New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

WATER SHARING PLAN FOR THE UPPER AND LOWER NAMOI GROUNDWATER SOURCES 2003 - REG 38

38 Water quality management

(1) The beneficial uses of these groundwater sources are:

(a) raw water for drinking, and

(b) agriculture use,

based on beneficial use classes identified in 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) Pursuant to subclause (1), 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 these groundwater sources be consumed 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 these groundwater sources, 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) within a local impact area declared under subclause (3) from which access is authorised by an access licence will be restricted to such an extent and for such time as required to halt that decline, or restore the beneficial use of these groundwater sources.