Mining would lower the water level of 93 bores on Southern Highlands farmland – for between 36 and 65 years, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) shows.
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Hume Coal has revealed this loss of water will be more than 2m in depth across 71 rural properties, if it is given permission to mine under Sutton Forest.
The company’s EIS says groundwater will flow into the mine from the aquifer for the 19 years it is operating, and another three years afterwards – but the effect on the groundwater reservoir could continue for decades more.
“This will lower the groundwater level – called a ‘drawdown’ – and it is predicted that 93 private landholder bores on 71 properties will experience a drawdown of 2m or more due to the project,” the EIS says.
“The average duration of drawdown on the 93 affected bores is predicted to be 36 years, with the maximum duration being 65 years.
“However, most of the recovery will occur in a far shorter time period; on average, a bore will recover by 75 per cent within 23 years after it is first impacted. “
The anti-mine Battle for Berrima group’s president Ken Wilson said it would take generations for the aquifer to be restored.
“It is an outrage that this level of impact on existing landowners, their businesses, livelihood and local economy can be even considered by Hume Coal,” he said.
“What is even more egregious is that Hume Coal feels it is an appropriate solution to simply compensate farmers if their bores go dry.”
Hume Coal spokesman Ben Fitzsimmons said ll impacts from the mine would be managed under the NSW Government’s aquifer inteference policy.
“For each bore that is impacted, we’ve identified suitable make-good measure to ensure access to groundwater for each of those landowners,” he said.
“We’ve begun consultation with affected landholders. We’re working through our proposed mitigation mitigation matters and what they want out of it.”
Some landowners had refused to negotiate over how to compensate damage to their bore water.