Wentworth irrigator charged for tapping pipeline, siphoning water

A Wentworth irrigator has been charged for allegedly tapping the Western Murray Irrigation pipeline and siphoning water from it.

A Wentworth irrigator has been charged with illegally siphoning water from an irrigation pipeline. Picture: Jonathan Ng

A Wentworth irrigator is facing charges of illegally interfering with an irrigation pipeline and siphoning water from it over several years.

The NSW Natural Resources Access Regulator has alleged winemaker David Littore connected an unapproved pipeline to the Western Murray Irrigation supply line on two separate properties in 2016 and 2019 to divert water.

Both Mr Littore and his company, Jindalee Road Wines, have been charged with the offence.

According to the regulator, the irrigator also took water in 2018-19 and 2019-20, when NSW was in severe drought.

The regulator has previously announced charges against Mr Littore of illegally pumping 13,000 megalitres of water — enough to fill 5200 Olympic swimming pools — from the Darling River between 2011 and 2015.

Those charges are currently before the Land and Environment Court and involve penalties of up to $4.4 million.

The charges mark the first time NRAR has prosecuted a case of illegal water take from supply infrastructure. The regulator typically assesses water take from rivers and groundwater. 

The Western Murray Irrigation pipeline services Buronga, Coomealla and Curlwaa in Far West NSW, where the main crops are wine grapes, citrus, vegetables, fruit and nut trees, dried

fruit and table grapes. 

NRAR chief regulatory officer Grant Barnes said the allegations were serious.

“Regional irrigated agriculture businesses depends on fair access to those water resources,” he

said. 

“Some of the most valuable water assets in the state are in the southern inland zone of NSW

including the Murray and Murrumbidgee regions.”

The case is set for a directions hearing in the Land and Environment Court on April 21.