Water theft: Family farm charged $20,000

A Lake Meran family farming business has been charged $20,000 for water theft.

Lake Meran, near Kerang. Picture: supplied.

A family farming business south of Kerang has been ordered to pay $20,000 in costs after being found guilty of water theft.

Pike Farms Pty Ltd pleaded not guilty in Swan Hill Magistrates’ Court on December 8 to unauthorised take and use of water.

But magistrate Patrick Southey said the charges were proven as there was very little dispute

about the facts and no meaningful defence to the charges was provided.

Mr Southey ordered the company to contribute $20,000 to Goulburn-Murray Water’s costs and placed it on a 12-month good behaviour bond.

No conviction was recorded.

The Pike family grow cereal and hay crops at Lake Meran, south of Kerang in Victoria’s north west.

Goulburn-Murray Water found Pike Farms extracted 14.2ML of water — equal to more than five Olympic-sized swimming pools — from Lake Meran for irrigation purposes between October 4-18, 2019 while there was a temporary qualification of rights to water.

GMW placed the company on restriction in accordance with its licence conditions.

GMW Water Use Compliance and Enforcement co-ordinator Chris Dalton said GMW took a

“zero tolerance approach” to water theft.

“You must adhere to the conditions of your take and use licence at all times to avoid

penalties,” he said.

“Water theft affects everyone in your community because there’s limited water to go around.”