AN iron-ore mining company may prevent farmers expanding their enterprises in the Mingenew region if an application is passed to allow the company to use the remaining water in the Parmelia aquifer.
Karara Mining has applied for a licence to use the remaining 5.3 gigalitres, or 86 per cent, of the water in the aquifer.
But farmers in the region are concerned that if the application is accepted, their farming enterprises will suffer.
Ian Pulbrook, who grows trees, asparagus and jojoba on 170 hectares in Mingenew, said he was working on expanding his business and had already purchased irrigation equipment.
When he bought the irrigation equipment he had no idea Karara Mining was applying for all the remaining water.
"I was not aware that the policy would allow them to apply for a licence as big as this," Mr Pulbrook said.
"We can get access to the water, but we won't be able to take it because Karara Mining applied for the whole remaining portion of the aquifer."
Mr Pulbrook said a large number of farms took water from the aquifer.
If the licence was passed, it could take water away from eco-systems and deprive farmers of the water.
Mr Pulbrook said 50pc of the aquifer should be retained for agricultural purposes in the region.
"In the majority of aquifers throughout the State, 50pc of the water is used for agricultural purposes," he said.
"That same amount should be retained in this aquifer to allow the farming people that live over the aquifer to intensify their businesses."
Mr Pulbrook said many farmers who were unable to buy more broadacre land were looking at investing in horticulture because of the large volume of water available in the aquifer.
But he said nobody consulted with them to find out whether they wanted to use that water for their future plans to give them the opportunity to expand.
"Those farms now cannot invest in horticulture because that would be taken away with this licence," Mr Pulbrook said.
"It will devalue land on the entire catchment instantly.
"It will devalue this farm because it will have no further expansion available if this licence goes ahead."
Mr Pulbrook said even though the licence was yet to be passed, Karara had already started work on their pipeline.
Ben Cobley, Erregulla Farms, has also considered expanding his business and said it wouldn't be in the best interests of the Mingenew community if the remaining water in the Parmelia aquifer was allocated to Karara Mining.
"This is simply the cheapest and easiest way to gain water for Karara," Mr Cobley said.
"While I'm a supporter of the project from the Mid West perspective and think it's good for the region and the State, I cannot see how the public can benefit from ripping fresh water out of a mound 180km away and using it to wash rocks.
"How can it be best use of a pristine water resource?
"While that's for Karara's good, is that the public good?"
Mr Cobley, who grows wheat, lupins and sheep, on the 5500ha property, said if Karara was allocated that water, it would limit any diversification potential.
Mr Cobley was at the northern end of the aquifer and drew water from it for stock and domestic purposes.
He said another concern was the impact it would have on his fresh water supply and said a desalination plant at Morawa would be a better option.
"We cherish that water supply, we think it's valuable and would hate to see it wasted and we would hate to have any quality problems ourselves," he said.
