WATER CRISIS

THERE is a growing water crisis in Queensland. Towns are running out of water despite severe water restrictions.

Many dams that supply water to cities are well below 50% capacity with the continuing widespread drought offering no hope of replenishment.

Many farmers have not been able to plant a crop for the last three (or more) seasons as there has been no rain to enable them to do so.

Graziers are being forced to source expensive supplementary food for their stock, (if they can buy any, with hay being brought from as far away as Western Australia).

The gas companies have been allowed unrestricted access to the limited supply pf water in underground aquifers with new exploration permits continuing to be granted (eg. the Santos/Shell project around Tara - Chinchilla) where, in the Surat Basin, farmers are reporting having to decommission bores because of water loss or contamination by gas.

Those who depend on irrigation to produce food or fibre are having water allocations slashed.

Recently, Geoff Castle has shown his concern about the severe repercussions of the continuing expansion of coal mining in Queensland.

His letters in newspapers are well worth reading as he, too, is worried about the effects of mining on groundwater supplies.

He states “the CSIRO came to the conclusion that Adani’s groundwater management plan was unequivocally flawed”.

How can the government in all con-approve science continue to more mines when the state is running out of water?

New Hope’s plans to expand its mine at Acland was turned down by the Land Court on the basis of the dangers to water supplies. Yet, New Hope continues to attempt to expand the mine stating there will be hundreds of jobs lost without stage three going ahead.

Mr Castle finishes one of his letters with these words: “The next generation will judge us harshly because we knew what we did was wrong but did it anyway to perpetuate greed. Be scared, be very scared.”

Without water, there is no life. IRIS I. BRYCE, Felton