ECan slaps itself on the wrist

Environment Canterbury (ECan) has shown how seriously it takes resource consent breaches.

It recently sent itself an abatement notice to ‘‘cease and continue to cease’’ breaking consent conditions on water use at its Christchurch headquarters.

The continuing abatement notice regarding the water take from the bore at its Tuam St offices was issued on October 26, according to ECan’s website.

It has now been lifted.

The breach of consent was for not providing data on the amount of water used to heat the building.

This is the second time this year ECan has taken action against itself.

In March, it fined itself $750 for causing sediment run-off into Bowyers Stream, a tributary of the Ashburton River, while undertaking flood protection work in September, 2017.

ECan’s five-year consent to take and use water at Tuam St expires on July 1 next year.

It stipulates up to 33 litres of water a second may be taken. The volume taken must not exceed 2500 cubic metres a day, and 350,000 cu m in total between July 1 and the following June 30.

ECan manager of zone delivery, Paul Hulse, said providing ECan with watertake data from its bore was necessary to ensure environmental impacts and consent compliance could be monitored.

‘‘The issue was caused by a faulty datalogger which has since been replaced. There was no suggestion that more water than the consent allowed had been taken,’’ he said. ‘‘While having to issue ourselves a notice is obviously not ideal, it demonstrates that we take our duties seriously and that we act fairly and transparently.’’