WaterNSW is advising that the NSW government has implemented a temporary pump restriction for the Hastings River to secure the town supply for Port Macquarie.
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The restrictions apply to unregulated river and alluvial access licences in the Hastings River's unregulated and alluvial water sources.
The priority now is to protect water resources for stock and domestic use in the Hastings as well as manage the ecological stability of the waterway, a WaterNSW spokesperson said.
The Section 324 order is being made to:
- restrict certain take of water from the Hastings' unregulated and alluvial water sources by imposing conditions on when take is permitted and cease-to-pump restrictions
- require the recording of take in logbooks for take from the Hastings' unregulated and alluvial water sources and the Hastings River coastal floodplain alluvial groundwater
Licence holders are required to record pumping details in a logbook unless they have an operational meter that complies with Australian standards.
The restriction will be in place until 30 June 2020. However, it may be amended or repealed prior to this date should conditions change.
Rainfall totals across the Hastings have been below average for the past 24 months.
"Protection of low flows is essential to provide water for basic landholder and higher priority licences which include stock and domestic, local water utility (town supply), and to ensure instream connectivity and ecological requirements are satisfied," a WaterNSW spokesperson said.
Port Macquarie moved to level 3 restrictions on November 25.
Water utilities estimate the region has less than 12 months' supply. Under continuing drought conditions, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council will need to increase to level 4 restriction in the first quarter of 2020.
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