Nanneella and Undera property owners convicted for water theft

Goulburn Valley farmers have been put on notice following a series of water thefts with the magistrate threatening jail for anybody who tries it next.

The Undera woman stole water with pipe installed off the back of a channel. (Generic image). Photo: Zoe Phillips.

Two Goulburn Valley water thieves have both avoided jail — but have been warned they won’t get another chance.

A 34-year-old Nanneella man faced Echuca Magistrates’ Court earlier this month charged with interference of Goulburn-Murray Water’s (GMW) works, and unauthorised taking and use of water.

The court heard GMW started the investigation after discovering an outlet door was open by about 2cm with a pin wedged to keep it there.

An investigation uncovered the detheridge wheel (the gauge that measures water flow in channels) had been stopped from turning.

It is unclear how much water he stole.

The 34-year-old was placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond without conviction and ordered to pay costs of more than $1400.

In a separate case in May, a 61-year-old Undera woman was fined $2500 without conviction for similar offences.

The land owner, who had owned the 240-acre property since 2012, installed a length of PVC through the bank of the channel using it to divert unmetered water into a recycle dam.

GMW said it was unclear how much water had been taken.

Magistrate Steven Raleigh ordered the woman to pay costs of more than $1000.

GMW general manager of water delivery services Warren Blyth said the organisation took a zero-tolerance approach to water theft.

“In cases where infrastructure is interfered with, we can only estimate how much water we think was stolen. GMW has an obligation on behalf of all entitlement holders to ensure unauthorised use of and any tampering with infrastructure is met with enforcement,” he said.

Meanwhile in April, an Invergordon was fined $500 for taking water without authorisation by a Shepparton magistrate.

Between November 13, 2018 and June 5, 2019 he took 3.1ML of water leaving a negative balance in his allocation account.

He corrected the negative balance before the matter came before the court.

He was also placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond with no conviction.

The Water Act 1989 was amended in October 2019 to provide for greater deterrence against water theft by strengthening penalties and giving water corporations a wider range of enforcement tools and powers to suspend or cancel licences.