It seems to be the never-ending battle for Kel Williams. November rains saw his channel fill with dirty, red potentially contaminated water.
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Despite almost three months of fighting for answers, he is left with nothing but disdain over the "arrogance" of Murrumbidgee irrigation (MI).
Mr Williams has gone to the EPA and Griffith City Council to see what he could do about the remaining 30 centimetres of 'soupy' water lying in his channel.
Yet MI have said they have been more than amenable to work out Mr Willams' water woes, meeting and discussing "in detail" options with him many times.
"We have been working with Mr Williams and have flushed parts of his system several times," an MI spokesman said.
"Mr Williams has had the benefit of this water at no charge and has continued to take and use channel water for his stock.
"Several solutions have been offered up to Mr Williams and we will continue to work with him... in the context of extremely low allocations and the ongoing drought."
But he has no usable water left now, and has had to get tankers of water for his house dam.
He says the only thing to come from partially flushing the channels is fresh water being shandied with the dregs.
All I have wanted is to have the same water the other 118 irrigators above me have had for three months.
- Kel Williams
A process Mr Williams' said "even blind Freddie could see wouldn't work."
"That water is not going anywhere near my house dam, and I am not giving it to my cattle for drinking water."
While MI have said their test proved the discoloured water safe, they have not given the read-out to Mr Williams, citing legal reasons.
"They want me to pay for water when I have no idea what's in it? How are they allowed to do that?"
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After approaching the EPA, he was told they had no control or regulation over water once it was in MI's channels.
"All I have wanted is to have the same water the other 118 irrigators above me have had for three months," Mr Williams said.
"MI refuses to do the right thing and completely drain this polluted water."
Council is in the process of obtaining legal advice as to what legislation and/or regulations apply to this matter and what powers council may have to address his concerns.
- Brett Stonestreet
Griffith City Council's general manager Brett Stonestreet said council acknowledged Mr Williams concerns regarding the water's poor quality entering his property and channels.
"Council is in the process of obtaining legal advice as to what legislation and/or regulations apply to this matter and what powers council may have to address his concerns," Mr Stonestreet said.
