A MOREE-based irrigation company has had its first appearance in court on dozens of charges of water theft.
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Irrigation business Henry Payson Pty Ltd stands accused of 43 charges for water breaches.
The company was ordered to appear in the NSW Land and Environment Court in Sydney on Friday for the first time since it was charged last month by the state's water watchdog, the Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR).
In court, Justice Rachel Pepper adjourned the charges for a directions hearing in the same court in early August. The company was not required to enter pleas.
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Henry Payson Pty Ltd stands accused of 43 charges for water breaches of the state's laws between 2016 and 2018, and if found guilty, faces penalties of more than $1 million for each charge.
NRAR alleges the irrigation company took water while metering equipment was not working properly; constructed an unlawful dam, and then used the dam without proper approval. It also claims the company took water it was not licensed or authorised to.
NRAR will allege in court the company took 600 megalitres of water over its licence allocation between February 2016 and June 2018, in a direct breach of the Water Management Act.
In addition, the company is also accused of taking 1200 megalitres of water in excess of the licence allocation.
NRAR launched the legal proceedings in May in the largest prosecution the water watchdog has initiated in its three years of operation.
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