Aotearoa Water Action (AWA) continues to advocate for clean, affordable and abundant water, for the mana and mauri of the wai, and for community sovereignty in the management of water resources. We have been active recently in a number of areas where we believe these natural and human rights are under threat.

Belfast

AWA has appealed the High Court decision upholding Environment Canterbury's decision to grant consents to two Chinese-owned bottling companies to take millions of litres per day from Christchurch's deepest aquifers. The Court of Appeal heard Day 1 of our case on the 17th of August. On the evening of Day 1 the country was put into lockdown. Day 2 was heard remotely the following week.

We are confident the Court understood and was interested in our arguments, and those of Ngai Tuahuriri, the Ngai Tahu runaka holding mana whenua over the site. A decision is expected before Christmas. We would like to thank all our supporters, and particularly CAFCA members and supporters, who assisted the fund-raising to enable us to present our case to the Court of Appeal.

Sustainable Otakiri

AWA is supporting community group Sustainable Otakiri in its own Court of Appeal proceedings challenging the grant of consent to a significant foreign-owned water bottling plant near Whakatane. Sustainable Otakiri is currently fundraising the amount required to enable it to carry forward its case. Nongfu Spring, the Chinese company which owns this bottling plant, is itself owned by China's richest man. Ed.

Petition For Moratorium On Water Bottling

On the morning of Day One of our Court of Appeal hearing AWA presented to Parliament its petition calling for a moratorium on the grant of further water bottling consents until a proper framework for allocation is agreed following a process of consultation. The petition was accepted by Labour Hutt Valley MP Ginny Anderson and is waiting on presentation to the House, after which it will be reviewed by the Petitions Committee.

Three Waters Reforms

AWA has maintained a watching brief and has filed submissions on the Government's proposed Three Waters reforms, particularly those relating to the delivery of drinking water. We have considerable concerns over the thrust of those reforms, particularly around centralisation of delivery, the pressure on councils to transfer infrastructure assets to the proposed centralised regional bodies, and the "one size fits all" rules around the quality and aesthetics of water supplied. At this stage local councils are undertaking the heavy lifting in opposing the reforms, and we are supporting them in that process.

Nitrate Pollution

AWA continues to be involved in the submission process relating to various plan changes relevant to this significant issue, particularly for areas of industrial dairying, but also in areas of intensive horticulture. In Canterbury at least, the process has stalled somewhat with the release of a report indicating the major problems with Overseer, the nitrate-loss modelling tool which is part-owned, and was developed in concert with, the large fertiliser companies.

AWA is also continuing to work directly with farming and irrigation representatives to promote changes in the farming model, for the benefit of our waterways and ecology. Meetings to date indicate a recognition within the farming community of a need for change, but significant structural and economic impediments. The Government's interest in, and support for, regenerative farming models, the very high market price for carbon credits, and the withdrawal of the social licence to pollute are all effective drivers of change.

AWA's vision for the future of our wai can be found in our Water Charter.