The trouble with blueberries....

An Coffs Harbour man and a Canadian multimillionaire decide to farm water-hungry blueberries in the Clarence Valley.

The Daily Examiner, 3 October 2016, p.12:

VOICES FOR THE EARTH

Media reports in August of a proposed 850 hectare blueberry development at Bawdens Bridge raise serious issues that add to growing community concerns about the industry.

The application to Water NSW to extract 66ML of water annually from the Orara River indicated the proposed orchard size would be just 30 hectares.

In a meeting with concerned neighbours, the proponent scoffed at rumours they intended to plant as much as 100ha, explaining there just wasn't enough available water.

That comment is supported by the Department of Primary Industry's Primefacts which states: "Water storage facilities of 2-3 megalitres per hectare are required for blueberry production".

Currently there is only 90ML available to the proponent as a harvestable right (collected run-off in dams), plus the 66ML from the river if the licence is approved. So where will the remaining 2000ML come from, and how will it be stored?

Council's director environment, planning and community, Des Schroder, was quoted in the media, describing the partnership between a Coffs Harbour grower and Vancouver businessman Luigi Aquilini, as providing "a multi- national presence in the region", and seemingly in awe of Mr Aquilini describing him as, "a Rupert Murdoch figure in Canadian business circles".

However, as the former manager of the NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation, Mr Schroder should be well aware that, in a drought year, there would be insufficient water in the Orara River to pump at all, much less irrigate 850ha of blueberries.

Proponents engaged in intensive horticulture can legally clear native vegetation, even supposedly protected vegetation, to build massive harvestable rights dams, and can transform the rural landscape into an industrial complex, covered end to end by netting or plastic, without applying for approval, or any need to consult honestly with neighbours.

So the industry needs to do much more to change that perception, and open and transparent consultation would be a good way to start.

John Edwards

Clarence Valley Conservation Coalition

BACKGROUND

The Land, 19 August 2016:

THE sale of Grafton’s old abattoir to Golden Eagle Berries and its planned conversion to packing and cold store signals a new direction for the Clarence Valley with the business saying it will require 1200 picking jobs by 2018 – as much as the abattoir ever used to employ.

Clarence land previously deemed too poor for agriculture remains very attractive to the industry as blueberry shrubs prefer an acid soil, well draining.

Last year Mr Dosanjh formed a partnership with Vancouver businessman Luigi Aquilini and together they are growing blueberries on 120ha at Clarenza and will develop another 850ha at Waterview Heights.

Mr Dosanjh is both excited and a little frightened of a bright berry future in the valley. There is potential for employment and career paths but high prices are overdue for correction. The new reality will require smart farming.

“Unless we can export blueberries the industry may go the way of bananas,” says Mr Dosanjh.

Fruit fly protocall for markets like Japan remains the greatest obstacle but cold storage at low temperatures will kill fruit fly larvae.

NSW Government Gazette No 21 of 24 March 2016:

WATER ACT 1912

An application under section 10 of the Water Act 1912 for a 150 Megalitre dam & 150mm pump on UNNAMED WATERCOURSE has been received from HARJAP SINGH DOSANJH for irrigation and farming purposes (150 megalitres) on Lot 137 DP 751362 Parish Clarenza County Clarence. (30SL067326)

An application under section 10 of the Water Act 1912 for a 150mm pump on ORARA RIVER has been received from DOSANJH INVESTMENTS PTY LTD for irrigation and farming purposes (66 megalitres) on Lot 262 DP 751383 Parish Rushforth County Clarence. (30SL067327)

Objections to the granting of this licence must be registered in writing to Locked Bag 10, Grafton NSW 2460 within 28 days of this notice. The objection must include your name and address and specify the grounds of objection. Any queries please call (02) 6641 6500.

PETER HACKETT Water Regulation Officer. Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Water

Clarence Environment Centre Newsletter Winter 2016:

There is no gazetted Water Sharing Plan for the Clarence River, with only a Draft Report Card for the Lower Orara River available on the DPI web site, which is now rendered obsolete by the permanent closure of the Nymboida Power Station.

We also learned that the proponent had already begun work on a very large dam on a local creek line known as “Chain of Ponds”, removing some 300m of gully vegetation. Enquiries to Council revealed that, despite the Local Environment Plan clearly indicating the water storages cannot be built on land of that zoning, the proponent can in fact construct a dam big enough to store the property's harvestable rights, without any approval. Those rights, for the 1000 hectare plus property, amount to some 90 megalitres annually.

