Chinese company approved to run water mining operation in drought-stricken Queensland

A Chinese-owned company has been granted approval to run a 96m litre a year commercial water mining operation in severely drought-hit southern Queensland, where locals are on water rations and communities at imminent risk of running dry.

Last week the Southern Downs regional council approved a development application for the company, Joyful View Garden Real Estate Development Resort Pty Ltd, to operate a water extraction and distribution facility at Cherrabah, a large property at Elbow Valley near the Queensland-New South Wales border.

The following day the council implemented extreme water restrictions for residents at the nearby towns of Warwick and Stanthorpe, limiting residents to 80L a day.

Chinese company approved to run water mining operation in drought-stricken Queensland

Nestle having water rights in the Great Lakes bugs me, and that's not even a drought stricken area. But the thought of an adversary extracting water while I was on a usage cap would enrage me.

The article says the company will be bottling the water, which I believe will lead to the further desertification of the region.

There are a lot of people in AU talking about the fires being caused by global warming... But perhaps exporting water and drying the immediate area is a far more impactful problem at the moment.

While the water cycle is perpetual energy essentially, I thing it's a major misstep for nations to export their fresh water. It's the lifeblood of our nation's. And whatever an area is gaining from exporting, if you have to turn around and import it, especially an island nation, you just took out a very high interest loan.

Poland Spring- owned by Nestle...
Poland Maine is a town just up the road from me. Under 15 miles where I'm stuck at the moment- They call the shots around here.

We're also not drought stricken, but it won't be long before those tanker trucks I see every day are heading out west burning middle eastern dinosaur squeezings to move northeastern water to the west coast, where they waste it like nothing I've ever seen.

I feel like I should learn more about how the aquifers work, because that's where they are getting that water from, and I'm pretty sure that's where I'm getting mine, too. Last I heard it takes millions of years for that water to get down there, which is why its so damn pure.
Yes, my well/tap/shower/toilet water is the same you can buy in bottles in a corner store near you from Nestle.

They've got a hell of a racket going here- I can't imagine how bad it is in china where you can buy off officials by the dozen.
Limiting the per citizen local water while agreeing to let a corporation take that same water and ship it elsewhere doesn't sound right.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

I just read this article myself as well, absolutely #ing shocking.

The following day the council implemented extreme water restrictions for residents at the nearby towns of Warwick and Stanthorpe, limiting residents to 80L a day.

Those two towns are expected to run out of water this coming year. They are already carting water in Stanthorpe. For those that are unaware Stanthorpe has a population of about 4500, Warwick has a population of about 14,000.

This situation is a perfect demonstration as to the abject failure of our 3 tiers of government. They don't care. They, the councillors and politicians, have put themselves above the people. It needs to change now.

a reply to: myselfaswell

Those two towns are expected to run out of water this coming year.

After South Africa, you'd think the lesson would have been learned.

This will have a serious strain on agriculture and livestock. Importing water and food will further inflate prices.

Austerity is no joke these days.

My question is, does Australia not have the tech to tap that resource or is China coming in and handsomely lining someones pockets?

a reply to: lordcomac

I heard the water from Nesle gets exported to the Middle East too.

That bottle water gets consumed and in many cases gets excreted and run into the ocean where it becomes salt water and we further our salt to fresh water imbalance.

originally posted by: kimish
My question is, does Australia not have the tech to tap that resource or is China coming in and handsomely lining someones pockets?

Both - the article says the council have basically hand-balled it to the State government, saying that the QLD government is responsible to regulate water extraction - not local councils. Local councils approve based upon meeting development, planning and building criteria for their region as well as the BCA (Building Code of Australia).

Therefore the QLD government should step in and over-rule the initial development approval.

Because NSW was on fire last week and QLD is dry A.F and this development straddles their borders. Water is needed for the collective - not the corporations.

Once this story gets out, sh!ts gonna go down - I'll be watching closely as this is very close to home for me.

Cheers

originally posted by: CriticalStinker
a reply to: lordcomac

I heard the water from Nesle gets exported to the Middle East too.

That bottle water gets consumed and in many cases gets excreted and run into the ocean where it becomes salt water and we further our salt to fresh water imbalance.

