The person who blocked a drain at Lake Albert has contacted Wagga City Council and removed the potentially illegal water diversion.
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Council general manager Peter Thompson said on late Thursday morning that the person had acted out of "frustration" and installed shutters across Tatton Drain in an attempt to boost the lake's water level with rainfall.
"The person who installed the gates contacted Council when he realised that his actions may be used as the justification for the NSW Government declining to exercise its discretion to issue a specific purpose access licence to provide water to the lake," Mr Thompson said.
Mr Thompson said the council contacted the NSW Natural Resource Access Regulator (NRAR) following the admission and removal of the shutters and requested that no further action be taken.
Mr Thompson said he did not intend to release the shutter installer's name.
The council found the shutters across a culvert beneath Lake Albert Road on Wednesday.
At that time, Mr Thompson condemned their installation as an "deliberate and illegal" act that could jeopardise talks with the NSW Water Minister about a long-term solution for the lake's water issues.
Steel shutters have been placed across a concrete channel that runs through O'Halloran Park near the intersection with Lakeside Drive.
The council is due to meet with NSW Water Minister Pavey on February 2 after submitting a proposal to use water diverted from the Murrumbidgee River to top up the lake.
The council itself explored sealing off Tatton Drain in late 2018 to prevent rainfall from exiting the lake.
The NSW water regulator advised the council at the time that it would need to buy a water entitlement to divert the drain.
Under the NSW Water Management Act, interfering with a water supply carries a maximum penalty of $500,500 for an individual.
A NSW Police spokesperson said Riverina Police District was not involved in the matter and it was an issue for the council and NRAR.
Just before Mr Thompson's press conference, an NRAR spokesperson said the independent regulator was still investigating the issue and whether any laws had been broken and would not make further comment.
NSW Water Minister Melinda Pavey said she was "pleased to see the quick action taken by Wagga Wagga Council in reporting to NRAR the illegally erected shutters".
"I understand the importance of Lake Albert to the community of Wagga Wagga and this event does not influence any discussions we are having with Wagga Wagga Council about the options for managing water in the lake," she said.