Among these projects are Shenhua Watermark’s coal project in the New South Wales’ Liverpool Plains and the China First project in Queensland’s Galilee Basin.

Hunt released notices confirming the application of the federal water trigger to 27 coal mines and gas projects but many projects are “still in limbo”, according to Lock the Gate Alliance national campaigner Phil Laird.

Laird said communities were concerned Hunt would “back down” and fail to apply the law as he promised three weeks ago.

“It’s been four months since the new law that is supposed to protect water resources from large coal mines and coal seam gas projects came into force but communities in NSW and Queensland are still waiting to see if the government will apply it to some of the most controversial and damaging projects,” he said.

“The Shenhua Watermark project on the NSW Liverpool Plains will drain the groundwater lifeblood of one of the richest farming areas in the country.

“The China First coal mine in the Galilee Basin, together with other mines in that region, will remove thousands of billions of litres of groundwater.

“The drinking water catchment of the NSW Central Coast is threatened by the Wallarah 2 coal mine, which has already been rejected by the NSW government once but is back to try again.”

Laird said there seemed to be a question over whether the proponents of the projects had lobbied to reverse the decision.

“It’s not rocket science, it’s a matter of priorities: water is our most precious resource and is the lifeblood of our communities,” he said.

“We’re calling on the minister to put people first and use the law to stop these projects going ahead.”