Because blueberries are highly chemical dependent, there are other matters of concern, particularly the potential for pollution of the Orara River, which runs along the property's boundary. Pollution could impact on threatened species like the endangered Eastern Freshwater Cod, and the unique riparian vegetation community. Dominated by a mix of Black Bean (Castanospermum australe), Silky Oak (Grevillea Robusta) and Satinash (Syzygium floribundum), that community, to the best of our knowledge, only occurs along the lower reaches of the Orara and nowhere else in the world.

Vancouver Sun, 9 September 2013:

a vast family empire that owns the Vancouver Canucks hockey team, development companies, investment and hotel properties, North America’s largest blueberry and cranberry farms, and a lot more. The empire is wrapped up tightly in an extraordinarily complex trust system that Francesco’s father Luigi set up years ago to protect the family assets for his wife Elisa, their three sons Francesco, Roberto and Paolo, and others.

The multinational Aquilini empire outlined here.

Interruptions to water supply in Maclean CBD on Sunday 11 September 2016

Clarence Valley Council, media release, September 7, 2016:

Interruptions to water supply in Maclean CBD

THERE will be interruptions to the water supply for some businesses in the Maclean CBD on Sunday as the Clarence Valley Council undertakes some essential line repairs.

Council’s works and civil director, Troy Anderson, said only businesses in River Street would be affected and it would only be those on the western side of the street between

MacNaughton Place and the Spar Supermarket and then on the opposite side of the street between Argyle and Union streets.

He said supply was likely to be interrupted between 8am and noon.

“There is a fault in the line that needs repair and, unfortunately, that repair cannot be done without interrupting supply,” he said.

“We’re holding off on this work until Sunday as it will reduce the impact on businesses in the area. We will contact all businesses today to advise them of the interruptions.

“There might be some water discolouration after the repairs are completed, so if that happens consumers might like to run their taps for a while until the water clears.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this might cause.”

Northern Rivers councils reject Baird Government's new land clearing legislation

It sometimes seems that every time we turn around in the Northern Rivers there is some politician or commercial interest wanting to diminish or destroy the land we live on and our enviable way of life.

This time it is a state government that has lost sight of what really matters……….

Echo NetDaily, 17 August 2016:

Northern Rivers Regional Organisation of Councils (NOROC), the peak body for the region’s local government organisations, has made a damning appraisal of the Baird government’s proposed new biodiversity and land-clearing laws.

The body has warned in its submission to the government review of land-clearing and threatened species laws the reforms would be bad for biodiversity and sustainability, and add administrative burdens and costs for local councils.

Key concerns raised in the NOROC submission

*The proposed legislation will lead to poorer biodiversity and sustainability outcomes on the far north coast as well as adding significant complexity, administrative burdens and costs for local government.

*The reforms will ‘interfere with the legitimate strategic planning functions of councils including their ability to implement development control policies that properly reflect the desires of their local communities.’

*The new regime will ‘lead to a very uneven distribution of biodiversity loss across the landscape.’

*The proposed reforms ‘represent a significant cost shift to local government. This is acknowledged in the Independent Biodiversity Legislation Review Panel report but not in any of the legislation reform public exhibition materials.’

Nature Conservation Council CEO Kate Smolski said, ‘Nobody supports Mike Baird’s deeply flawed package – not the scientists, not the conservationists, and not NOROC, who have a clear understanding that these laws threaten soils and water supplies and wildlife in the Northern Rivers region.

She called on the Premier to ‘scrap this flawed package of laws and either fund Local Land Services to make the Native Vegetation Act works as it was intended, or go back to the drawing board and come up with another way to provide workable, strong protections for nature in NSW.’….

As Australia begins to move further into drought the Bureau of Meteorology confirms an El Niño and the Abbott Government dismantles Water Commission and cuts water funding

Australian Bureau of Meteorology confirms tropical Pacific now at El Niño levels

Media Release, 12 May 2015

The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest update on the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) today confirms El Niño thresholds have been reached in the tropical Pacific for the first time since March 2010.

Assistant Director for Climate Information Services, Mr Neil Plummer, said El Niño is often associated with below average rainfall across eastern Australia in the second half of the year, and warmer than average daytime temperatures over the southern half of the country.

“The onset of El Niño in Australia in 2015 is a little earlier than usual. Typically El Niño events commence between June and November,” Mr Plummer said.

“Prolonged El Niño-like conditions have meant that some areas are more vulnerable to the impact of warmer temperatures and drier conditions.

“The failed northern wet season in 2012–13, compounded by poor wet seasons in 2013-14 and 2014-15, have contributed to drought in parts of inland Queensland and northern New South Wales,” he said.

Mr Plummer noted that while the El Niño is forecast to strengthen during winter, the strength of an
El Niño does not necessarily correspond with its impact on Australian rainfall. Australia experienced widespread drought during a weak El Niño in 2006–07, while stronger events such as the El Niño event in 1997–98 had only a modest impact on Australian rainfall.

