June 29, 2017
Te mana o Waihou threatened by Blue Spring bottling plan
The Maori Party’s Hauraki Waikato candidate, Rahui Papa, has spoken out against an application to bottle for export for up to 6.9 million litres of water a day from the Blue Spring near Putaruru.
The applicant is New Zealand Pure Blue Springs Ltd, which last year abandoned a bid to bottle Ashburton water because of public opposition.
Mr Papa says the amount sought is well in excess of the 200,000 litres now taken out of the spring by Coca Cola Amatil.
He says he doesn’t know why Waikato Regional Council is even considering allowing that much water to be taken from the main spring for the Waihou River.
"Te mana o te awa o Waihou will be absolutely something that really needs a great wananga about so the mana of the water itself can be maintained," Mr Papa says.
Many people are angry the amount paid by water bottling companies is a fraction of what they pay for water to their homes.
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