Wake-up call on aquifer resources ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Wake-up call on aquifer resources

13 August 2008

As dam levels sink to 10.5 per cent, news the Toowoomba underground basalt water aquifers would fail unless the resource was better managed, was not unexpected.

Toowoomba Regional Council received a wake-up call as the Klohn, Cripper, Berger findings into the Toowoomba Basalt Aquifer Sustainability Assessment were delivered.

Andrew Moser from Klohn, Cripper, Berger and Department of Natural Resources and Water regional manager Ross Krebs gave councillors a quick maths lesson.

There is 6162 megalitres of water allocated from the aquifer each year with 4250 megalitres used: 3000 megalitres by council, 1000 megalitres by commercial, industrial and irrigation and 250 megalitres by domestic backyard bores.

However, without regular recharge, the aquifer can only sustain 2000 to 3000 megalitres of pumping a year.

"Doing nothing is not a good long-term strategy," Mr Krebs warned.

DNR introduced 110 meters on bores last year.

Council will seek to impose a moratorium on bores on the western city fringe.

Councillors agreed to seek ministerial approval to secure the power to impose restrictions on domestic bore use where a reticulated supply was available.

Such power would be a legislative first in Queensland.

The imposition, Cr Ian Orford warned, would be a debate for another day.

See - Wake-up call on aquifer resources.

Readers will recall that at the height of the water debate, Cr Ramia opted for a bore for his ice etc. business to avoid the need to use recycled water.

See - [Former] Deputy Mayor Ramia to opt for bore water.

Did Cr Ramia exclude himself from the vote to seek Ministerial approval to impose restrictions on bores on the western boundary ...