Water Resource Law and Management

Water is liquid gold. Both government and the private sector are now very conscious that water is a finite resource that must be carefully managed, in both a transparent and sustainable manner, to ensure its ongoing availability to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding population, a booming resource sector and the varied and complex demands of primary producers. Consequently, the water sector is undergoing rapid and complex regulatory change in a time where the demands for delivery of major water infrastructure have never been higher. We are experienced in acting for water boards, water service providers and Resource Operations Licence holders, and for many of our clients both within and outside the water industry, who are embarking on projects concerning water or waste water production and delivery. We also regularly provide advice to primary producers on water entitlements (including water entitlement disputes), water trading and water resource planning and management.

Our relevant recent experience includes:

advising SRWP, on issues relevant to the Southern Regional Water Pipeline, Northern Interconnector and Western Interconnector
acting for Livingstone Shire Council on the Commonwealth and State funded Yeppoon to Rockhampton Water Pipeline Project
advising Macarthur Coal, AMCI and Millennium Coal on the arrangements with SunWater in relation to the construction of and supply and delivery of water from the Burdekin Pipeline and the Eastern Pipeline
advising Macarthur Coal and Bowen Basin Coal on the arrangements with SunWater in relation to the construction and supply and delivery of water from the Southern Spur Pipeline
advising Fitzroy River Water on the Fitzroy Barrage Water Supply Scheme
acting for NuWater on the aborted Brisbane Darling Downs water pipeline
advising on funding arrangements for water projects through both the Commonwealth National Water Initiative and the State government for Fitzroy River Water and Mackay Water
advising water service providers (including a number of local authorities) on the design and construction of pumping stations, waste water treatment plants, sewerage treatment facilities and related infrastructure
advising resource operation licence holders, water service providers and mining houses on the regulatory requirements under the Water Act 2000 (Queensland) including moratorium arrangements, water entitlements and drought management strategy
advising both mining companies and water service providers, such as, Fitzroy River Water on take and pay arrangements for the supply of water from regulated water infrastructure
advising Peanut Company of Australia on the acquisition of extensive water allocations from Paradise Dam
preparing submissions on behalf of various stakeholders on draft Resource Operations Plans
advising irrigators on ownership disputes relating to water entitlements (licences, allocations and interim allocations).

Our specialist water lawyers are part of McCullough Robertson’s Infrastructure, Energy and Government Group, which is one of the largest integrated groups of experienced project lawyers in any Queensland law firm.