The policy is to ensure that land use changes within the policy area that are likely to cause detrimental effects to the groundwater are brought under planning control and prevented or managed.

The objectives of the policy are:

• to ensure that all changes to land use within the policy area are compatible with long-term protection and maintenance of groundwater for public supply and maintenance of associated ecosystems;

• to prevent land uses likely to result in contamination of groundwater through nutrient or

contaminant export;

• to balance environmental protection with the economic viability of the existing land uses;

• to maintain or increase natural vegetation cover over the policy area; and

• to protect groundwater quality and quantity in the policy area in order to maintain the ecological integrity of important wetlands hydraulically connected to that groundwater, including wetlands outside the policy area.