Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Water Act 1989 - SECT 22A

Permissible consumptive volumes

22A. Permissible consumptive volumes









(1) The Minister may, from time to time, by Order published in the Government
Gazette, declare, in respect of an area or a water system specified in the
Order, that the total volume of-

   (a)  both surface water and groundwater; or

   (b)  surface water only; or

   (c)  groundwater only-

that may be taken in the area or from the water system (whether for use in
that area or water system or elsewhere) under this or any other Act, during
the period specified in the Order, must not exceed the volume specified in the
Order for that period.

(1A) The Minister may, by Order published in the Government Gazette, revoke an
Order made under subsection (1).

(2) If-

   (a)  an annual reserve volume of groundwater has been specified for the
        area under section 49A of the Groundwater Act 1969; or

   (b)  a prescription has been made under section 62(1) of the Groundwater
        Act 1969 of the maximum total amounts of water to be extracted per
        annum from all licensed bores within the area-

a volume specified in an Order under subsection (1) of this section must not
affect the volume referred to in paragraph (a) and must not be less than the
amounts referred to in paragraph (b).

(3) The Minister may make an Order under subsection (1) on the Minister's
initiative or at the request of an Authority.

(3A) The Minister must not make a declaration under subsection (1) unless the
Minister has first consulted with the Minister administering Part 4 of the
Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.

(4) In this section, area includes a sub-surface stratum of land or geological
formation.

Division 1B-Sustainable water strategies