A Girgarre East woman is almost $3000 out of pocket after pleading guilty to water theft.
The 47-year-old appeared in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court on April 8, 2022 charged with interference with GMW’s works and unauthorised take and use of water.
Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW) commenced the prosecution after it found a metal fork-shaped object obstructing the woman’s dethridge wheel, preventing the recording of usage on the meter on May 14, 2021.
Magistrate David Faram said while the accused had accepted responsibility, had no priors and experienced personal difficulties, he did not agree a good behaviour bond was appropriate, as sought by the defence.
He fined the woman $1000 and ordered her to pay $1827.28 in GMW’s costs.
No conviction was recorded.
GMW Water Delivery Services general manager Warren Blyth said the organisation took a zero-tolerance approach to water theft.
“In cases where infrastructure is interfered with, we can only estimate how much water we think was stolen. GMW has an obligation on behalf of all entitlement holders to ensure unauthorised use of and any tampering with infrastructure is met with enforcement,” he said.
The Water Act 1989 was amended in October 2019 to provide for greater deterrence against water theft by strengthening penalties and giving water corporations a wider range of enforcement tools and powers to suspend or cancel licences.
Customers with any queries on compliance can phone the GMW Customer Experience Team on 1800 013 357 for assistance.
For more information, go to www.gmwater.com.au/compliance