“Recent significant rainfall and flooding along the east coast of Australia, associated with two almost back-to-back East Coast Lows, did not penetrate far into inland regions and therefore have done little to alleviate conditions in drought affected areas,” Mr Plummer said.

While El Niño increases the risk of drought, it does not guarantee it; of the 26 El Niño events since 1900, 17 have resulted in widespread drought.

Despite El Niño increasing the likelihood of drier conditions later this year, the Bureau’s May to July Climate Outlook (see link below) indicates much of Australia is likely to be wetter than average.

This is being driven by warmer than average Indian Ocean sea surface temperatures, which are dominating this outlook.

Further information:

* The Bureau’s ENSO Wrap-Up is published at bom.gov.au/climate/enso/

* A video entitled Understanding ENSO can be viewed on YouTube

* May to July Climate Outlook bom.gov.au/climate/outlooks

* An El Niño explainer article is published in The Conversation

In the same month that the Bureau confirmed the existence of a Pacific El Niño and 80 per cent of Queensland was officially drought declared - with northern New South Wales inland of the Great Dividing Range and an area stretching from southeastern South Australia and western Victoria also experiencing drought - the Abbott Government began to dismantle the National Water Commission, abolished the River Murray Water Committee and cut funding to the Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Programme by $22.7 million over the next two financial years.

Clarence Valley Council's new Water Restrictions Policy on public exhibition until 17 April 2015

Clarence Valley Council media release 30 March 2015:

Changes to water restrictions in the pipeline

A DRAFT policy that aims to cut water use during dry spells has been released by the Clarence Valley Council for public comment.

Council works and civil director, Troy Anderson, said the aim of the draft was to ensure supply never reached critically low levels and the policy complied with water legislation and licencing

requirements.

“Because we share a water supply with Coffs Harbour, we are working with the Coffs Harbour City Council to make sure we have consistent policies, that restrictions on water use are similar and are

introduced at the same time,” he said.

“The main difference between the draft and the existing policy is the number

they affect just about everyone, I of levels of restriction would be reduced from seven to five and these would be given colour-coded name descriptors like the bushfire warning system rather than the current numbered restriction levels.

“Councils across the North Coast will be implementing similar measures so things are consistent across the region.

“The impact on water users will be minimal, but because encourage people to get a copy of the draft and let us know their thoughts.”

Copies of the draft are available at council offices in Grafton and Maclean or at www.clarence.nsw.gov.au. Submissions close at 4:30pm, Friday, April 17.

Water Restrictions Draft Policy (PDF download) – seven pages only

The new colour-coded restriction levels starting with the existing permanent ban on the use of sprinklers and unattended hoses between 9am and 4pm daily represented as Blue:

Revoking a level of water restriction

For all areas supplied from the Nymboida River, restrictions will be revoked when flows in the Nymboida River exceed 225ML/day for 14 days.

For all other instances - restrictions shall be revoked when the reservoirs are full or the localised situation is resolved.  

The trouble with town water.....

Well it appears that Yamba in the Clarence Valley is going through another outbreak of highly discoloured water.

This is one such instance posted on Facebook, 10 March 2014 at 11.09am:

Rebecca Beare-Bath we have a burst main a few streets over and several residents all over Yamba are all of a sudden experiencing water this colour. Safe bet if you ask me.

March 10 at 11:24am 

As of 13 March discoloured water was still intermittently flowing through taps in Yamba.

That's five days of Water Lotto.

Santos' Gladstone LNG expansion proposal involves significant scientific uncertainties according to Federal Government's Independent Expert Scientific Committee

The industrialisation of rural and regional landscapes continue with Santos planning more than 6,000 water hungry gas wells operating for an estimated 30 years across 10,676 square kilometres in Queensland.

The Abbott Government has been in possession of the Independent Expert Scientific Committee’s final report on the Gas Fields Development Project since December 2014, sometime after which it was made publicly available on the Committee’s website.

ABC News 19 February 2015:

Top experts are warning of significant scientific uncertainties arising from a massive coal seam gas expansion proposal in Queensland.

The ABC has obtained a report from the Federal Government's Independent Expert Scientific Committee, which flags a concerning lack of information in project documents and says more work needs to be done on Santos's Gladstone LNG expansion proposal.

The proposed expansion covers 10,676 square kilometres and has the potential to include more than 6,000 gas wells across central Queensland.

"The scale, the early stage and the geographic extent of the proposed project development, together with other significant coal seam gas projects in the region, creates considerable scientific uncertainty about impacts on surface water and groundwater and associated ecosystems," the IESC report said.

