Powerful argument for better use of our water

WITH the drought front and centre for rural and regional communities, it would surprise most Queenslanders that we have by no means run out of water – in fact our dams are quite full and sitting idle just waiting to be used by our farmers.

Queensland’s regional dams and irrigation schemes remain well stocked with an impressive 103 per cent available.

In 2017- 18 SunWater only delivered 55 per cent of its water entitlements and 54 per cent the year before – in what were both particularly dry years.

This means there is a lot of water, around 1.2ML, sitting in dams across Queensland.

Why isn’t available water being used by our drought- affected farmers and communities, instead being left to evaporate in our dams?

Sadly, water is going to waste in our dams every day due to the high costs of electricity.

Farmers and irrigators can’t afford to pump water from the dams to their properties due to the Palaszczuk Government’s skyhigh electricity prices.

We know that when it comes to agricultural production more water means more production, more jobs and prosperity for rural and regional communities – especially during times of drought.

It’s time for the Palaszczuk Labor Government to step up and take action to make electricity more affordable.