Water.. Important read
Chinese company drills water bore in Christchurch despite council warning
14/03/2018
Patrick Gower
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Credits: Newshub.
A Newshub investigation has found a Chinese company drilled a 170m bore hole on a Christchurch site so it can bottle water for export.
The hole has been drilled despite a warning from the Christchurch City Council that it could interfere with the public water supply.
Officials have concerns the site may be contaminated, and that the new borehole may strike water used by Christchurch people.
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The former Kaputone wool scourer in Belfast, which used to clean wool, is now owned by Cloud Ocean water - and it has big plans.
Cloud Ocean Water owned an existing 33-metre-deep bore, but it has drilled a new 170m deep bore which is close to same place the Christchurch City council takes its water from.
Photo credit: Newshub.
Lawyer Peter Richardson, spokesperson for Aotearoa Water Action, says that is where the problems begin.
"We don't think it is right at all. We believe it is putting our drinking water supplies at risk, with no benefit whatsoever to the Christchurch community."
Christchurch City Council documents show the drilling has been done.
"Christchurch City Council Staff are aware the new well has been sunk and is being surged at present," one excerpt reads.
"Council Staff are concerned that any new take from the new depth may be from the same aquifer as our drinking water wells."
Photo credit: Newshub.
The council also warned of "well interference" in the documents.
"It's been shrouded in secrecy," says Mr Richardson.
Officials say the bore is on "land designated as potentially contaminated", which has got Councillor Vicki Buck worried.
"We've had to deepen all of our bores for our own water drinking safety, so we're taking from those bores," she said.
"What we don't want is anything that in any way interferes with that."
Newshub can also reveal that Cloud Ocean's ownership can be tracked back to Rizhao Lingyunhai Sugar Group Limited.
It is based in the south-east Chinese city of Rizhao, and is marketing water there.
The consent allows 1.6 billion litres a year. In China, the shelf price for 10 litres is $27, which means potential earnings of $12 million a day or $4.3 billion a year.
Photo credit: Newshub.
Opposition to the bore is rising.
"The really important thing is the purity of our drinking water," Ms Buck said.
"So anybody taking from our drinking water, we have to be absolutely sure that they're not contaminating anything or interfering with it."
Legal action has now been filed.
"The process, we believe, is flawed - we believe it is unlawful," Mr Richardson said.
Newshub.
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Kalle
"Sports and travelling run in the family, and that's kind of what's led me to come to New Zealand."
"I grew up in a small town in Finland. My dad was involved with sports all his life, he was a shot putter, discus thrower, powerlifter, we traveled quite a bit when I was a kid. He never mentioned much of the rugby days. He just said he broke both of his shin bones playing rugby, so he said, ‘never play the sport, It's crazy.’
I started playing when I was 18. I played my first cap for the Finnish national team in 2014, we won the Finnish championship with my club. Rugby is not a big thing in Finland.
I moved here to play rugby in 2017. The club that wanted me to come over was Methven Rugby Club. They got me here and they were like, ‘what do you do for work? I’d just finished chef school in Finland. ‘We'll get you a job at Mount Hutt as a chef, you can do that while you play rugby with us.’ I said, ‘Perfect. Yeah, I'm in’.
I've always loved food. My mum was an amazing cook, and still is. When I was studying tourism I worked in some hotels in Finland, and I saw how the chef's worked. I just loved the kitchen vibe and I was like, Yeah, that’d be something I'd love to do.
I've had more of a culinary journey In New Zealand than in Finland. I started at Mount Hutt, after that I worked at The Dubliner in Methven. I worked as a senior pizza chef at Sal’s for maybe six months then worked as chef de partie at Cellar Door. At Eliza's Manor, I worked myself up to a junior sous chef. Then the opportunity came to work my first head chef job at Moon Under Water.
We're privileged to have a busy atmosphere, we can try new things and get a bit creative. There are no TV’s, just come here with your family or with your mates, play board games, to socialise.
I really want to drive the local food and ingredients through the menu. We don't mind spending more for quality ingredients as long as it's supporting New Zealand businesses. We just love to use local. And it's pub food, but I feel like it's elevated.
I play club rugby here for the Christchurch Football Club, the oldest club in New Zealand and I still play regularly for the Finnish national team, whenever they can fly me over to play."
- Kalle
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
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Have your say on Canterbury’s public transport
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Canterbury residents are being encouraged to have their say on public transport in the region.
Environment Canterbury has released its draft public transport plan and is seeking submissions.
The draft plan outlines a vision for public transport in the region and notes key priorities such as improving the environment, growing patronage, accessibility, innovation and technology, and affordability.
‘‘Public transport takes many forms with communities across our region,’’ councillor Peter Scott said.
‘‘With limited funding available, we need to make sure we make the best decisions to deliver a public transport network that is integrated with urban development, innovative and meets the needs of new and existing customers.
‘‘Effective public transport is the lifeline that connects us to work, school, recreation and our friends and family, so it is important we get this right.’’
The Canterbury’s population is growing and by 2050, it is projected 700,000 people will be living in Greater Christchurch.
The draft plan covers public transport for the region, which includes the Metro service (Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri), MyWay by Metro in Timaru, Total Mobility and Community Vehicle Trusts.
It was developed in partnership with local councils and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.
Environment Canterbury has been planning to step up its public transport efforts by increasing the frequency of existing services and introducing mass rapid transport in Greater Christchurch.
But these plans have been stalled by a lack of public transport funding in the Government’s 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme.
A proposal to allow people to travel with domestic pets is also included in the draft plan.
Having pets on buses has been successfully trial in other parts of New Zealand, councillor Joe Davies said.
‘‘We’re keen to understand what controls are needed for our bus users in Greater Christchurch and Timaru to be comfortable with pets on public transport.
It is proposed to allow adult passengers to bring a single pet on board, as long it is in an approved carrier at off-peak times, weekdays between 9am and 3pm or after 6pm, and during weekends.
Another proposal would loosen those restrictions in future to allow for leashed and muzzled dogs and increasing the limit to two pets per passenger.
‘‘We want to gauge how people feel about these proposals. Now is the time to have your say,’’ Davies said.
Submissions close on Thursday, October 24.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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