According to the report, the potential impacts include:

* Reduced water supply to Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems, including Great Artesian Basin discharge and watercourse springs and endangered ecological communities.

* Changes to groundwater and surface water quality due to direct project activities and management of co-produced water.

* Cumulative impacts of Surat and Bowen basin activities (particularly coal seam gas and coal mining) on groundwater pressures and lag-time effects on water.

The IESC also warned the hydroecological information (including ecological water requirements of systems) was "inadequate" for understanding potential local ecological impacts.

"Methods applied are appropriate to understand regional impacts, particularly cumulative water drawdown," the Committee said.

"However, the methods used are not sufficient for understanding local-scale impacts, particularly to ecological assets.

"Recognising the considerable information provided in the project assessment documentation, the IESC is concerned that relevant data and information from investigations and monitoring from the [Gladstone LNG] Project and Joint Industry Programmes have not been incorporated in the project assessment documentation for [this latest] development."

There is also the matter of weather during cyclone season......

This is the Santos facility at Curtis Island, Gladstone QLD:

Then there is the matter of weather conditions during cyclone season.....

On 19 February 2015 7News reported:

Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) spokesman Patrick Quirk said ships would be moved away from Gladstone Harbour this morning as a precaution. "We have about 11 ships in the port and 23 ships at anchor and they'll be asked to clear the area," he said. "We have some LNG tankers also in the area and they'll go to sea to weather the storm."

The Financial Review on 20 February 2015:

Ports in Mackay and Gladstone had been shut down in preparation for the cyclone. Gas company Santos said all of its staff on its GLNG liquefied natural gas project had been moved off Curtis Island, near Gladstone, with workers moved into cyclone-proof accommodation. Bechtel, which has built the three gas processing plants on Curtis Island, said the projects would remain closed until the weather improved.

Clarence Valley Council still ignoring water quality woes?

With the number of days with temperatures over 35°C predicted to increase and average Clarence Valley temperatures predicted to rise by up to 1°C commencing as early as five year's time, one wonders when Clarence Valley Council is going to face the fact that temporary flushing of street water pipes will not remain a solution for long - whether the cause is heat, loose sediment, low/slow river flow at the uptake site or high demand in urban areas.

Child's wading pool filled with 'green' tap water
Facebook

Three excerpts from The Daily Examiner on 17 January 2015:

THE discolouration of Clarence Valley's water in isolated areas has been a recurring hot topic of conversation for more than a year, and the ongoing problem has affected at least one business.

Local company GDC Water Trucks had to refund a water delivery last week and replace it with another load, after filling an above-ground pool with water from council stand pipes.

"The pool guy said dump it and start again," business owner Trudy Clydesdale said.

"The water looked clear when it was coming out of the truck, but in large quantities it looked like mud."

They filled it from a different stand pipe hoping that would fix it but it didn't make much of a difference……

"The first pool we filled this summer was an in-built pool with a good filtration system so he just filtered it out.

"But those little pumps that come with the above-ground (pool) filters just don't cut it."

Clarence Valley Council yesterday advised GDC Water Trucks it would amend the water meter so they were not charged for the job, but fuel and labour would be on them.

"We're pretty happy. (The council) explained it is an issue at this time with the heat," Mrs Clydesdale said.

"He said they would come back over summer and they'll just keep flushing if need be."

TWO years ago, Kelly Clark used to brag to her friends and family interstate about how great the water was in the Clarence Valley.

Now the Iluka mum won't drink it, and is hesitant to bathe her son in it.

Earlier this week, Ms Clark filled up a paddling pool from the tap for her three-year-old son to play in to find the water was a brown-green colour.

"I've lived in the area for six to seven years and we used to have great water here," she said.

"Two years ago I filled the same pool up with crystal-clear water; last year it was slightly discoloured.

"I want to know what's happened in the last 16months. Why has it drastically changed?"

When she posted the picture on Facebook, it became clear she wasn't the only one experiencing water problems. "I've had heaps of (comments in my) inboxes and people sending me photos," Ms Clark said.

Facebook users wrote of water-quality issues in houses at Chatsworth Island, South Grafton, Junction Hill, Yamba and Grafton.

Many of those were saying they had turned to bottled water in favour of the discoloured tap supply, despite council assurances their supply was fine to drink……

"It doesn't seem right that we live in a western society, pay quite a lot for water and we can't even drink it.

CLARENCE Valley Council has confirmed no long term solutions are being considered for isolated water quality issues.

Council's director for works and civil Troy Anderson said council's water quality was regularly tested against all required guidelines and standards, and currently complied.

A report to Council regarding additional water treatment barriers was presented last November, but no further action was taken.

