August 16, 2017
Raukawa steps up to protect Blue Springs
Waikato Regional Council has put on hold an application to take water for bottling from the Blue Springs near Putaruru after an objection from the Raukawa Settlement Trust.
Raukawa say the water within the Blue Spring of Te Puna is pristine, it's the place the water is most sacred and its healing powers most powerful, both spiritually and physically.
Taking water directly from the Blue Spring will adversely affect the iwi by diminishing the mauri, wairua and mana of Te Puna and eroding the kaitiaki relationship Raukawa uri have with Te Puna.
The council says the only way a non-notified application process can go ahead is if the company NZ Pure Blue Springs Limited provides it with written approval from Raukawa and the affiliated parties it represents.
The alternative, for the application to be notified to affected persons or publicly notified, allowing the general public to make submissions.
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