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Chinchilla Weir
Scheme
Announced Allocations
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Scheme information
About
The Chinchilla Beneficial Use Scheme draws its water from Chinchilla Weir, located on the Condamine River. It supports irrigation along the alluvial flats of the river and supplements the town water supply for Chinchilla.
How the scheme works
- The scheme utilses coal seam gas water treated at the Kenya Water Treatment Plant. Treated water is released into the Chinchilla Weir mainly for use by irrigators
- Some irrigation customers take treated coal seam gas water from the Chinchilla Beneficial Use Scheme. These customers are required to complete a monthly irrigation report.
- The release of treated water is regulated under the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection’s End of Waste Approval ENEW07542418
- Sunwater conducts water quality monitoring and publishes quarterly data reports
Water uses
- Irrigation water for farming
- Urban water supply for Chinchilla.
Scheme Management
Sunwater must comply with the conditions set out in the Chinchilla Weir Water Supply Scheme Resource Operations Licence (ROL), issued to Sunwater in December 2008 by the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water (DRDMW). The ROL outlines the infrastructure details, environmental release rules and all Sunwater’s monitoring and reporting obligations. The ROL also requires Sunwater to operate in accordance with an operations manual that is approved by DRDMW. The operations manual outlines rules for the operation of infrastructure associated with the Chinchilla scheme as well as water sharing rules and seasonal water assignment (temporary trade) rules.
The Chinchilla Weir Water Supply Scheme ROL Operations Manual was issued in February 2019.
Sunwater focuses our resources towards timely and cost-efficient delivery of water to customers in the Chinchilla Weir scheme. We collaborate with our customers to ensure we understand their needs, adapt quickly to changes in the environment and make the most of the available water supply. To best manage water delivery, arrangements for taking of water within the Scheme have been developed in consultation with its Irrigator Advisory Committee.
Taking water from the scheme
The water ordering system assists Sunwater in delivering water to its customers in an efficient and timely way, enabling them to plan and manage their water use.
Before taking any water, customers should place a water order so that Sunwater can release sufficient water and minimise losses.
Customers who take water without ordering may reduce Sunwater’s ability to supply customers who have ordered according to the above requirements.
To place an order
Customers can place their orders via:
- Sunwater Online
- Sunwater Customer Support on 13 15 89
Further information about ordering water is detailed in Chinchilla Weir’s Rules and Targets.
Stopping or restricting supply
Sunwater may suspend or restrict supply in a number of circumstances, including:
- during maintenance of Sunwater’s assets
- during a peak demand period, when rosters or rations may apply
- when the demand for water is so small it is impractical to supply it
- when there is a need to make special releases to maximise efficiency at times of limited supply
- during rain shutdown
- infrastructure limitations which make delivery impractical
- if supply could cause Sunwater to break the law
- when operating under special notices or regulations issued by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines {e.g. Water Amendment Regulation (No.3) 2006}.
Weather events and emergency shutdowns
Sunwater asks that customers notify their duty Water Officer, as soon as possible, of any rain event or other circumstances that substantially lessens their water requirements. When wide spread general rain exceeds 40 mm in a day over the Chinchilla Weir Water Supply Scheme, the duty Water Officer may shut the system down.
Customers are also asked to cancel orders if they no longer require ordered water.
For more information contact
If you experience an equipment or power failure emergency, please give immediate notice to Sunwater by calling Sunwater Customer Support on 13 15 89 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
Chinchilla Weir’s Customer Advisory Committee
Sunwater is committed to open and transparent communication and collaboration with our customers. The role of the Customer Advisory Committee (CACs) is to provide customers and stakeholders with a diverse forum for collaboration and consultation with Sunwater on a range of strategic matters relating to Sunwater’s innovation, management and maintenance of assets to ensure the reliable and efficient delivery of service.
The primary purpose of the CACs is to:
- Engage with customers to identify current and future water needs.
- Provide a transparent view of Sunwater’s operating environment and assets, and how these influence our services to customers.
- Build an understanding of our customer’s businesses to ensure future plans are considered in Sunwater’s strategic and operations planning.
Stay up to date with the Chinchilla Weir Customer Advisory Committee.
Announced Allocations
Water Year: 2024/2025
High priority: 100%
Medium priority: 100%
Announced Allocations effective 1 September 2024 and will be applicable until revised and communicated by Sunwater.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE REGARDING WATER AVAILABILITY
In accordance with provisions of Section 6(1) of the Chinchilla Weir Water Supply Scheme Operations Manual, where the scheme level in Chinchilla Weir is –
(a) greater than or equal to 294.39m AHD – the ROL holder may make releases from Chinchilla Weir to supply water allocations in zones CBS-02, CBS-03 and CBS-04; and
(b) less than 294.39m AHD and greater than or equal to 292.71m AHD – the ROL holder may make releases from Chinchilla Weir to supply water allocations in zone CBS-02.
In accordance with provisions of Section 6(2) of the Chinchilla Weir Water Supply Scheme Operations Manual, Medium Priority water allocation holders in zone CBS-01 must not take water when the scheme water level in Chinchilla Weir is less than 292.71 m AHD.
If these rules are activated, this may impact on Sunwater’s ability to supply all of the announced allocation volume.
Further information on Medium Priority cut off can be found here.
Customers are advised to obtain information about their remaining water allocation balance by accessing SunwaterOnline.
For more information or enquiries, phone 13 15 89 or email customersupport@sunwater.com.au.
History of Announced Allocations
Operational reports
Sunwater releases periodic operational reports detailing Announced Allocation levels and individual storages’ breakdowns within each scheme, the latest of which can be found below.
Service and Performance Plans
Sunwater prepares an annual Service and Performance Plan (S&PP) for each irrigation service contract area. S&PPs replace the former annual Network Service Plans and annual Performance Reports.
We have updated the naming convention for S&PPs to improve clarity and alignment with plan content. The new convention references the year in which the S&PP is published (or should have been published). Publication should occur within six months of the end of a financial year.
For further information about this service, please visit the Service and Performance Plan page.
Scheme news
Scheme history
Image courtesy of Chinchilla Melon Festival
Chinchilla Weir Water Supply Scheme
The famed melon-growing area around Chinchilla on the western downs has seen a surge in coal seam gas production in recent years.
The Kenya Water Treatment Plant, some 20 km southwest of Chinchilla Weir, supplies treated coal seam gas water into Chinchilla Weir via Sunwater’s Kenya to Chinchilla Weir Pipeline. The water is treated to remove contaminants and reduce salinity.
Built in 1973 on the Condamine River, the weir supplies water for irrigation and the urban supply needs of the town. Despite the boom in mining activity, agriculture remains the mainstay of the community, with beef and pork production, cotton growing, and horticulture relying on water from the weir.
Chinchilla identifies as the “Melon Capital of Australia” and plays host to a Melon Festival every second year.