Workshops for CPW shareholders on surface water irrigation

Central Plains Water (CPWL) has organised three water userworkshops this month to update around 380 shareholders and assist with their decision to take up surface water irrigation with CPWL.

Doug Catherwood, chair CPWL, said a key requisite of obtaining farmer shareholder support was to provide the detail around the construction timing, scheme operating criteria and the costs associated with the irrigation and nutrient management requirements.

‘”The shareholders hold the rights to use the water and now is the time for them to confirm that they are prepared to fund the construction phase,” Catherwood said.

“Firm commitments are needed now before we can move to construction planning to deliver surface water to the first 20,000ha area by the 2015/16 irrigation season. Farmer support and uptake for the remaining 40,000ha of the scheme is also critical so we can start design on the next stages.”

Invitations have been sent to shareholders to attend meetings, which would be fronted by the CPWL board and champions of the scheme. A briefing for farm advisors, accountants and other interested parties will be held prior to the shareholder meetings.

“These workshops will provide in depth information on the costs and the detailed design. The $144m first stage includes paying back loans for the lengthy consenting period,” said Catherwood.

Catherwood said while the information for each workshop would be largely the same, the key difference would be the content around the economics of irrigation and the detail of the Water User Agreement.

The first 20,000 hectares under the scheme will be concerned primarily with the switch from ground water use to surface water use. Workshops 2 and 3 would focus on conversion from dry land to irrigated land.

“We are hoping for a very good turnout. We can’t start the construction until the users have committed to service the water infrastructure debt. We’re already discussing finance with banks, working out the best options with a view to contracting finance later this calendar year.”

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