MACKAY WATER PLAN TARGETS SEAWATER THREAT

The Bligh Government is protecting Mackay’s groundwater resources by targeting the threat of seawater intrusion.

Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace, in Mackay today with local MP Tim Mulherin, announced amendments to the Draft Pioneer Valley Water Resource Plan.

Mr Wallace said the plan contained several strategies to ensure the area’s groundwater resources are protected and managed in a way that ensures groundwater can continue to support existing users.

“Seawater intrusion has caused many bores to be unfit for consumption or irrigation, and without this plan more would follow,’’ he said.

“Scientists estimated another 5000 hectares of land could be affected if tighter controls are not introduced.

“Growth in cane production, coupled with drought over the past couple of decades, has depleted coastal aquifers. Seawater has been steadily seeping in,’’ Mr Wallace said.

“This has been a tough call, but unless we halt the advancing seawater front, the costs to the community will be massive.”

Member for Mackay and Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin welcomed the amendments to the Draft Pioneer Valley Water Resource Plan.

“The Bligh Government is seeing over the horizon, anticipating and solving problems,” Mr Mulherin said.

“This plan is a lifeline for stressed groundwater resources vital to the economic and social fabric of Mackay and its adjacent coastal areas.”

Minister Wallace said the plan would achieve sustainability by reducing use in the coastal area north of Sandy Creek, and therefore, would not convert the full existing volume to tradable water allocations. The part not converted to tradable allocations would not be usable.

The draft amendments also provide for stream flow management arrangements in the existing Pioneer plan to be extended to the Sandy, Alligator and Sandringham creeks.

This plan also provides for approximately 57,000 megalitres of groundwater entitlements to be converted to tradable allocations.

“Rules for sharing water between users and the environment are being introduced which will help protect local ecosystems,’’ Mr Wallace said.

“The new rules will also be introduced in some areas to halt or control growth in the use of bores for stock and domestic purposes. For example, new domestic bores will not be allowed for homes connected to reticulated town supplies, such as Mackay and Walkerston.

“The aquifers of the Pioneer Valley are fully developed and in coastal areas over-developed.

Mr Wallace said as part of the sustainability strategy in key areas, the plan will place controls on new bores in areas reticulated with town water and in other areas subject to rural subdivision, limiting new bores to existing blocks.

“Domestic bores will not be metered or licensed and the development of new stock and domestic bores in most farming areas will not be affected.

“I do not believe that it would be an equitable situation in which significant controls are placed on licensed bores on the one hand, and then to allow uncontrolled growth in use from unlicensed stock and domestic bores in many areas.

Mr Wallace praised the input from community members, a technical advisory panel and stakeholders.

“By talking openly with landholders and other key interest groups in this area helps to determine the right balance between the competing demands for this valuable water resource.’’

Copies of the draft plan will be available online at www.nrw.qld.gov.au/wrp/pioneer and from the Department of Natural Resources and Water Mackay Office, 28-30 Wood St, Mackay, phone: (07) 4967 0974 from Friday 11 July 2008.

Media contact: Clare Gillic, Minister’s office, 3896 3688.