April 04, 2016
Court stops council’s water antics
The Environment Court has backed the contention of Ngati Kahungunu Inc that Hawke’s Bay Regional Council was trying to dilute water quality standards for the region’s aquifers.
It ordered the council to restore to an objective in the regional resource management plan that there should be no degradation of existing groundwater quality in the Heretaunga Plains and Ruataniwha Plains aquifer system.
The council argued the objective was impossible to achieve.
The court said to not attempt to at least maintain the quality of water abdicates the functions of a regional council.
It rejected the council’s push for an “over’s and unders” approach, where declines in quality in one place could be tolerated if there were improvements elsewhere.
Ngati Kahungunu chair Ngahiwi Tomoana says the case cost the iwi more than $100,000 to mount, but it had to ensure environmental standards were maintained.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com