Mr Anderson said only three dirty water complaints had been received since the start of the year, and that in each case the mains were flushed until they ran clean.

If customers are experiencing water quality issues, they are requested to call Council on 66430200 so that the problem can be attended to. Council does not monitor social media.*

BACKGROUND

All clear on dirty water | Clarence Valley Daily Examiner

www.dailyexaminer.com.au/news/all-clear-on-dirty-water/2250424/

May 7, 2014 - THE council says it's safe to drink, but the unappealing colour of tapwater in households across the Clarence Valley this week has left some ...

Users still dirty over brown water - Grafton Daily Examiner

www.dailyexaminer.com.au/news/users...dirty...brown-water/2257414/

May 14, 2014 - COMPLAINTS of dirty tap water are still trickling in from around the region and Clarence Valley Council expects to see more in the next week.

Yamba's water woes continue but Clarence Valley Council just shrugs its shoulders

northcoastvoices.blogspot.com/.../yambas-water-woes-continue-but-clare...

Sep 20, 2014 - Intermittent but persistent problems with the quality of drinking water in the Lower Clarence continue, with episodes of discoloured/dirty water ...

* WARNING: If you make a complaint about poor water quality to Clarence Valley Council be prepared to be receive a letter/email stating any or all of the following - there is no current water quality problem/there have been no previous reports of dirty water in your street/ implying you not telling the truth.
If you talk to the media expect that doubts will be sown concerning what you have said about water quality.

Gas and petroleum exploration and production licences cover 80% of the entire Australian Great Artesian Basin

The Australian 7 November 2014:

IT is one of the world's largest underground water reservoirs, covering an area bigger than Iran. But a new report has found that the Great Artesian Basin's pumping power comes from an area smaller than Tasmania.

A scientific review has raised questions about the basin's cap­acity to withstand water extraction necessary for coal-seam gas mining.

The concern is not the impact on the basin's volume, but the pressure that keeps bores flowing from Cape York to Coober Pedy.

The report, to be presented at today's meeting of the NSW Great Artesian Basin Advisory Group, has found the reservoir's "recharge" area is about a third as big as previously thought, covering less than 10 per cent of the 1.7 million sq km basin. The area where the basin is topped up by more than 5mm a year — the minimum needed to keep the basin pressurised — is about a quarter of this.

The report says just 0.2 per cent of the basin provides recharge waters in excess of 30mm a year. Most of this is in north-western NSW's Pilliga region, where energy giant Santos is conducting exploratory drilling for a controversial CSG project. "The significance of the recharge zones is not so much as an immediate water supply, but that they provide the pressure head required to drive the water to the surface," says the report, by soil scientist Robert Banks.

Excerpts from GREAT ARTESIAN BASIN RECHARGE SYSTEMS AND EXTENT OF PETROLEUM AND GAS LEASES, SoilFutures Consulting Pty Ltd, October 2014:

The Great Artesian Basin (GAB) of Australia extends over 22% of the Australian continent where it is the only reliable groundwater or surface water source. The GAB contains 65 000 km3 (or 115 658 Sydney Harbours) of groundwater which is released under pressure to the surface through natural springs and artesian bores across its extent (QDNRM 2012).

Much of the groundwater held in the GAB is very old, having taken thousands to many hundreds of thousands of years to reach its current position in the basin from the recharge beds which are predominantly around the margins of the basin. Modern recharge is not thought to add significantly to the volume stored in the basin however it provides the crucial pressure head to keep the artesian waters flowing to the surface across this massive expanse of land. In most areas, the bulk of the GAB has a recharge value of less than 0.1 mm/yr…..

The following description of the Great Artesian Basin (GAB) is given in Ransley and Smerdon (2012).

The GAB contains an extensive and complex groundwater system. It encompasses several geological basins that were deposited at different times in Earth's history, from 200 to 65 million years ago in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. These geological basins sit on top of deeper, older geological basins and in turn, have newer surface drainage divisions situated on top of them (e.g. the Lake Eyre and Murray-Darling river basins). In this context – as a groundwater basin – the GAB is a vast groundwater entity underlying one-fifth of Australia.

Discharge from the GAB aquifers occurs naturally in the form of concentrated outflow from artesian springs, vertical diffuse leakage from the Lower Cretaceous-Jurassic aquifers towards the Cretaceous aquifers and upwards to the regional watertable and as artificial discharge by means of free or controlled artesian flow and pumped abstraction from water bores drilled into the aquifers.

For the GAB, like many other semi-arid to arid zone aquifers around the world, the current rate of recharge is significantly less than discharge. Groundwater currently stored in the Cadna-owie – Hooray Aquifer and equivalents is a legacy from higher recharge rates that occurred during much wetter periods in the early Holocene and Pleistocene age (essentially the last 2.6 million years).

