Concerns over water wastageIrrigators face water cuts while CSG pumps on
Queensland Country Life - James Nason, 2/9/2010
CENTRAL Downs irrigators remain frustrated by State Government policies that allow coal seam gas companies to extract millions of litres of water from underground sources while farmers face significant and uncompensated cutbacks to their own allocations from the same resource.
Central Downs Irrigators chairman Johannes Roellgen, Tyunga, Pampas, said irrigators were committed to ensuring the ongoing sustainability of the Condamine Alluvium, a commitment that is soon likely to cost them hundreds of millions of dollars in uncompensated losses.
While irrigators accept sacrifices will be required to ensure the long-term productivity of the alluvium, they are perplexed by government policies that enable CSG companies to extract millions of litres of water from coal seams that are listed as part of the same allocated resource in the Great Artesian Basin Resource Operations Plan.