Groundwater Licensing for Quarries

By on April 19, 2010

The Department of Sustainability and Environment’s ‘Groundwater Licensing and Trading in Victoria’ fact sheet is now available.

THE Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) oversees the monitoring and management of Victoria’s groundwater resources.

A DSE fact sheet for all operators and businesses in the earth resource industries is available online via the Our Water Our Future website: www.ourwater.vic.gov.au

The ‘Groundwater Licensing and Trading in Victoria’ fact sheet is an introductory guide to groundwater. It provides important information on groundwater licence requirements and trading rules and gives useful contact details.

IS THIS RELEVANT TO ME?

Some earth resource operations, including quarries, will require licensing for groundwater activities, such as constructing, operating and decommissioning bores and the taking of groundwater for commercial uses. The fact sheet provides valuable information on the licensing process.

Drilling for groundwater

WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE LICENSING PROCESS?

Groundwater is allocated under the Water Act 1989. Rural Water Corporations are responsible for issuing licences for bores and extraction of groundwater in accordance with the Act.

Groundwater use is capped in some parts of the state. Areas where caps apply are illustrated in the fact sheet. Where capped, groundwater may only be available for commercial use through trade.

Proponents are encouraged to discuss projects with the water corporation early in the planning phase to understand water availability and options for securing water.

Licence applications generally need to be supported by technical investigations, the size of which will vary with the volume of water sought and the magnitude of potential environmental impacts.

MORE INFORMATION

Visit www.ourwater.vic.gov.au to download the ‘Groundwater Licensing and Trading in Victoria’ fact sheet. Also in the ‘groundwater’ section of the website, you will find useful links on groundwater management, accessing groundwater, and other news and information.

For more information on groundwater, contact the Department of Sustainability and Environment Customer Service Centre on 136 186, or your local water corporation:

Goulburn-Murray Water Corporation
PO Box 165, Tatura, Vic, 3616.
Ph: (03) 5833 5500.
Web site: www.g-mwater.com.au
Email: reception@g-mwater.com.au

Southern Rural Water Corporation
PO Box 153, Maffra, Vic, 3860.
Ph: (03) 5139 3100 or 1300 139 510
Web site: www.srw.com.au
Email: srw@srw.com.au

Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water Corporation
PO Box 481, Horsham, Vic, 3402.
Ph: (03) 1300 659 961.
Web site: www.gwmwater.org.au
E-mail: info@gwmwater.org.au

DPI will be conducting an audit on surface and groundwater management across 50 quarries and mines from August 2010.

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