will provide advice on the sustainable groundwater extraction limits in the Northern Rivers region of NSW, as well as advice on whether the current or proposed groundwater monitoring bores are sufficient.
Mr Blair said the NSW Government acknowledges the concerns some members of the community have in relation to the impacts of the industry and the role science can play in addressing these concerns.
“I am confident the bottled water industry is operating sustainably, however Austin Curtin, Ben Franklin and Thomas George have made representations to me on behalf of their constituents and on that basis I’m happy to commission independent expert advice,” Mr Blair said.
“I have asked the Chief Scientist and Engineer to investigate the sustainability of groundwater extraction in the Northern Rivers for bottling purposes.
“Water is a finite resource and we are completing this review to make sure that water remains available into the future in the Northern Rivers catchment for all purposes including stock and domestic users and for groundwater dependent ecosystems.”
The Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR), the independent water compliance authority, is auditing four water extraction operators in the Tweed catchment.
While these investigations are not yet complete, NRAR has required three plant operators to install accredited water meters on each of their extraction bores by early next year. The fourth plant was found to have adequate meters on individual extraction bores.
NRAR will continue to monitor water take activities on the North Coast.
The Chief Scientist and Engineer is expected to provide his initial report by early February 2019, with a final report to be published in mid 2019. For further information on water extraction, visit the Department of Industry website