NSW Nationals plan to let north coast farmers take more water raises risk of towns running dry, MP claims
by Anne Davies from Environment | The Guardian on (#5R8M3)
Melinda Pavey delivers more water to agriculture while ramping up campaign to change Murray-Darling Basin plan
The New South Wales Nationals have announced a plan to triple water capture for farmers on the north coast in a move it is claimed will strip billions of litres from coastal rivers and increase the risk of communities running dry in future droughts.
The water minister, Melinda Pavey, has changed regulations which will now allow farmers on the north coast to take 30% of the water falling on their land instead of 10%. The water is usually stored in dams, but affects the amount of water reaching rivers.
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