The following is the Save Water Alliance's conclusions on why the Sydney Catchment Authority wanted to undertake "additional monitoring and testing" on Kirkland and Rowlands Rds when the Minister was announcing that the borefields project was "off the agenda".

In his letter to Kangaloon residents of 16 June 2008, Sydney Catchment Authority Program Director Tony Collins writes that “As part of additional monitoring and testing of the Upper Nepean Groundwater resource, the SCA is planning to construct 15 new test bores and one observation bore in the coming months. . . .”

And “Traffic management measures will be required at sites along Kirkland Rd and Rowlands Road. . . .”

Although the Minister for Water has announced that the borefield is now “off the agenda”, the SCA talks of “additional monitoring and testing”.

This is a clear indication that the SCA is in fact expanding the borefield to Kangaloon Rd, Moresby Hill Rd and Rowlands Rd; right into the very heart of the dairy farming country of Kangaloon.

Why would the catchment authority seek to move into the dairying areas?  Perhaps to avoid the Commonwealth Government’s scrutiny of the borefields project.

The Save Water Alliance compared conflicting statements from Minister for Water Nathan Rees and the Sydney Catchment Authority:

Minister for Water Mr Nathan Rees takes The Southern Highland News to task for suggesting that there is confusion about the future of the proposed Kangaloon borefield.

In a letter to the Editor on 26 June 2008, Mr Rees wrote “My news release of 18th June, made it quite clear; ‘Development at Kangaloon will be halted at the point where land acquisitions, planning approval and tender design are complete’.”

“There is no confusion and no contradiction,” he wrote. “The Sydney Catchment Authority made it quite clear that the sinking of ‘test’ bores was part of the ‘planning approval and tender design’ process, not the overall construction process.”

Unfortunately, a close reading of the SCA’s letter (from Mr Tony Collins) of 16 June that was distributed to Kangaloon residents on 18 June, reveals that the SCA said no such thing. According to a spokesman for the Save Water Alliance, David Thompson “there is no reference at all in the Catchment Authority letter to “planning approval and tender design”.

Following the release of Minister Rees' press statement on June 18th announcing that the borefields project was to be 'shelved', attention was drawn to a "Letter to Residents" from the Sydney Catchment Authority that was being distributed on the same day.

The letter from Tony Collins, Program Director of the Metropolitan Water Plan was written on June 16th, and referred to a proposal for a series of new test bores to be sunk for "additional monitoring and testing" of the borefield.

On one hand, the Minister announces that the borefield work will be halted "at the point where land acquisitions planning approval and tender design are complete". On the other hand the Catchment Authority announce that they proposed "additional monitoring and testing" of the borefield.

The confusion was reflected in reports to The Highland News over following days. To read the local press reports, click on: http://bowral.yourguide.com.au/newssearch.aspx?q=borefield&date=1

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What does Minister for Water, Nathan Rees' statement that the groundwater borefields were "Off the Agenda" (18/6/2008) really mean?  Does it mean that the Iemma Government has cancelled the project, and that the Kangaloon Borefield will not be built?

NO. IT DOES NOT!

The Save Water Alliance is not convinced that this campaign is over. The Minister has left the door open for the borefield to be built at a future date if required. To read the SWA's assessment of the project's status, click on: "Don't Waste Another Cent"
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Following the News Release by Nathan Rees, NSW Minister for Water, that the groundwater borefields project in Kangaloon was "Off the Agenda", the Save Water Alliance issued a media statement, "Kangaloon Borefield - Shelve it & Save Face? - NO, Scrap it & Make Sense!"

To see the Statement, click on SWA Statement 18/6/08
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On Wednesday June 18th, NSW Minister for Water, Nathan Rees, announced that the Iemma Government would "shelve" the Upper Nepean (Kangaloon) Borefield project, as well as the projects proposed for Leonay & Wallacia.

To read Minister Rees' press statement click on News Release 18/6/08.

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For a brief overview of the history of the Sydney Catchment Authority's proposal to exploit the Kangaloon Aquifer, and the local campaign to oppose it, click on  Read more. . .

The Sydney Catchment Authority has evaded a Commonwealth Government  requirement to demonstrate that the pumping of the Kangaloon Aquifer is environmentally responsible, and began pumping from the Aquifer on 26 February, 2007. (For photographs, go to "Gallery" menu, below left).

The Catchment Authority was required to refer the proposal to draw down the Kangaloon Aquifer to the Commonwealth under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 by the Commonwealth Department of Environment & Heritage. The referral was lodged with the Commonwealth Department on December 20th, 2006, the reference number being 2006:3209.  The Department (now known as the Department of Environment & Water Resources) have uploaded the referral to their website: www.environment.gov.au

The Minister for Environment & Water Resources (Malcolm Turnbull) must decide whether the Kangaloon Borefield project is sufficiently environmentally sensitive to be listed as a "Controlled Action", subjecting it to a number of environmental requirements, principally and Environmental Impact Statement, upon which the public may comment.

It is clear that the Iemma Government did not want the referral to the Commonwealth to take place. Every care has been taken to remove the project from the normal environmental tests and local government permits, declaring the borefield project a "Project of State Significance".

The Save Water Alliance organised a public meeting, co-hosted bythe Wingecarribee Shire Council, on Saturday February 24th, attended by representatives of the Sydney Catchment Authority.

However, the day before the meeting, the Catchment Authority had issued a Press Statement announcing that they intended to begin pumping for 6-months" "monitoring and testing". (Click on "Press Statement" above to read the statement).

by Denis Wilson, Environmental Consultant to the Save Water Alliance, 25/2/2007.

The Save Water Alliance meeting in Bowral on 24 February went well, with over 300 people present to hear about moves to prevent the Sydney Catchment Authority from pumping from the Southern Highlands (Kangaloon) Aquifer.

Amongst the VIPs present at the meeting were Ms Pru Goward, Liberal Party candidate for Goulburn, and Mr Paul Stephenson, Mayor of Goulburn, and independent  candidate for Goulburn in the forthcoming NSW elections.

"A One-Month Test" 

The Sydney Catchment Authority reported that they had approached the Federal Department of Environment and Water Resources and proposed a one month test pumping program. The Federal Department concurred in that suggestion. To read the federal government's notice, click on DEWR Advice.

Astonishingly, with that limited approval having been given by the Federal Department, the Catchment Authority then issued a press release in which they announced that they will commence pumping for 6 months. They claim that “detailed information will be gathered after the pumping has been underway for one month, and provided to the Federal Department of Environment and Water Resources.” However, elsewhere, in correspondence, they make it clear that the reporting will not take place until some time in April. Meanwhile, pumping will continue from the Kangaloon Aquifer.

Their arrogance is overwhelming. The NSW Government is totally disregarding the Federal Environment Minister’s legitimate legal role in this matter, under the Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Mr Turnbull is empowered by Federal law to make a decision on this most important matter, and has the power to deem that it is a “Controlled Action”, but the SCA have conned Mr Turnbull’s Department. They are treating the Federal Authorities like fools – and worse, were doing so in a public forum.

Breathtaking Arrogance

How can the SCA justify announcing that they will pump for 6 months, on the very same day that the Federal Department has permitted them to pump for one month?  At the very least, proper scientific processes ought to be followed. That is, if they record pumping drawdowns for 1 month, then they need recovery data for 1 month. That might constitute a proper test. But the SCA do not intend to allow any time for the borefield to recharge. They have already announced that they will be pumping for 6 months.

The SCA would surely not disregard the legitimate authority of Mr Turnbull in this matter, unless they were fully confident that they have the backing of Mr Debus, the NSW Environment Minister. It is breathtaking arrogance.