18 Dec 2020

Ngāti Awa disappointed with water bottling decision

From Midday Report, 12:45 pm on 18 December 2020

Ngāti Awa says it is disappointed it has lost its appeal to stop Creswell New Zealand Limited from taking a billion litres of water a year from the Awaiti Aquifer near Whakatāne.

The Chinese company plans to expand an existing water bottling plant in Ōtakiri and build two new bottling lines, each filling 72 thousand bottles an hour.

The Eastern bay of Plenty iwi lost its case in the Environment Court last year.

Te Runānga o Ngāti Awa, chief executive, Leonie Simpson told Māni Dunlop that they are still considering continuing the fight.