ECan put ‘profits before community’
Protesters fighting regulations that allow bottling companies to take billions of litres of water from Christchurch’s aquifers have accused Environment Canterbury (ECan) of ‘‘putting profits ahead of the community’’.
Aotearoa Water Action (AWA) on Friday delivered a petition to the council demanding an end to the consents.
AWA believes ECan has ‘‘bent the law’’ by letting two firms, Cloud Ocean Water and Rapaki Natural Resources, siphon off water from neighbouring bottling plants in Belfast.
The two companies have permission to take 8.8 billion litres of water a year – more than 24 million litres a day – but only have to pay a pittance for the privilege.
Last month the protest group launched legal action against the two companies and ECan to overturn the consents.
Yesterday, campaigners were joined by almost 100 members of the public as they delivered a petition of 114,000 signatures to ECan deputy chairman Peter Scott.
Organiser Genevieve Robinson said the level of support reflected public concern about the issue.
‘‘We believe ECan has bent the rules to grant these consents. It should be protecting our water security for future generations, not putting corporate profits ahead of our community.’’
Speaking on the steps of ECan’s offices in central Christchurch, she told The Press: ‘‘Initially the petition was highlighting the community interest and feelings and grief about the loss of such a resource.
‘‘It is so valuable that it’s invaluable, and we just want to protect the safety and sovereignty of water for communities first. First and paramount.’’
Robinson said the water should be left in the ground for the community and not made freely available for commercial organisations to sell. ‘‘It’s the fact that it’s being taken for bottling, in plastic bottles, and the knock-on effect for the environment. I think the water should be left there for the community.’’
AWA spokesman Peter Richardson said ECan had ‘‘aligned itself with a world view that is very destructive’’ by allowing the bottling operations to happen.
To cheers and applause from the crowd, he said: ‘‘We passionately believe that the community of Christchurch wants to protect their water supply, their water security and their water sovereignty, not just for themselves but for future generations.’’
Richardson said the petition was a ‘‘symbolic’’ gesture because it is unlikely ECan will overturn the consents, but he hoped it could set a legal precedent.
‘‘Our message to ECan is that it’s not too late to align yourselves with community values instead of the economic interests of corporates that are simply interested in exploiting our water supply,’’ he said.
Scott and councillors Peter Skelton and John Sunckell accepted the petition on behalf of ECan, saying it would be received formally at a meeting on May 10, when protesters could speak.