Chair of the Mudgee and Districts Environment Group, Bev Smiles attended the Mining and Water Forum Resolution in Orange this week where she had the opportunity to outline Mudgee’s case to the minister.

“The amount of ground water being intercepted by the mines had not been taken into consideration by the government.

“Wilpinjong coal mine is applying to transfer 1,000 megalitres (one million litres) of water via pipeline from the Ulan coal mine.

“This application shows no understanding of where that water has come from in the first place.

“The mines are effectively getting $1.2 million worth of water for nothing,” Ms Smiles said.

She said the environment group had called on the government for an independent study of the Upper Goulburn River catchment prior to approval of the pipeline.

“The proposed pipeline is not an issue between Ulan and Wilpinjong but between Ulan and the river.

“Water going to Wilpinjong would be water that is meant to be going back into the river

“At the point of initial interception of ground water, there have been no independent studies conducted on the impact it has on base-flows to the river.

“The minister is in a position to call for such a study,” she said.

Ms Smiles said the forum called on the NSW government to place the water security of rural NSW ahead of short-term profits of mining companies.

“The government must balance the water needs of everyone in the community, not just mining companies,” she said.