Landholders charged over alleged water theft
Grant Barnes says irrigators are pleased to have active and transparent compliance measures once again.The New South Wales water regulator has launched two more prosecutions against landholders for alleged non-compliance with water laws.Latest charges relate to MidCoast Council area and Namoi River areaThe latest actions brought by the Natural Resources Access Regulator cover a range of offences involving water take, activities on waterfront land and dams.
"During drought the impact of illegal activities on our water supplies, whether it's water take, works on waterfront land or non-compliant dams, is magnified, hitting other water users and the environment even harder," Mr Barnes said."If you have been found to be non-compliant, you can be assured that NRAR employs a graduated and proportionate approach to any breaches of water laws.
It faces a total of 13 charges including taking water without the appropriate access licence, using and constructing dams without approval, and controlled activities without approval on waterfront land.In Tamworth, NRAR has commenced proceedings against two individual landholders from the Tamworth area.
Both face seven charges under the Water Management Act 2000 for contravening the terms and conditions of their access licence on two properties."Of particular concern are the charges relating to taking water from the Namoi River outside of the flow conditions of their licences in August, October and November 2018," Mr Barnes said.If found guilty, the maximum fines payable in each case could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"If that is what happened then it is, of course, illegal but they were desperate due to the drought, with starving livestock and desperate people do desperate things," Mr Simpkins.
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