A Shepparton East company has been ordered to pay more than $10,000 in compensation and costs, after being found guilty of water theft in Shepparton Magistrates' Court.
The company, which runs irrigated cropping operations, entered a guilty plea on September 30, to taking water without authority.
Goulburn-Murray Water told the court the company used 85 megalitres more than its allocation entitlement - equivalent to about 35 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Magistrate Stella Stuthbridge ordered the company to pay $9042 in compensation for the value of the water, $1038 for GMW's costs and placed the defendant on a two-year good behaviour bond.
G-MW brought the prosecution after repeated warnings and a formal caution for the company to correct its overuse of water, which took place in the 2017-18 season.
"This is a timely reminder that water is a valuable commodity only available to entitlement holders with sufficient allocation," water delivery services general manager Warren Blyth said.
GMW had a staged process of alerting customers, warning them of any overuse and cautioning them against continued non-compliance before proceeding to legal action.
"We have an obligation on behalf of all entitlement holders to ensure customers do the right thing and not enter into any overuse of water," Mr Blyth said.
"If customers persist in doing the wrong thing, we will take action."
At the time of the theft, water was valued at $106 per megalitre - had the theft occurred at current value the compensation could have exceeded $50,000.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
