THE Country Mayors Association of NSW executive board has welcomed the recent announcement by the NSW Government that they intend to remove some of the red-tape that has prevented farmers from using their water to fight fires on their property and adjacent land.
It’s understood the legislative improvements include the provision that a landholder can now use surface water and groundwater sources without a water licence or water-use approval to fight fires. This includes streams, creeks and rivers joining the relevant boundary.
Water can also be used for training and controlled burning, and for testing equipment, but only when it is carried out under the authority of a firefighting agency such as the NSW Rural Fire Service. Landholders can also prepare for the threat of bushfires by taking water to store in a tank or dam for future firefighting purposes.
The maximum volume for each property is 100,000 litres per annum.
CMA Chairman, mayor Rick Firman, says the changes are a victory for common-sense.
“The CMA board and our 92 members warmly welcome this decision made by NSW Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib and our NSW Government – common sense has prevailed,” he said.
Mr Firman said the cutting of red tape that impedes rural and regional fire-fighting is all the more
important at this time, when the devastating extended USA fire season overlaps Australia’s, limiting large-scale aerial resources.
“It is especially pleasing to see the Minister ensuring the amendments have been made ready for the
summer fire period, via the amendments to the Water Management (General) Regulation 2018,” he said.
“These amendments are overdue, however, credit when it is earned. CMA warmly thanks Minister Dib and our State Government for implementing this common-sense approach”, Mr Firman said.