And that saltwater evaporates continuing the water cycle... it's not like water dosent move it's a entire cycle

On the subject of drilling for water no no very bad
A friend of mine who was a well driller explained it to me like this once the water is taken out the ground changes and the cell structure closes so it will no longer refill and eventually collapse lowering the ground

So keep pumping California I may get beach front property after all

a reply to: markovian

And that saltwater evaporates continuing the water cycle... it's not like water dosent move it's a entire cycle

That doesn't work when you export the fresh to a different nation.

It also doesn't work if you're consuming what you already have at a rate faster than nature replenishes fresh.

They're exasperating every water problem they have right now. And if it comes down to supplementing, they'll have to import or desalinatize... Both very expensive.

For years now I've been saying it's about the water NOT the oil!
Really angry Rainbows
Jane

a reply to: CriticalStinker

This will have a serious strain on agriculture and livestock.

It already is.

I have noted since last August in this ATS thread and more recently in this ATS thread that we are in the grip of, at best, a 100 year drought. It may well get much much worse, and yet in the Murray Darling basin, Australia's largest and most abused water system, they're pumping water to grow cotton FFS.

Not only that, but countries, like China the US and others, are using our water, growing beef and other foods on our land, AND SHIPPING IT BACK TO THEIR OWN COUNTRIES.

To say things in this country are f# up would be an understatement.

I mean, we actually pay more for our gas than the Japanese do, even though it's pumped out of the ground in Australia and shipped over to Japan.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

I know somebody in the water business who deals with Aussie, they said some of the water getting piped into homes is not fit to drink, because in the good old days the chemicals from industry were just dumped out back, now its got down into the aquifers, and the cost of cleaning it up is going to be very expensive. So trust the Chinese to be on in the opening act of this saga.

How the f does this happen?

Getting super tired of China.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

Nestle having water rights in the Great Lakes bugs me, and that's not even a drought stricken area. But the thought of an adversary extracting water while I was on a usage cap would enrage me.

They take a lot of water from B.C. as well(269 million litres), we usually have water restrictions in the summer..because there isn't enough water.

And, to add insult to injury, they pay about 200$ a year for it..it infuriates me to no end.

originally posted by: vonclod
How the f does this happen?

Getting super tired of China.

Yeah, for sure. Some strange deals have gone down with China this decade. 2 come to mind. A couple of quotes from reading.

1/. The $506 million the Northern Territory Government was paid for a 99-year lease of the Darwin Port by Chinese company Landbridge is long gone, but Australians' feelings of unease remain.

2/. China's communist government could soon own an Australian airport after paying just $1 for a 100-year lease on the land.

The state-owned China Southern Airlines partially owns Merredin Aerodrome, 260 kilometres east of Perth, and has control of the runways, hangars and the control tower.

However, this Chinese government company could soon own all of the country airport less than 25 years after it secretly paid the West Australian government $1 for a 100-year lease.

Now the water debacle. A lease until 2111. My thoughts are that there are those here in Australia lining their pockets with these easy pickings for China. Give the land and harbor back to the original owners rather than lease it for bargain basement prices. These deals happen without much public knowledge until the deed is done and dusted.

Kind regards,

Bally

a reply to: bally001
Same here, various mining and oil rights given away.
For sure, we are being sold out, and pimped out by our respective governments..it just literally make me sick.

I just don't know what to do.

a reply to: vonclod

It's hard to fathom especially all the nonsense the respective governments carry on about China's expansion into the South China Sea yet here is expansion right under their noses and nothing is said. Kinda like it's hush hush on the mainland here.

Seems weird as entrepreneur Dick Smith said, now he needs permission from the Chinese Government to land at an airport that the Australian taxpayers payed for to be built.

What's next is anyone's guess as none of the current pollies want a bar of these projects.

I am at a loss as to what to do also other than put it out there.

Kind regards,

Bally

It's well known that China is trying to co-opt all of Australia basically not just the water.

They've deeply penetrated the U.S. too.

Heads up everyone. Word to your Mama-san.

They did the same thing a few years ago in California when the state was on fire and they were running low on fresh water.

a reply to: CriticalStinker
Question why are they not using desalination of sea water?