New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

WATER SHARING PLAN FOR THE DORRIGO PLATEAU SURFACE WATER SOURCE AND DORRIGO BASALT GROUNDWATER SOURCE 2003 - REG 58

58 Water quality management

(1) The beneficial uses of the Dorrigo Basalt Groundwater Source are raw water drinking and ecosystem protection, based on the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council Water Quality Guidelines 2001 , and the National Health and Medical Research Council Raw Water for Drinking Purposes Guidelines 1996 .

(2) Water quality decline will be deemed unacceptable if extraction is likely to cause water quality to decline to a lower beneficial use class.

Note: It is not recommended that the water from this groundwater source be consumed directly without prior treatment. Land use activities may have polluted the groundwater in some areas.

(3) The Minister may declare that, in order to protect water quality within this groundwater source, local access rules are to apply in a defined area, known as a local impact area.

(4) If water quality declines are resulting from extraction, extraction from all water supply works (bores) nominated by an access licence within a local impact area declared under subclause (3) will be restricted to such an extent and for such a time as required to halt that decline, or restore the beneficial use of this groundwater source.

(5) Construction of a new water supply work (bore) will not be permitted:

(a) within 250 metres of a contamination source, unless the proponent can demonstrate to the Minister’s satisfaction that a lesser distance will result in no more than minimal harm to this groundwater source, and that extraction will not impact on the environment or cause a threat to public health as advised by the Minister for Health, or

(b) within a greater distance than in subclause (a) nominated by the Minister in order to ensure that no more than minimal harm will occur to this groundwater source, and that extraction will not impact on the environment or cause a threat to public health as advised by the Minister for Health.

(6) Subclause (5) will not apply if the water supply work (bore) is sealed off to the nearest impervious layer with an impermeable seal constructed within the bore, as specified by the Minister.