By Elizabeth Hart
MELBOURNE Water is preparing to lay charges against producers in the Yarra catchment who take water from the Yarra River.
In the first successful prosecution instigated by the authority in the area, a court has ordered De Bortoli Wines to pay $6607 toward the revegetation of a reserve at Yarra Glen following the company’s unauthorised pumping of water from the river.
Melbourne Water had found De Bortoli Wines to be irrigating at Yarra Glen beyond the time constraints of its licence.
The company was charged on 8 April. The case, at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court last week recorded no conviction but De Bortoli under a diversion order will contribute to replenishment of the floodplain riparian woodlands at Yarra Flats Billabong Reserve and will also pay $7000 costs to Melbourne Water.
Melbourne Water is now preparing further charges against several other irrigators in the catchment following illegal pumping during the current season.
De Bortoli admitted to the breach.
De Bortoli’s Yarra Valley manager Leanne De Bortoli said it had occurred as a result of human error.
The company has since installed an electronic timer.
Ms De Bortoli said that in the busy vintage period there had been a lapse in turning off the pump at the stated time, but it was not deliberate.
“Whilst we admit we should have been more vigilant, we did not exceed our licence entitlement,” she said.
Melbourne Water’s diversions manager Steve Hosking said irrigators who took water outside their entitlements denied the environment and their neighbours an equal share of the scarce resource during dry conditions.
“Melbourne Water is serious about compliance and is prepared to ensure that water is used in accordance with licence conditions at all times,” he said.
“With the current drought conditions, it is important that irrigators understand and comply with restrictions and bans. The rivers and streams were at extremely low flow conditions,” he said.
Officers had been monitoring producers for two summers and had issued warnings last season. Taking water illegally is a criminal offence.
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