New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

WATER SHARING PLAN FOR THE BELLINGER RIVER AREA UNREGULATED AND ALLUVIAL WATER SOURCES 2008 - REG 69

69 Water quality management

(1) The beneficial uses of these water sources are specified in Schedule 6.

Note: There are localised areas within these groundwater sources where the beneficial use is of a lower class.

Note: It is not recommended that water direct from the groundwater be consumed by humans without prior treatment. Land use activities may have resulted in pollution of the groundwater in some areas.

(2) Water quality decline will be deemed unacceptable if extraction causes, or is likely to cause, water quality to decline to a lower beneficial use class, as prescribed within the framework described in the NH&MRC/ARMCANZ Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (1996), and the ANZECC/ARMCANZ Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000).

(3) Before making a local impact area declaration made under clause 67 (2) (b) or 67 (2) (c) (in respect to water quality on groundwater dependent ecosystems), the Minister shall have regard to the results of:

(a) a site inspection, and

(b) water analysis from bores,

within the proposed local impact area.

(4) If water quality decline is resulting from extraction, extraction from all water supply works (bores) nominated by an access licence within a local impact area declared under clause 67 (2) (b) will be restricted to such an extent and for such time as required to halt that decline, or restore the beneficial use of the groundwater.

(5) In the case of subclause (4), the local impact rules may be:

(a) expressed as restrictions on yearly, quarterly, or weekly extraction in the affected areas, and

(b) subject to review based on assessment of data from monitoring bores within the local impact area.

(6) An existing water supply work (bore) within 100 metres of a contamination source identified in Schedule 4, will be able to continue extraction of groundwater at levels equivalent to the access licence share component at the commencement of this Plan nominating that work, subject to any restrictions arising from subclause (4).