Anti-water bottling lobby group takes fight against ECan and Cloud Ocean to Court of Appeal

Wednesday, 21 October 2020

Protesters in Canterbury have long voiced their opposition to commercial water bottlers, here campaigning in 2019.

An anti-water bottling lobby group is taking its legal fight against Environment Canterbury (ECan) and two Christchurch operations to the Court of Appeal after having a challenge over consents dismissed.

Aotearoa Water Action (AWA) is embroiled in a longstanding battle with the regional council and two of the country’s largest water bottling operators, Cloud Ocean Water and Rapaki Natural Resources.

Cloud Ocean Water and Rapaki Natural Resources have permission to take more than 8 billion litres of water a year.

Together the companies have permission to extract 8.8 billion litres of water each year from aquifers beneath Christchurch.

AWA challenged ECan’s decisions, claiming it had effectively granted new consents by allowing old ones to be repurposed and for a change of use that gave the green light for commercial water bottling.

* Water bottling plants 'lawfully' approved, High Court rules

* 'Illegal' consents could have allowed water bottlers to 'jump consents queue'

* Canterbury water bottling campain group awarded $23k in legal costs by High Court

But the legal challenge, partly funded by Christchurch City Council, was thrown out in July when the High Court ruled ECan’s process was lawful.

AWA is now taking its battle further after legal advice suggested it had a case that was “winnable”.

“We know that this issue is just too important for everyone in New Zealand and that this is our chance to create positive change for the future,” the campaign group said.

“That is why we have filed in the Court of Appeal. This battle is our battle for our water and for future generations.

“Unfortunately our government is still doing nothing to address this issue and so it is up to everyday Kiwis like us to make our voices heard.”

AWA has raised more than $10,000 for its legal fees but needs at least $50,000.

It is also petitioning Environment Minister David Parker to ask the Government to sign an executive order for a moratorium on all resource consent applications to take or use water for bottling or export.