The significance of the recharge zones to the GAB is not so much as an immediate water supply to central parts of the basin and natural discharge areas, but that they provide the pressure head required to drive the water to the surface. Removal of this pressure through water abstraction associated particularly with Coal Seam Gas (where local drawdown of in excess of 1000 m can be experienced around gas fields) risks removing the driving force of many of the free flowing artesian bores and springs in the GAB…..

Concern regarding CSG extraction is raised in Ransley and Smerdon (2012) in the following quote. "CSG production in the Surat Basin targets the Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures. The main CSG producing fields are located in the northern Surat Basin in a broad arc extending from Dalby to Roma. For gas to be harvested, the coal seams need to be depressurised by pumping groundwater from tens of thousands of wells intersecting the Walloon Coal Measures. Drawdowns of several hundred metres will be generated by the depressurisation and significant volumes of groundwater are to be pumped from the Walloon Coal Measures –averaging about 75 to 98 GL/year over the next 60 years (RPS Australia East Pty Ltd, 2011). This process will induce drawdown in overlying and underlying GAB aquifers, the amount of which will depend on the leakiness of the system."…..

In NSW the recharge areas of higher than 5 mm/yr are almost entirely contained within the east Pilliga area……

The above results show that:

 Recharge along the Jurassic to Cretaceous margins of the GAB is crucial to providing hydraulic head which drives the whole system.

 Significant recharge to the bulk of the GAB is much more limited in area than

previously thought.

 Although approximately 30% of the GAB is mapped as recharge, only 9 – 10% of the GAB is effective recharge which maintains the pressure head on the bulk of the GAB (excluding the Carpentaria basin).

 Only 2.3% of the GAB has effective recharge of greater than 5 mm/yr.

 Only 0.2% of the GAB has effective recharge of 30 – 79 mm/yr.

 In NSW, the main occurrence of recharge >30 mm is in the east Pilliga between

Coonabarabran and Narrabri.

 Draw down of many hundreds of metres is reported in Ransley and Smerdon (2012) for the northern Surat basin coal seam gas fields where coal seams are being

dewatered to release gas.

 Draw down of in excess of 1000 m is proposed in the Pilliga in the south eastern Surat Basin (ICSG Forum, 2014).

 Both of the Pilliga and the northern Surat gas fields or license areas occur in the very limited high recharge (>30 mm) areas of the GAB.

 Excessive draw down of pressure heads in the recharge zone of the GAB associated with gas extraction, has the potential to reduced pressure heads on artesian waters across much of the GAB, and potentially stopping the free flow of waters to the surface at springs and bores.

 Gas and petroleum exploration and production licenses cover 80% of the entire GAB.

 Gas and petroleum exploration and production licenses cover 79% of the critical

higher recharge areas of the GAB……

Consideration should be given to a basin wide approach to the management of the GAB with respect to minerals and natural resources, particularly with respect to potentially wide ranging activities such as gas and petroleum production where groundwater from below the GAB is drawn down and produced as an excess or waste byproduct of such development. In particular, serious thought needs to be given to the management of the few high recharge zones within the GAB and how these might interact with future water supplies…...

The East Pilliga area between Narrabri and Coonabarabran in NSW has Soil and Land Capability Classification (SLC) of between 4 and 6, meaning that there are no contiguous areas of Biophysical Agricultural Land (BSAL) in the area. BSAL is defined as Classes 1 to 3. This means that currently no special consideration which includes landscape function is given with regard to CSG and Mining applications in the high recharge zone areas of theGAB within the East Pilliga……

Disposal problems with waste water from coal-bed methane wells in the U.S.

Full article at http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Rubinstein_article_final.pdf

Yamba's water woes continue but Clarence Valley Council management just shrugs its shoulders

Intermittent but persistent problems with the quality of drinking water in the Lower Clarence continue, with episodes of discoloured/dirty water becoming a characteristic of Yamba’s water supply in 2014.

Clarence Valley Council’s explanations for this state of affairs have been varied, however little appears to have been done to rectify the situation to date.

This was the colour of Yamba township’s drinking water in February 2014:

The Daily Examiner 5 February 2014:

Clarence Valley Council director for works and civil Troy Anderson said he did not know whether the discoloured water was here to stay, but claimed it was safe to consume.

"The issue is only associated with the aesthetics of the water, it does not affect the quality," Mr Anderson said.

He said the reason for the brown water was because the flow was coming from Shannon Creek Dam which had a "higher water colour" than Nymboida.

Also adding to the tinge is a high level of biofilm in the pipes.

