A Werribee South vegetable farmer has been fined $500 after pleading guilty to a water offence.
The farmer faced Werribee Magistrates Court on July 2, charged with interfering with works belonging to Southern Rural Water.
The court heard two Southern Rural Water field officers noticed an object stuck on the meter for a groundwater bore on the man’s property during a routine meter reading.
Southern Rural Water said the object prevented the meter from recording the amount of water being used.
The man admitted responsibility for the offence, although his lawyers argued he believed an employee may have placed the object on the meter.
He was convicted and ordered to pay a $500 fine to Southern Rural Water and court costs of $2000.
Southern Rural Water groundwater and rivers general manager Craig Parker urged irrigators to consider trading for more water if they required it, rather than resorting to water offences.
“Meters are there so that we can protect groundwater supply for everyone – for farmers, for the district, for the environment,” he said.
“If everyone took more than their fair share, the aquifer in Werribee South would be under threat from seawater intrusion.”
For more information about licence regulations or water trading, contact Southern Rural Water on 1300 139 510.
