Western Australia's Water Minister, Simone McGurk, has raised concerns about long-standing arrangements that permit the extraction of groundwater for bottling purposes without charge, particularly in light of the state's increasingly arid climate. The issue gained attention after residents in Perth Hills expressed unease about water extraction by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) from a local bore on private property, highlighting the lack of apparent supervision.
The City of Armadale clarified that initial approval for the transport of spring water from a private property in Karragullen was granted in 1992. Over the years, the quantity allowed for extraction increased, with the council initially approving two to three truckloads per week and later granting permission for 10-15 loads per week, following an overruling by the then-minister for lands in 1996. City of Armadale's chief executive, Joanne Abbiss, disclosed that the minister sanctioned an average of 10 truckloads, each carrying 28,000 liters, per week with a maximum of 15 loads weekly.
Residents in Karragullen voiced apprehension over the lack of oversight regarding the volume of water being extracted and the absence of monitoring to ensure compliance with set limits. Concerns were also raised about the sustainability and transparency of water extraction practices by CCEP, which is not required to pay for the water due to the bore's location in an "unproclaimed groundwater area" exempt from licensing fees. Minister McGurk acknowledged community worries about the commercial scale of water extraction and subsequent profit-making activities, highlighting the need for a reassessment of such arrangements in light of evolving circumstances over the past three decades.