SAGE concerns:

– Combining #water basins without #public #consultation and #assessment of #environmental impacts risks aquatic and riparian #ecosystem #health.

– Expanding the latitude of water use under the current water #license #system increases the amount of water being removed from #river #systems, which already do not meet minimum flows for river health for portions of the year.

23/24

"... We believe that #government and #Legislature, with #public and #expert input, and meeting #Constitutional obligations to #Indigenous #communities, should carefully examine the day-to-day #water #management #law with the goal that it incorporates #emergency #response, as much as possible and feasible..."

19/24

#Water #transfers should #maintain #public #transparency with #identification of #risks and #benefits to the #environment and the #public good.

To summarize, SAGE believes that meeting water #conservation objectives (WCOs) and preserving grasslands should be a minimum requirement before allowing the greater use of water in closed basins. Regardless of the water #licenses under FITFIR, meeting minimum flows for aquatic #ecosystem #health is the #priority.

11/24

#Public #processes are an essential aspect of good decision-making.

Bill 7 also allows for the easier #transfer of #water use through water #licenses by extending the point of use or point of diversion beyond those set out in the original license. More positively, a more consistent measuring and #reporting of actual water use may be required.

6/24

Combining #water basins appears to allow the inter-basin #transfer of water without #environmental #assessment, #evaluation of cumulative effects, adequate watershed #management or #public #consultation beyond directly affected parties. In other words, the #legislation deems the two distinct water basins to be one. Expanding Ministerial #power for decision-making obviates the necessity for public consultation, environmental assessment and #parliamentary #debate.

5/24

Though the results of #public feedback from the #Water #Availability #Engagement has not been made available, it appears that the proposed changes are not consistent with the #concerns expressed in the #consultation.

There is a dearth of #scientific #observation on the #ecological impacts of inter-basin water #transfers. As such, precaution is imperative.

2/24

@ailurocrat Ah yeah!?

Not saying I don't believe you totally but that is often not the people to do it with (or it is but we are under practiced + over-exhausted those few close sources and more risks breaking them).

Even if you practise it, it's not enough while most people don't.

(This is evident by the systematic shutdown of #public #spaces + lack of #time as #system maximises keeping people working as the ultimate "I don't have time 🕦 sorry bro" even if you did need them or want to talk.