THE Northern Territory government is taking the unusual step of conducting a groundwater quality survey of the Tindall Aquifer – the Top End’s foremost water resource.
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What makes it unusual is that this is the first time one has ever been conducted.
“The Tindall Aquifer is the most intensely-used aquifer in the Northern Territory, yet very little is known about the water resource,” Land Resource Management Minister Willem Westra van Holthe said.
He said the survey would provide a baseline understanding of the aquifer.
“For the first time, we’ll have information around how old the water in the aquifer is, along with nutrient concentrations and chemicals which are present,” he explained.
As to why the water quality of the aquifer had not been studied before now, the Department of Land Resource Management told the Katherine Times that it had been considered a low priority.
“Pesticide and nutrient sampling has been considered a lower priority because of the relatively low level of development and therefore relatively low risk of contamination,” a department spokesperson said.
The department also cited groundwater pesticide surveys, which were conducted 20 years ago in the Darwin rural area, which found “nothing at all”.
Yet the department also admitted the survey was timely because of increased development and there were “important knowledge gaps” to fill.
Sampling will occur during August and September 2015, with affected landholders already contacted by the department to allow access to their properties for bore samples to be taken.
Mr Westra van Holthe said it was important that “good science” was behind all decision making undertaken by the Country Liberal Party government.
“Once this survey is complete, information gathered will be shared with landholders and key stakeholders so that if improvements can be made, they are done collectively and for everyone’s benefit,” he said.
The department will contact landholders who may be able to assist with the survey.
The subsequent results of the survey will be available to landholders within a month, while a full technical report will be published on the department’s website about two to three months after the sampling has concluded.
