Thousands protest against bottling
At least 2000 protesters took to the streets of Christchurch to oppose a bottling firm shipping billions of litres of water overseas.
March organiser Scott Esdaile, who was supported by Aotearoa Water Action, said he was ‘‘blown away’’ by the size of the crowd at Saturday’s protest. ‘‘This is what it means to everybody, this is our most precious resource and we’re here to fight for it.’’
Environment Canterbury (ECan) gave permission to Cloud Ocean Water and Rapaki Natural Resources to take 1.57 billion litres of water annually from two bores at the old Kaputone wool scour site in Station Rd, using decades-old consents. The Christchurch City Council is considering an application by Cloud Ocean to build another factory.
Esdaile said he organised the event out of ‘‘absolute frustration’’ and a ‘‘lack of empathy’’ from ECan and the Government.
‘‘I’m a father and I don’t want to see my kids and my grandkids lining up pleading for water.
‘‘So we’re here to make a stand and try and change the RMA [Resource Management Act].’’
Protesters stretched the length of City Mall about 12.40pm on Saturday, singing and chanting.
Aotearoa Water Action spokesman Peter Richardson said there was no doubt the bottling plant posed a threat to Canterbury’s water supply. ‘‘One hundred per cent it is, we’re suffering worldwide shortages, we’re suffering climate change and we’re over-extracting from our aquifers . . . We want them to prohibit the taking of our water, it’s as simple as that.’’
Esdaile said the march was organised to ask the Government to prohibit new bottling consents through its proposed new National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.
‘‘The Government can direct all regional councils to include rules in their plans that prohibit water bottling. We need the Government to listen and take action immediately before it’s too late.’’
ECan chairman Steve Lowndes said on Thursday that water protesters needed to be ‘‘properly informed’’ that bottling and water restrictions were separate issues.
Former ECan chairman Sir Kerry Burke said yesterday the protesters understood how important Canterbury’s water was to the region.
‘‘The law with regard to water allocation and consenting needs to be changed to ensure that all of us, to whom it belongs, are the principal beneficiaries, that we’re not destined just to receive the crumbs from others’ tables.’’
Water would give Canterbury its greatest long-term wealth – if it was managed properly, he said.
‘‘People are right to be concerned about foreign corporations earning massive profits from our public resource . . . It belongs to everyone and is the property of none.’’
Burke said Lowndes was ‘‘technically right’’ in saying Christchurch’s current water restrictions and the export of water were separate matters, but he was ‘‘letting us (his own side) down’’ by criticising protesters.