Peats Ridge Springs - Update

CCA operates a water bottling business called Peats Ridge Springs in Peats Ridge on the Central Coast of NSW. This site is subject to strict daily monitoring and reporting conditions. CCA monitors and reports daily water levels on a quarterly basis to Gosford City Council, the NSW Department of Water and Energy and our immediate neighbour.

On 18 November 2005, the NSW Land and Environment Court issued a development consent for extraction of 66 megalitres (ML) of water per year for a trial period between 1 October 2005 and 31 December 2007.

We are now seeking permanency of the 66ML extraction volume.

In October 2007, CCA lodged a Section 96AA Application with Gosford City Council to make permanent the development consent issued by the NSW Land and Environment Court.

As required by the Court, a detailed interpretive hydrogeological report has been prepared by Dr Peter Beck of the consulting company GHD to provide information on groundwater extraction monitoring for the period not less than 1 October 2005 to 31 March 2007.

Based on the assessment, GHD considers that there is sufficient evidence to indicate that extraction of up to 66ML of groundwater from the site should not adversely affect the aquifer in the long term provided the existing monitoring and management plan are continued. Consequently GHD recommends that the extension of the licence to 66ML be granted on a permanent basis.

In 2006, we put out an offer to other water users in the area to fund the installation and maintenance of equipment to monitor water use in the area. CCA has been working with Landcare Australia, the Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment Management Authority and the National Centre for Groundwater Management at the University of Technology Sydney to scope out how a monitoring and regeneration program might work.
 
If you live or work near our Peats Ridge site and are interested in participating in a community monitoring program, please contact us via e-mail.

The information would ensure an accurate source of data for use by the NSW Department of Water and Energy and Gosford City Council in better managing the groundwater resource over the long-term.

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Background

1.	The Peats Ridge area is covered by the Kulnura Mangrove Mountain Water Sharing Plan.  Peats Ridge is within Zone 8 of the Plan which indicates that on a long term average, each year 9,007 megalitres of water is recharged into the aquifer from rainfall and river flows.  Under the plan 2,444 megalitres of this recharge is allocated for water users, while the bulk remains for environmental flows.
2.	CCA’s allocation per annum is 66 megalitres.  We are required to monitor our usage and water levels daily and report these quarterly to the Department of Water and Energy, Gosford City Council and our immediate neighbour.
3.	Under conditions determined by the Land and Environment Court, in the event that the cease to pump level licence condition has been activated, CCA shall not resume any pumping from the production bores until directed in writing by the department, or the water levels of the subject monitoring bores recover to a level less than 15 metres.