Have your say on water policy in the region

The Limestone Coast (LC) Landscape Board is wrapping up their Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan review roadshow, culminating in community information sessions to be held in Mount Gambier, Naracoorte and online in September.

The public information sessions are open to anyone in the community with an interest in learning more about our groundwater resources and the role of the Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan in their management.

Limestone Coast Landscape Board manager of planning and engagement Dr. Liz Perkins (pictured) said the information sessions were an important step for the Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan review.

“We are encouraging everyone to attend from recreational water users to sporting clubs, residents living in townships or rural areas and water licence holders,” Dr Perkins said. “

The sessions are to ensure everyone has an opportunity to understand the review, what it is about, our role in the process and have an opportunity to be involved and have their say if they wish.

“As our climate is changing, sustainably managing our resources is increasingly becoming the responsibility of everyone in our community. We want as many people as possible to understand the challenges ahead and get involved.

“While we have an established Stakeholder Advisory Group which represents community, environment, primary production and industry in the region, we recognise that many other people have valuable contributions to the review that we need to hear.

“In addition to the Stakeholder Advisory Group, we have held over 8 information sessions in recent months with stakeholders from industry groups such as dairy, cropping, livestock and forestry as part of the series to ensure water licence holders, industry representatives and environment groups have an opportunity to be involved in the review.”

The review of the Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan is being led by the LC Landscape Board and is expected to be finalised by the end of 2023.

If amendment is required it will begin in early 2024. Commenting on the complexity of conducting a water allocation plan review in a region where a number of industries and livelihoods are dependent on the water resource, Dr. Perkins said that understanding how the wider community value water is critical.

“How individuals in the Limestone Coast value water matters. It underpins the choices and decisions about how they use it,” she said.

“We are encouraging everyone to come along to the community information sessions to find out how the Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan is critical for the sustainable management of our water resources in the region and how they value water matters to the review.

“The review is a complex process involving a number of industries, stakeholder groups and our community.

“Our aim is to ensure the review is transparent and that people have an opportunity to be involved at every step.”

Registration for the sessions is via the Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan page which also provides opportunities for involvement and to provide direct feedback on the review.

he page can be accessed at www.engage.lclandscapesa. com.au/llcwap.