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23 August 2007 GOOD NEWS FOR 02/03 SNOWY HYDRO BORROWERS Murrumbidgee Irrigation (MI) received positive news today regarding our request to have the 5% suspended water made available for use, instead of going immediately to pay back the 2002/03 Snowy Hydro Limited (SHL) borrow. The 5% of allocation water that had been suspended last year was reinstated for both high security and general security users on the 8th August 2007 in an announcement by the NSW State Government. Managing Director of MI, Brett Tucker said "today's news means over 100 MI customers will now have access to a limited amount of water before repayment of the 02/03 Snowy Hydro borrow is required. We have been working very closely with SHL as we know every megalitre of water counts for our customers in these dry conditions. We thank Snowy for their understanding of our customer's situation." Customers with this Snowy debt should contact Customer Services (Griffith 6962 0200 / Leeton 6953 0100) to confirm their water balances. Any debts to MI (financial or water owed) still need to be paid before water can be accessed. MI is currently arranging for the release of this water from the catchment storages and as such customers should be aware that supply will be generally available in 5 to 6 days time. Customers should place orders with Irrigation Services and we will endeavour to supply ASAP. Orders for Leeton are to be placed via the phone ordering system on 6953 0161 / 162 / 165. Griffith orders are to be placed with Irrigation Services in Yambil St (8am-4pm). Phone enquiries for Griffith customers can be made on 6962 0224. Card boxes will not be cleared and ordering is only through the specified options as given. Orders will be taken from 8am Friday 24th and close on 11am Monday 27th (inclusive of Saturday and Sunday) and late orders will not be accepted. Deliveries will be scheduled to commence the morning of Tuesday 28th August to be completed Thursday morning 6th September. Customers must provide start/stop times, dates and required flow rate. Orders without this information cannot be placed and rostered arrangements may be enforced. Customers are advised to be cautious when making
plans for watering remote sites, particularly if they have plans for a
summer crop program using this water. At current allocation levels MI
cannot guarantee delivery to all parts of the system for the whole season.
At this stage, MI can only plan on periodic watering events with restricted
access in between for customers with high security plantings under drip/spray
irrigation. We will in the near future be publishing a description of
service options for different parts of the system based on various allocation
scenarios. Where possible, it would assist MI if customers could coordinate
requirements or combine cropping programs into areas where more consistent
supply can be underwritten. The payback of SHL 2002/03 will recommence for each individual as originally indicated, that is from the first available general security water in the 2007/08 season. Ends
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