"In December we had requirements from NSW Heath Department to increase the residual levels of chlorine (as a greater disinfectant)," Mr Anderson said.

As a result, the added chlorine has killed off the biofilms, meaning they are dissolved into the water, adding to the discolouration.

"It is having an impact on the water colour, but they are not harmful," Mr Anderson said.

"Once they build up resilience to the added chlorine, they will reform in the pipes."

He said the council was working to control the colour of the water, but could not confirm or deny whether the icky brown liquid was here to stay.

The Daily Examiner 23 February 2014:

CLARENCE Valley residents are about to find out if the prospect of a glass of crystal clear water straight from the region's water supply is a "false hope".

At Tuesday's Clarence Valley Council meeting a notice of motion from deputy mayor Craig Howe was passed, ordering council staff to look into the feasibility of installing a water filtration plant for the region's water supply.

Over the summer, residents on the Lower River in particular, have complained of dirty water coming out of their taps.

Cr Howe admitted the source of the discolouration occurred "downstream" of where a filtration plant would have any effect, but felt he owed it to ratepayers to do something about the colour of the water.

The lone voice on council against the proposal, Cr Andrew Baker, seized on this point.

He said any investigation of a filtration plant only offered "false hope" to residents and would not do what people wanted it to do: provide clear water from their taps, at some cost in increased water rates.

After some amendments council voted eight to one for staff to investigate the cost and efficiency of a water filtration plant, what water rate increases it would incur and other ongoing costs and whether the plant could guarantee a clear water supply.

This report should be available for the April council meeting.

The Daily Examiner 27 February 2014:

VALLEY residents alarmed by the sight of brown water running from their taps should start to see the problem clearing soon.

Clarence Valley Council is continuing to test the water weekly as it attempts to resolve the problem that emerged earlier this year.

Most of the complaints received have been from the Yamba area but the task of finding a solution has been made more difficult by the apparently random spread of properties affected.

Mayor Richie Williamson said yesterday the testing had shown the discoloured water presented no health risks but said he understood why people were unhappy with the colour of the water coming from their taps.

He said the problem had been caused by the combination of higher water temperatures and an increase in the amount of chlorine added to the water supply following a recommendation from NSW Health.

These events contributed to naturally occurring biofilm build-up in the water pipes coming loose and entering the water supply.

"We are confident flushing of pipes and temperatures receding should start to overcome the water discolouration," Cr Williamson said.

"The biofilm will also build increased resistance to the chlorine, which will lessen the amount in the water supply."

He said the council had 205 customer service requests relating to water quality since January 1, including four complaints last weekend.

"We have discussed the matter with NSW Health and the Office of Water and we will continue to work with them to achieve the best solution," Cr Williamson said.

"They have agreed with the rectification steps council has taken so far."….

The Daily Examiner 14 May 2014:

Last week The Daily Examiner reported on a spike in discoloured water, which was an ongoing issue for some people in the Valley in the past few months.

Mr Anderson said the latest influx of complaints began last week, with 24 complaints made between Monday and Tuesday.

On Wednesday there were two complaints, none on Thursday and three on Friday. One complaint was received at the weekend and three on Monday morning.

In most cases the council attributed the discolouration to last week's cold snap, which may have destroyed micro-organisms that live in water lines.

The discolouration is believed to be the result of them flushing through the system and Mr Anderson assured residents there were no health risks associated with using the water.

The Daily Examiner 30 May 2014:

Earlier this month, Clarence Valley residents voiced concerns about intermittent problems with discoloured, and at times smelly, tap water.

Council's works and civil director Troy Anderson assured the public there were no health risks associated with the water, but the majority of people told The Daily Examiner they would not be game to test it.

Mrs Beare-Bath went one step further and sent a sample of her discoloured tap water for independent tests at the Environmental Analysis Laboratory at Southern Cross University.

The results of the sample came back this week and showed certain elements did not meet the Australian Drinking Guidelines.

SCU lab manager Graham Lancaster said the water was relatively safe to drink but below expectations.

"It's not going to cause any major illnesses but it's not perfect," he said.

According to the results, the sample's acidic pH was below the drinking water guidelines and the bacteria was marginally above guidelines. The water had elevated total coliform bacteria but low faecal bacteria, and elevated levels of iron and manganese.

Mr Lancaster said higher iron and manganese levels were not a major issue for drinking, but said it could cause stains in clothing.

The results came with a recommendation for the council to get the lines flushed and arrange testing.

Treatment to remove the iron and manganese and also neutralise the pH was also recommended.

"It's important to note that it's just a one-off sample," Mr Lancaster said.

"It's likely due to dirty lines. Often in the end of certain areas, lines can be a little bit dirtier."

