Bottle Company Aquifer 182

Aquifer 182 bottle company has kept a very low profile for the last three years after two well attended public meetings which, not only disapproved of their business aspirations, but of the taking of the water itself. In 2017, it was granted resource consent through to 2035 to extract 750,000 litres of groundwater per week (37 million litres per annum) for water bottling and ice manufacturing.

Resource Management (Prohibition On Extraction Of Freshwater For On-Selling) Bill

Anyone wanting to extract groundwater for commercial sale today will have great difficulty in getting past this Bill which had its first reading in Parliament in May 2025. If this Bill becomes law, it will prohibit the taking of freshwater solely for on-selling, effectively blocking Aquifer 182's current consent. And though its' consent runs until 2035, the legislation may invalidate future renewals or mandate that future operations serve local/community needs only, not export markets. This Bill amplifies community and iwi objections, strengthens legal grounds and iwi challenges which have been vocal over for the past three years, gaining momentum and legitimacy.

Of course, it is possible that there may be legal and political pushback; the company could launch a legal challenge against the new law but given widespread opposition, (37 consents with 33 against) success may be limited. Aquifer 182 may need to restructure its' business model, possibly focussing on local supply, public utilities or ice production for onsite or community use. At least for the time being, local community groups can be satisfied that they have prevented freshwater extraction for sale, strengthened community and iwi rights and have forced alternative focus or indeed a shutdown altogether.

Iwi Leader Speaks

Ken Mair, Whanganui Iwi leader, continues to reiterate that any plan to sell groundwater from a bore near the Whanganui River is tantamount to confiscation and stealing - "I promise you that anybody that wishes to start up a water bottling plant, we will do our darndest to stop it and whatever consequences that impact upon us, we'll go with that. Let's be clear that water and the health and wellbeing of water has been a major issue for us for many decades and decades prior to me...".

"Approximately 30 years ago, we put in a groundwater claim in regard to our deep concerns around ownership and commercialisation. In the late 90s we put in a Waitangi Tribunal claim for groundwater and that hasn't been dealt with yet. There should be a stay on any aquifer consents until that matter is deal with...groundwater is a taonga protected by Article 2 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, guaranteeing Tupoho ownership of and rangatiratanga over water".

Optimism In The Air

Whanganui's water system appears to be solid, with a secure source, compliant, monitored intensively and plans are afoot for UV (ultra violet) upgrades for long-term resilience. Drinking water is rigorously tested and fully compliant with regulatory standards and consistently meets Taumata Arowai's quality assurance standards. The Council now implements annual city-wide main flushing to reduce sediment and sustain water clarity and quality, though the taste leaves much to be desired. It is progressing with UV disinfection installations on top of existing chlorination to meet upcoming protozoa safeguards under new national standards.

Testing frequency has increased from monthly to daily sampling, with specimens sent to Palmerston North thrice weekly. This includes source and network checks for E.coli, chlorine, metals and disinfection by-products. Council has oversight of contractors and lab submissions which ensure robust compliance. Investment of $1.5-2 million is earmarked (2024-25) to install UV systems in urban and rural schemes.

The water for the city is supplied via several bores (four at Kai Iwi, one at Aramoho, plus Westmere auxiliary) and separate rural schemes at Fordell and Pakaraka. Each bore would require a resource consent for groundwater take and possibly for discharge and discharge permit applications. According to Whanganui's Mayor, Andrew Tripe, the Council has done the hard yards and the future is looking bright - with one of the lowest rates increases in the country, and its' long- term planning for roads, parks and reserves and water.

Resource Consents

I would like to know how many resource consents have been given in the last five years and how many are in the pipeline? Obviously not a question easily answered. I'll have to file an official Information Act (OIA) request, asking for a list of all active resource consents relating to water take or discharges, including applicant names, renewal dates, volumes authority and expiry dates etc. which will take time. I'll keep you posted.

What Will Whanganui's Water Entity Look Like?

The Council is yet to make a decision on the future of the district's water delivery, with two options, either going it alone or with a three-council entity, with our neighbouring whanau from Ruapehu and Rangitikei, or a multi-council entity. Public submissions strongly favoured going it alone, though both have their merits.

Three Waters Repealed

Some of us will remember the furore around the three waters programme which Labour introduced. It was repealed in February 2024 by the National-led Government under urgency and is now called The Water Services Acts. In April 2023 it had been rebranded as Affordable Water Reforms - from four mega-entities to ten regionally based entities, retaining council ownership and 50/50 mana whenua representation in strategic advisory groups. The rollout timelines were postponed and entities are now to be operationally staggered between early 2025 and by 1 July 2026. The original four-entity model was scrapped due to concerns over scale and loss of local control.

Local Water Done Well

The repeal legislation has cleared the deck for the Government's alternative model dubbed Local Water Done Well. The first law in this suite, the Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements Act) was passed in August 2024. This allows councils a year to prepare for voluntary council-controlled water entities. A second law, introduced in early 2025, is under development. It formalises financial separation and supports council-controlled organisations to safely borrow for infrastructure. By mid-2025, the final law will set up the enduring governance and regulatory framework.

