Updated
Water users in the western Mount Lofty Ranges have had a small win as they fight a charging scheme for dam water.
The South Australian Government has signed-off on a more flexible version of the water plan than earlier proposed.The original plan sparked outrage from farmers across the Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula, who said they would be charged for rain.
After three years, the plan has been watered-down.
Environment Department CEO Allan Holmes conceded not all dams would need to be metered, as water extraction could be measured in other ways.
"We've looked at some commonsense, practical solutions," he said.
"There is pressure on the resource and if you let it go further, you will over-exploit that resource."
The original plan required all 1,600 dams in the region to be metered to ensure allocations were not breached, but landholders complained that would require expensive infrastructure.
Mr Holmes said there would be greater flexibility for landholders with multiple water sources.
Landholders unimpressed
Strathalbyn farmer Peter Manuel remains unimpressed."I can't see how we need any dams metered," he said.
"This is criminal what's happening to us. We're not criminals. We're ... the best conservationists, we have to be, that's how we make our money."
Rockleigh farmer Peter Mant agrees.
"I wanted to buy a place that had decent rainfall and [now] you've got to pay for rain and we've paid for rain and now these people want to take it off us," he said.
About 2,000 commercial water users in the region will, for the first time, need a licence to take water from their dams and bores.
The Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board (NRM) has allocated the wine industry about two megalitres per hectare, but viticulturists say that does not account for differences in soil absorption.
One viticulturist told the ABC that under her current allocation she would have to cut production in half.
The NRM Board said all appeals would be heard.
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