Tweed Council orders the Karlos family to demolish their water business

A NEW South Wales family business which sells water to national bottling companies has been given a week to shutdown its operations. But they’re not giving in without a fight.

The Karlos family have been extracting water from their Urliup property for 15 years and selling it to water bottling companies. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP

A NEW South Wales family business which sells water to national bottling companies has been given a week to shutdown its operations.

Matthew Karlos said he received a letter from council last Tuesday ordering Eniflat to stop pumping water at its Urliup property, 20 minutes south west of Coolangatta.

It was also given 28 days to remove all equipment.

The Tweed Shire Council could not say why it is stopping the business, but confirmed the stop work letter had been the only one sent within the water extraction industry.

Eniflat has pumped water from its property for 15 years, selling it to bottlers such as NuPure, Wet Fix Spring Water and previously Mount Franklin.

Mr Karlos said he would ignore council’s directive as it would put a number of people out of a job.

Matthew Karlos has declared he is going to continue to pump water despite Tweed Shire Council telling him to stop by tomorrow.

“It’s not just us, it is the truck drivers, companies that maintain the pumps and infrastructure and the local electricians which are always on our property working,” he said.

“You go through the process, set up a business and the green council just try and shut you down.”

Eniflat Pty Ltd have been ordered to stop pumping water from their bores at the Karlos family's Urliup Rd property.

Under the Notice of Proposed Development Control Order, the business should stop pumping water by tomorrow and all equipment removed from the property within 28 days.

“Demolish and remove from the land the covered structure, pipes and other equipment located on the access road west of the dwelling on the land used for pumping water extracted from the land into delivery trucks,” the order reads.

A Tweed Shire Council Development Assessment Unit spokesperson said this was the only order sent to businesses within the water extraction industry.

“As stated in the notice of the proposed order Eniflat has until 7 August to respond to the proposed order,” the spokesperson said.

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“Further commentary is not appropriate.”

Mr Karlos said he would continue to pump water and that the council had no right to stop them.

“We have council approval (from 2003) and an allocation from New South Wales Office of Water for 60 mega litres a year,” he said.

“The council has not given us any reasons why we have to shut down our operations.”

The Karlos family have been ordered by Tweed Shire Council to stop pumping water from their three bores, (the blue dots).

Eniflat and Tweed Shire Council are already before the court after councillors refused the Karlos family’s application to use B-double trucks.

The matter was part-heard in March and has been relisted for further hearing on September 12-13.

Mr Karlos said the council’s restrictions on trucking had effectively halved the business’ ability to use its 60 mega litre allocation.

“We have spent hundreds of thousands in reports that were never required all at the whim of the greens’ demands,” he said.

“If the greens can’t completely stamp your business out legally they drag you through the courts to financially kick you on your arse.”