So, water reforms are in the rejigging stage. They are being changed again and retitled. The current system emphasizes local ownership, voluntarism, council-controlled organisations and improved financial/regulatory safeguards over a gradual, staggered rollout. According to Whanganui Mayor, Andrew Tripe, "going it alone for water delivery is the parochial position but it is not as simple as it sounds. If there is an option for a non-harmonised model, where we can retain our own pricing, with the benefits of collaboration, that, on the surface, makes sense to me... there are benefits of scale but we have invested well in our infrastructure. We're in a good position and our debt is manageable".

Community Led Projects

The Mayor wants to see more community-led projects such as the North Mole regeneration project, called Te Puwaha which is being completed by the community and hapu-led collective, Nga Ringaringa Waewae. "When communities own them, as opposed to Council doing them for you, you get more buy-in and a better result. Iwi are a huge part of our community and want to invest socially and commercially in their own people. From a Council perspective, supporting that is really important".

Cleaning Up Te Awa Tupua Whanganui River

Nga Tangata Tiaki is making strong progress in restoring Te Awa Tupa (Whanganui River) through its' Mouri Turoa programme and broader catchment initiatives. Since early 2022, the iwi-led Mouri Turoa initiative has fenced 129.5 km of riverbank and maintained 10.2km more. Nearly 430,000 native plants have been planted (373,958 riparian and 56,530 elsewhere); a total of 290 km have been fenced off; the aim is to plant 630,000 trees under its full four-year plan. 159 ha have been treated for weeds and 512 ha for pest control. The $7.86 million Jobs for Nature-funded programme employs 158 people and is scheduled for completion in September 2025.

Strategic And Scientific Enhancement

In mid-2024, the Iwi formed a research partnership with Griffith University's Australian Rivers Institute to create a catchment restoration decision-support tool (Building Catchment Resilience). This will enable data-driven targeting of restoration efforts, expected by mid-2025. Mapping of the entire Whanganui catchment was scheduled to be completed by June 2025 which will provide foundational data for prioritising erosion control and biodiversity outcomes.

Targeted Biodiversity Projects

Restoration of spawning habitat (whitebait/inanga) is underway in partnership with DOC (Department of Conservation), marae and Horizons via the Nga Awa Restoration Programme. Restoration work and bank regrading with 2000 plants is now under way around an old dump that was found near the river in mid-2024. An ecological survey led by DOC revealed that there is a mixture of health issues across ten sites; four meet excellent standards, while those in pastoral zones remain degraded. Predicting a full ecological rebound is complex but from restoration science and current efforts suggested that early improvements will happen within one to three years due to riparian fencing,

Reduced erosion and planting have yielded tangible benefits which has improved water clarity and therefore better spawning habitat for species like inanga. Continued pest control, weed management and strategic plantings are beginning to support more robust bird life, insect and freshwater fauna populations. It is predicted that rejuvenation of all life forms will increase within approximately three to five years. Complete biodiversity recovery, including complex invertebrate, fungal and microbial communities, may take a decade or more, especially to reverse historical damage from farming and invasive species. Nationwide, only 22% of New Zealand's original vegetation remains, and many freshwater systems are still far from achieving full ecological restoration.

Major Users Of Te Awa Tupua

Farms and forestry use the river for stock water, irrigation and discharges nutrient runoff that ends up in the river and its tributaries. Their impact is often indirect but significant in terms of sedimentation, pathogens and nitrate levels. The Whanganui District Council uses water infrastructure for stormwater and wastewater management. It operates treatment plans and must meet consent conditions under the new laws and is bound by the values of Te Awa Tupua.

There are industrial and commercial operators which draw water or seek to use aquifers in the catchment and face opposition from environmental advocates and tangata whenua. Recreational uses and tourism are popular in summer, which include waka journeys, kayaking, jet boating and tourism operators. The Department of Conservation co-manages parts of the river catchment and adjacent reserves such as the Whanganui National Park and works on biodiversity and pest control.

Existing Laws Protecting Te Awa Tupua

Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Act 2017 recognises the river as a tupuna, a legal person, a living whole, with its own rights and interests. It requires that any activity involving the river be aligned with the values of Te Awa Tupua, as the source of spiritual and physical sustenance, has its innate value and status, is a living whole made up of its tributaries and that the river and people are indivisible. The National Policy Statement for freshwater management requires Councils to give effect to Te Mana o te Wai, placing the health of water bodies first and to be implemented by regional plans which include protection or Te Awa Tupua.

Considering the Mouri Turoa programme began in 2022 and runs through 2025, with catchment scale data tools and support, it is hoped that a significant improvement in ecological indicators such as water quality, fish spawning success, juvenile populations, native biodiversity will show significant improvement by the next three to five years. As planting mature and predator control becomes entrenched, full biodiversity resilience may flourish such as water insects, edge birds, fungi and the like.

Conclusion

The cleaning up of Te Awa Tupua is well underway and already delivering results. With nearly half a million trees planted, habitat fenced, advanced mapping completed and research tools being built into programmes, the river is on a strong trajectory.

And while noticeable ecological improvements will take decades, hopes are high. According to DOC Senior Biodiversity Ranger, Jane Taylor, "by working together with whānau, hapū, iwi and local communities, we're seeing real progress for the health and wellbeing of Te Awa Tupua. These outcomes reflect what's possible when restoration is guided by the values of the river itself".

Watchdog - 169 August 2025