By Chris Griffith

May 11, 2007

THE State Government’s ban on new backyard bores has left some residents feeling high and dry.
Indeed a “bore war” has been raging across Brisbane with bore users who squander water branded greedy and selfish by residents battling four-minute showers on level 5 restrictions.

Bore owners have counterpunched, accusing their water-deprived neighbours of sour grapes and jealousy in comments posted on this website.

The State Government’s ban on new drilling and bore installations on most of Brisbane’s southside and in Toowoomba city will be enforceable by a $24,975 fine.

Residents with existing bores or who have a contract to drill for water have been exempted from the ban.

But they are not off the hook, with the Water Commission warning it might place remaining bore users on level 5 water restrictions.

With the drought still deepening, the gardens of houses with bores stand out like beacons beside those of their parched neighbours.

They continue to sport manicured lawns and beautiful gardens maintained by underground sprinkler systems.

Green lawns and a bore supply is now a selling point on Brisbane’s real estate market. One for-sale notice this week begins: “You want water? You have it.”

Outside the region where the bore ban doesn’t apply, the drilling business is continuing to blossom with rural communities sinking bores to replenish empty dams.

Licensed driller Lloyd Grundy said he had enough work throughout Queensland to last until next year. His clients were from “everywhere without water”, and he was sinking bores from 200m to 340m deep.

But he knew of drillers specialising in shallower bores in Toowoomba who were devastated by the ban.

Many of those with bore water still enjoy pre-drought conditions. Katherine Briggs, who rents a home in Toowoomba with bore water supplied, says she has been told she can enjoy unlimited use of a new pool now being installed.

Water Minister Craig Wallace said the aquifer system under Toowoomba city had not been recharged for 11 years and was vulnerable, which is why the ban applied.

The ban in Brisbane followed Brisbane City Council concern the private bores would siphon away 20 megalitres of underground water a day the council was planning to add to mains supplies this year.

The interest in sinking backyard bores in Brisbane had multiplied to the point drillers were quoting a six-month waiting list to new clients.

The BCC already has spent $75 million sinking 150 holes around Sunnybank, Algester, Runcorn, Chandler and the Forest Lake area looking for subterranean supplies.