Tougher Penalties for Water Theft Continue
Goulburn-Murray Water (G-MW) has welcomed the tough penalties imposed on individuals who take water to which they are not entitled.
G-MW's comments come in response to a recent court case in which an irrigator on the Yea River failed to comply with restrictions in place to ensure equitable access for all irrigators along the unregulated river and was fined a total of nearly $35,000 including costs.
Recently a Torrumbarry Irrigator was convicted and fined in excess of $21,000 including costs after pleading guilty to a charge of wrongful taking of water. Earlier this year a Rochester based Campaspe Deep Lead groundwater diverter was convicted and fined over $5,200 for interfering with a water meter and wrongful taking of water and in January a Torrumbarry irrigator lost access to the Pumper's Rebate for at least 10 years and was convicted and fined almost $30,000 including costs after pleading guilty to interference with a water meter and wrongful taking of water.
"Water theft is stealing water from other irrigators, the environment and our communities - it is unacceptable in any season but especially in a year where water storages, stream flows and groundwater levels are at extreme lows. The community is right to expect the penalties to reflect the value of water and its importance to the health of our communities, businesses and local environment," said G-MW Managing Director, David Stewart.
During the 2007/08 season annual allocation water was at times trading at more than $1000 a ML - 10 to 15 times the prices recorded five years ago. As a result water theft offences often involved significant financial gains - in some cases worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"We are seeing a strong upward trend in the number of reports to G-MW and we think this reflects the local community's recognition that water theft is stealing from other entitlement holders which include the community, irrigators and the environment," said Mr Stewart.
"We thank the vast majority of our customers who have managed their use within their entitlement and have also worked with us to share the available water and maximise supplies - often at the expense of customer service," said Mr Stewart.
While G-MW has investigated over 240 reports of water theft this season, this represents less than 1 percent of the organisations more than 24,000 customers.
"Community reporting has contributed to this increase, and we have increased our day and night surveillance efforts but a key factor is that with so little water available it is relatively easy to detect where water is being used and to verify whether the irrigator is entitled to the water," said Mr Stewart.
Suspected incidents of water theft can be reported to Goulburn-Murray Water 24 hours a day 7 days a week on phone number 1800 064 184 and this can be done anonymously.
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Media Contact: Linda Nieuwenhuizen
Position: Manager Corporate Communications
Telephone: 5833 5776 or 0412 183 792
