A leading environment group in Western Australia has called on the state government to impose a moratorium on the extraction of coal seam gas (CSG).
The Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) says the state should be declared a CSG-free zone in light of the disastrous impacts "fracking" is having on water tables and communities in Queensland and NSW.
Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, involves injecting water, sand and chemicals underground to fracture rock and release coal seam gas.
The CCWA also cites information from the National Toxics Network that fracking chemicals have never been tested for safety.
Campaigns coordinator Louise Morris said drilling operations to begin fracking were taking place in the Perth Basin, Wellington Dam, Busselton and in WA's north.
"Companies such as Westralian Gas and Power are moving forward with CSG fracking operations in the hope of developing commercial CSG mining, utilising a cocktail of chemicals in our aquifers that have not been disclosed to the public," she said.
"The water supply of our towns and small communities cannot be put at risk for such short sighted exploitation of previously unviable CSG deposits."
On Monday the ABC's Four Corners program aired a report detailing Queensland farmers' concerns about the possible contamination of the Great Artesian Basin and CSG companies taking over their land.
Brent Finlay, the president of farm lobby group AgForce, said on Tuesday that the expansion of the CSG industry could not come at the price of food, water and health.
He repeated calls for the Queensland government to impose a moratorium on CSG activities until a framework was developed to prevent any negative environmental impacts.
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