❓ Hon. Norman Moore questions the Water Corporation's groundwater extraction practices, suggesting they could extract more to ease restrictions and leave more water in dams. The Minister, relying on Water Corporation advice, defends their current extraction levels as a balance between environmental concerns and water needs.
AnsweredQoN 1608Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to question without notice 1592 and ask - (1) If there were temporary problems with some bores and equipment last year, why would the Water Corporation not increase water extraction from other bores over the year to extract its full ground water allocation, thus leaving an extra nine gigalitres in dam storage? (2) Given that it is the role of the Water and Rivers Commission to set the water extraction limits within environmental constraints, why has the Water Corporation failed to apply for more than 167 gigalitres for this year as a means of providing more water to allow for an easing of the restrictions? (3) Will the minister ask the Water Corporation to increase its ground water application for this year and allow the Water and Rivers Commission to do its job of making the judgement on what is environmentally acceptable, rather than the Water Corporation making the judgment to deny the public water that is available by not asking for more water? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
The minister provides the following reply on the advice of the Water Corporation - (1) The Water Corporation is operating all its bores at the maximum quotas permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. Increasing extraction from other bores in the event of mechanical or other problems is not permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. (2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
(1) If there were temporary problems with some bores and equipment last year, why would the Water Corporation not increase water extraction from other bores over the year to extract its full ground water allocation, thus leaving an extra nine gigalitres in dam storage? (2) Given that it is the role of the Water and Rivers Commission to set the water extraction limits within environmental constraints, why has the Water Corporation failed to apply for more than 167 gigalitres for this year as a means of providing more water to allow for an easing of the restrictions? (3) Will the minister ask the Water Corporation to increase its ground water application for this year and allow the Water and Rivers Commission to do its job of making the judgement on what is environmentally acceptable, rather than the Water Corporation making the judgment to deny the public water that is available by not asking for more water? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: The minister provides the following reply on the advice of the Water Corporation - (1) The Water Corporation is operating all its bores at the maximum quotas permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. Increasing extraction from other bores in the event of mechanical or other problems is not permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. (2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
(2) Given that it is the role of the Water and Rivers Commission to set the water extraction limits within environmental constraints, why has the Water Corporation failed to apply for more than 167 gigalitres for this year as a means of providing more water to allow for an easing of the restrictions? (3) Will the minister ask the Water Corporation to increase its ground water application for this year and allow the Water and Rivers Commission to do its job of making the judgement on what is environmentally acceptable, rather than the Water Corporation making the judgment to deny the public water that is available by not asking for more water? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: The minister provides the following reply on the advice of the Water Corporation - (1) The Water Corporation is operating all its bores at the maximum quotas permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. Increasing extraction from other bores in the event of mechanical or other problems is not permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. (2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
(3) Will the minister ask the Water Corporation to increase its ground water application for this year and allow the Water and Rivers Commission to do its job of making the judgement on what is environmentally acceptable, rather than the Water Corporation making the judgment to deny the public water that is available by not asking for more water? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: The minister provides the following reply on the advice of the Water Corporation - (1) The Water Corporation is operating all its bores at the maximum quotas permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. Increasing extraction from other bores in the event of mechanical or other problems is not permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. (2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: The minister provides the following reply on the advice of the Water Corporation - (1) The Water Corporation is operating all its bores at the maximum quotas permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. Increasing extraction from other bores in the event of mechanical or other problems is not permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. (2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
The minister provides the following reply on the advice of the Water Corporation - (1) The Water Corporation is operating all its bores at the maximum quotas permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. Increasing extraction from other bores in the event of mechanical or other problems is not permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. (2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
(1) The Water Corporation is operating all its bores at the maximum quotas permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. Increasing extraction from other bores in the event of mechanical or other problems is not permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. (2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
(2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
(3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
(1) If there were temporary problems with some bores and equipment last year, why would the Water Corporation not increase water extraction from other bores over the year to extract its full ground water allocation, thus leaving an extra nine gigalitres in dam storage? (2) Given that it is the role of the Water and Rivers Commission to set the water extraction limits within environmental constraints, why has the Water Corporation failed to apply for more than 167 gigalitres for this year as a means of providing more water to allow for an easing of the restrictions? (3) Will the minister ask the Water Corporation to increase its ground water application for this year and allow the Water and Rivers Commission to do its job of making the judgement on what is environmentally acceptable, rather than the Water Corporation making the judgment to deny the public water that is available by not asking for more water? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: The minister provides the following reply on the advice of the Water Corporation - (1) The Water Corporation is operating all its bores at the maximum quotas permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. Increasing extraction from other bores in the event of mechanical or other problems is not permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. (2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
(2) Given that it is the role of the Water and Rivers Commission to set the water extraction limits within environmental constraints, why has the Water Corporation failed to apply for more than 167 gigalitres for this year as a means of providing more water to allow for an easing of the restrictions? (3) Will the minister ask the Water Corporation to increase its ground water application for this year and allow the Water and Rivers Commission to do its job of making the judgement on what is environmentally acceptable, rather than the Water Corporation making the judgment to deny the public water that is available by not asking for more water? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: The minister provides the following reply on the advice of the Water Corporation - (1) The Water Corporation is operating all its bores at the maximum quotas permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. Increasing extraction from other bores in the event of mechanical or other problems is not permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. (2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
(3) Will the minister ask the Water Corporation to increase its ground water application for this year and allow the Water and Rivers Commission to do its job of making the judgement on what is environmentally acceptable, rather than the Water Corporation making the judgment to deny the public water that is available by not asking for more water? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: The minister provides the following reply on the advice of the Water Corporation - (1) The Water Corporation is operating all its bores at the maximum quotas permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. Increasing extraction from other bores in the event of mechanical or other problems is not permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. (2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: The minister provides the following reply on the advice of the Water Corporation - (1) The Water Corporation is operating all its bores at the maximum quotas permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. Increasing extraction from other bores in the event of mechanical or other problems is not permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. (2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
The minister provides the following reply on the advice of the Water Corporation - (1) The Water Corporation is operating all its bores at the maximum quotas permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. Increasing extraction from other bores in the event of mechanical or other problems is not permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. (2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
(1) The Water Corporation is operating all its bores at the maximum quotas permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. Increasing extraction from other bores in the event of mechanical or other problems is not permitted by the Water and Rivers Commission. (2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
(2) The Water Corporation has requested an abstraction of 167 gigalitres from the Water and Rivers Commission for 2003-04. This requested abstraction is within the constraints of previous approvals by the regulators. (3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
(3) No, the 167 gigalitres requested is considered to be a reasonable balance between environmental issues and water supply requirements.
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