Tatura dairy farmer fined $10,000 for water theft

A dairy farmer from Tatura has been fined $10,000 for illegally pumping water from an irrigation channel.

A Tatura dairy farmer said he was in financial difficulty when he illegally pumped water from an irrigation channel.

A Tatura dairy farmer who illegally pumped two megalitres of water from a channel has been fined $10,000.

Mark Anthony Ryan, 54, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to taking, using or diverting an authority’s water in December.

The total value of the water Mr Ryan stole was about $508 at the time of the theft.

Goulburn-Murray Water prosecutor Lauren Cornwall told the court Goulburn-Murray Water received a phone call about an illegal diversion of water that was taking place at 10.10pm on April 23 2020.

When an officer went to the site at 11pm, they found a tractor pumping water from the channel into an on-farm channel.

Mr Ryan’s barrister told the court his client was experiencing financial difficulty at the time of the theft and water prices were high.

But Magistrate Peter Dunn said everyone was doing it tough, and “nothing makes him more entitled than another water user”.

“Another water user further down the channel may not be able to access water if the accused

takes without authorisation, Mr Dunn said.

“Rural communities are generally very strongly bonded together. This type of action strikes at

the heart of the community.

“A message needs to be sent,” he said.

In addition to the $10,000 fine, Mr Ryan was ordered pay $1836.15 in costs.

No conviction was recorded.

GMW Water Use Compliance and Enforcement co-ordinator Chris Dalton said the corporation

took a zero-tolerance approach to water theft.

“This is a timely reminder that it’s illegal to take and use more water than allowed under your

entitlement,” Mr Dalton said.

“Water is an extremely valuable commodity in Victoria – if one user doesn’t follow the rules, it impacts every other user in the system, and even the wider community.