A Victorian government consultative committee has released its recommendations for the return of 75gigalitres of water shares to Goulburn Murray Irrigation District irrigators.
The Irrigators' Share Consultative Committee (ISCC) has recommended irrigators with more than 0.25 delivery shares will receive four megalitres of high reliability and 1.8ML of low-reliability shares.
Irrigators holding less than 0.25 of a delivery share will receive the financial value of the water shares, as a credit against their Goulburn-Murray Water bill.
"What it's going to do is give irrigators 4ML of high-reliability water shares," Mr Weller said.
"The committee has looked at proposals as to whether we hold it, give an annual, or a one-off distribution, or put it into GMW.
"We have come up with the recommendation it is given back to the irrigators."
He said the return would be a mix of high reliability, and low reliability, shares, based on the long term, average equivalent.
Read more:
Mr Weller said he believed the allocation would be the same for Melbourne Water and the environment.
"The irrigators are getting 61ML of high-reliability water shares and 28ML low-reliability shares, so Melbourne Water and the environment should be 61ML and 28ML, respectively, as well," he said.
On-ground works are nearing completion for the $2billion Connections Project, an investment in irrigation infrastructure modernisation in the GMID.
Once complete, the final water recovery can be confirmed and distributed.
"It's been a challenge to get to this point," Mr Weller said.
"There are some irrigators who, quite rightly, wanted to tie the water to the district, but, to my mind, the cost of doing that, is prohibitive and the Murray Darling Basin Plan wouldn't allow it."
He said Shepparton would be included in the distribution, despite concerns from some irrigators.
"Everyone pays a delivery share, so it has to be fair to everyone," he said.
He said it would be up to the individual to decide what to do with the additional allocation.
"The terms of reference of the committee were how do we distribute what is there - it's not for us to argue what should have been there," he said.
'I'll leave that up to the Victorian Farmers Federation and Water Service Committees."
Mr Weller said he hoped the water could go to irrigators, as quickly as possible.
"We have to report back to the minister by the end of June."
Murrabit dairy farmer Andrew Leahy said he was concerned the allocation would result in farmers selling the additional water.
"It's probably the best thing for individual irrigators, but I don't think it's the best thing for the GMID.
"Irrigators will sell their water and pay exit fees, to get out,"
Irrigators pay an annual infrastructure access fee of $2925, which Goulburn-Murray Water has proposed will drop to $2527, for each delivery share.
If irrigators sold water and relinquished delivery shares, he said that could result in a bigger burden on those who stayed.
"I hope that if irrigators did that, the money would be put somewhere to help make the system better, and lower overall costs," Mr Leahy said."
Waaia dairy farmer Mark Bryant said he was pleased that the water was finally going to be delivered.
"When the first billion dollars was put in, that was part of the deal," Mr Bryant said.
"It's taken a lot of years to hit the farmers, but I think it was the best way to divide it up.
"I can't come up with any other way - at the end of the day, everyone is getting 4ML, per delivery share, and I think that's a good thing.
"They can carry water over, against it, or sell it."
But Dudley Bryant, who was involved in negotiating the deal with former Regional Development Minister, said the actual amount each irrigator would receive was never discussed. .
"It was never discussed as to how it was going to happen, but I was always strong that it would go to the irrigators," Mr Bryant said.
Shepparton was not initially part of the deal, but was now being included.
That district has received $160million, before the Food Bowl Modernisation project was rolled out.
"It was still being negotiated, when they got the $160m," he said.
"They are getting a free-kick, my argument is there would have been cost savings, in the Shepparton modernisation."
The government is now seeking feedback on the proposal.
The consultation process ends on June 1 - irrigators can respond through the website:
Start the day with all the big news in agriculture! Click here to sign up to receive our daily Stock & Land.
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.
