Horticulture and nursery businesses north of Perth have expressed concern about a state government plan to cut their groundwater allocations by 10 per cent.
Perth residents using bore water will also be affected by the draft policy announced today.
A 27 per cent reduction in groundwater taken by the Water Corporation for Perth’s drinking water has also been proposed.
The Gnangara groundwater system supplies up to 40 per cent of Perth’s drinking water, as well as water for industry and horticulture, garden bores, parks and other green spaces north of the Swan River.
Since 1980, water tables across the Gnangara mound have fallen by up to 10 metres – a 1,000 gigalitre loss of aquifer storage.
Over half of the 30 sites used to gauge the health of Gnangara’s groundwater dependent ecosystems are now breaching minimum water levels.
The government estimates its proposed measures will save a combined 70GL of groundwater per year.
This will help to stabilise the water table and increase water availability for street trees and urban wetlands such as Perry Lakes, Herdsman Lake, Lake Gwelup and Carine Swamp.
The government said the largest saving would come from the cut to the Water Corporation’s entitlement.
On top of that, an estimated 30GL will be saved by restricting the use of domestic garden bore sprinklers to just two days a week – the same as the sprinkler roster for scheme water users in the metropolitan area.
This would apply from September next year.
The proposed 10 per cent reduction in water entitlements for industry has raised strong concerns.
This change, to take effect from July 2028, will affect a large number of horticulture businesses, including vegetable, strawberry and avocado farms, along with a large poultry farm.
It will also affect Benara Nurseries, which is WA’s largest nursery, employing about 300 people.
vegetablesWA acting chief executive Manus Stockdale said any reduction of water allocation will have an impact on growers’ productivity and therefore their profitability.
“We will be working with our members to assess the impact of the water allocation reductions and ensuring that the government is aware of the impact on growers’ businesses,” he said.
“At the end of the day any reduction in water availability to growers will have an impact on their livelihoods, land values and vegetable production in state which in turn will be felt by the consumer.”
Mr Stockdale said approximately 30 per cent of the state’s vegetable production comes from the Perth metropolitan area, with the Gnangara ground water area being a significant contributor.
Benara director Gavin James said all affected businesses were extremely disappointed.
“They want to take our water off us whilst still expecting businesses to prosper, invest and employ people in the area,” Mr James said.
“Businesses will not do that given the risk for reduction in water entitlements and the government wanting 25 per cent reductions later.
“How does the state government expect growers in this region to provide a vital food resource to the local, interstate and export market if they reduce the one commodity we require to do that?
“Vegetable prices may increase and people will probably lose jobs.”
Mr James said the government originally proposed a 25 per cent increase and he suspected that was still its goal.
He suggested residents should be required to have their residential bores metered and certain users, such as Main Roads Western Australia, use ‘grey’ water, leaving the high-quality ground water for agricultural businesses.
Water minister Dave Kelly said action was needed to protect Perth’s groundwater systems and save local wetlands.
“Because of the impacts of climate change, Perth and Mandurah’s precious groundwater supply is literally disappearing beneath our feet,” he said.
“Reducing the amount of water taken from our aquifers to maintain household gardens, our industries and parks has long been recognised as a key action to address the impacts of climate change.”
Mr Kelly said the draft plan, developed over five years, provided water users with certainty of ongoing supply and ensured the long-term environmental sustainability of the Gnangara system.
The new policy is likely to increase demand for desalinated water.
The government announced $1.4 billion in this year’s budget for a third desalination plant.