This was the colour of Yamba’s drinking water on 5-6 September 2014:

The Daily Examiner 10 September 2014:

Clarence Valley Council works and civil director Troy Anderson said if people had concerns about water quality or appearance in Yamba in recent weeks, they hadn't let the council know.

"The last dirty water report we received from Yamba was on August 1 - more than five weeks ago," he said.

"Because our water supply is not filtered, council has historically averaged three to four reports of dirty or discoloured water each week."

Mr Anderson said the council had received four reports of bad water quality in the past seven days, but none from Yamba.

"Council staff will respond to reports of dirty or discoloured water, and people can be assured there are no health risks associated with drinking the water," Mr Anderson said.

Online comments from Yamba residents:

* What I don't understand is the random nature of the "brown" water coming through my taps - one minute it's pure and clean and the next it's filthy. Also the problem seems to be far more prevalent in West Yamba than on the hill.
Bottom line is no way am I drinking it, this is NOT (yet) a 3rd world country! Surely council isn't that cash-strapped that they can't spend some money on finding and fixing whatever is the problem, if not can I suggest all the staff working on water quality/control be retrenched as they're doing nothing for their pay and ratepayers would love to see their rates reduced….

Show me another coastal city where random dirty water is delivered and considered acceptable? That's not a reasonable service to ratepayers IMO, would you happily pay for dirty wine (or water) in a restaurant, of course not, you'd vote with your feet. It's no different here except we have no real choice of supplier - we're getting a very inferior product and we're still paying top dollar. It's not good enough, if our very good (?) staff are unable to fix things find someone who can.

* I agree we had clean untainted water. So many visitors commented on how good it was to drink. Lately though it seems the water is either discoloured or tasting strongly of chemicals ? chlorine/bleach. CVC does need to look closely at this issue.

* Why has council not notified the public of this ? The statement of water coming from Shannon Creek Dam is the issue seems false as Coffs Harbours water is fine. Plenty of towns out west have dirty water supply however provide safe clean tap drinking water. Council has a duty of care to its rate payers and the public, which they have failed. Its not only dirty water but lots of sediment as well. Councilors and Council management the people of the Clarence Valley are not idiots so please dont treat us like one.

A September 2014 complaint by a Yamba resident about water quality elicited these responses from three of the nine Clarence Valley councillors:

* [I] note that the water this morning is discoloured.

* The problem needs to be fixed.  Water supply is one of Council’s core responsibilities.

* Please be aware of my personal embarrassment at association with the organisational inability to do whatever is required to correct the water failure. My embarrassment is even more acute when I know the secret decisions of this week demonstrating what is more important than your water failure.

Clarence Valley Council management’s position on discoloured or dirty water:

Council’s weekly water testing has indicated that, despite the dirty water reports, there has been no microbiological contamination and consequently the dirty water is not considered to pose a risk to health….Council has staff “on call” 24 hours, who can respond to complaints of dirty water by flushing water mains. However, some issues with dirty water can also occur on the customer’s side of the meter; particularly in houses with older galvanised pipes. Mains flushing will not address dirty water on the customer’s side of the water meter. [Clarence Valley Council media release, 26 February 2014]

The construction of a filtration plant cannot guarantee a clear water supply at the customer’s tap, although it would reduce the incidence of dirty and discoloured water occurring. As outlined in the report on water quality to the 18 February 2014 Council meeting, discoloured water is generally associated with decomposing natural organic matter and dirty water may be caused either by sediment in the water settling out, natural microorganisms in the pipes and corrosion of pipes and fittings. While a water filtration plant would address the issues of organic matter and sediment, natural microorganism growth (from organisms already in the reticulation system) and corrosion of pipes and fittings could still occur. Both organism growth and corrosion of pipes and fittings significantly increase during high water temperatures (above about 25 degrees), and during the 2013/14 summer Council has experienced several months where the water temperature has been above 25 degrees. The construction of a water filtration plant would not reduce water temperature. [Clarence Valley Council ordinary monthly meeting minutes, 15 April 2014]

Your “on going formal complaint” is noted but Council staff can only respond to specific reports of dirty water… [Clarence Valley Council Water Cycle Manager, 18 September 2014]

As of today I have only heard of one instance where council responded to a 2014 Yamba water complaint - by flushing a street water pipe in the vicinity of Cox and Golding streets.

If North Coast Voices readers know of any other times council has done something practical about a Lower Clarence resident's water complaint, please let me know via the comment button below.

Note: All photographs found at The Daily Examiner 

UPDATE

Photograph of a Yamba household water filter taken at 7.45pm on 18 September 2014:

On 22 September I was informed by a home-owner living on Yamba Road that council had also flushed water pipes in their vicinity in response to a water complaint.