Is Hawke's Bay Regional Council action scaring water bottlers away?

Located near the two altered consents is the Awatoto site consented to water bottling company One Pure International (pictured). Photo / File

In over a year there have been no new water bottling consents granted in Hawke's Bay - although two such consents have changed hands.

There are currently 11 consents granted by the Hawke's Bay Regional Council. Together, they are consented to draw about 5 billion litres of water from the Heretaunga aquifer annually for water bottling purposes.

Only a few of these are actively used.

There have been no new consents granted to take water for bottling purposes since December 2016, when the council agreed all such applications would be publicly notified.

Legislation does not require this, but there was public outcry about such decisions being made behind closed doors - especially in light of the Havelock North water contamination, and subsequent water restrictions.

While there have not been any applications granted since 2016, there has been at least one new consent holder in this time.

In May 2017 Napier Water Ltd took over an existing consent to take about 780,000 cubic metres of water a year from an Awatoto site.

This was the last consent granted before the council made public notification mandatory.

Napier Water director Ali Lokhandwala said yesterday he did not want to comment on any plans for the Briasco St site.

When this consent was granted to Jess and Tae's in July 2016, the company said it hoped the site would be operational in six months, and expected to be exporting product overseas.

The council's consent database shows the consent was also transferred to Hamilton Kumon Limited in 2016, which then transferred it to Napier Water Ltd.

In April a consent to take 1,179,412 cubic metres a year from a site on State Highway 2, Awatoto was transferred to Sleeping Giant Holdings Ltd, directed by Craig Bryant. The former consent holders were listed as a Craig McHardy and Robyn Bryant, who were granted consent in December 2015.

While concern was rife about the impact water bottling has on the Heretaunga Aquifer, the council said only 0.12 per cent of the resource was consented for that use.

In August the council announced new scientific advice indicated the volume of water being taken from the Heretaunga aquifer was at its "maximum acceptable level", with all takes having an effect on surface water bodies.

This meant granting new consents for further water allocation was "no longer acceptable".

1. Consent holder: Waimea Orchard Ltd
Site: 359 Brookfields Rd, Napier.
Amount: 1000cu m a week.
Purpose: To take water to irrigate 12ha of pip fruit, 1ha of stonefruit and for a water bottling operation.

2. Consent holder: AF Gunn
Site: 85 Ohiti Rd, Fernhill.
Amount: 5645cu m/week Purpose: To take water to irrigate 16ha hectares of viticulture and 10ha of pasture and to take water for a water bottling operation.

3. Consent holder: MJ & FA Clark
Site: 1089 Maraekakaho Road, Hastings.
Amount: 1951cu m/week.
Purpose: To take water to irrigate 4.5ha of process crops and for a water bottling operation.

4. Consent holder: Lowe Corporation Ltd
Site: Johnston Way, Whakatu.
Amount: 1,225,750cu m/year.
Purpose: To take water to provide water to a water bottling operation and for irrigation of landscaping and plantings.

5. Consent holder: Aquifer HB Ltd
Site: Whakatu Rd, Whakatu.
Amount: 140,000cu m/year.
Purpose: To take and use water to supply a water bottling plant, for beverage production and for factory use.

6. Consent holder: One Pure International Group Ltd
Site: 580 SH2, Awatoto, Napier.
Amount: 405,600cu m/year.
Purpose: To take water for the purpose of manufacturing beverages in a bottling operation.

7. Consent holder: New Zealand Miracle Water Ltd
Site: 145 Elwood Rd, Hastings.
Amount: 670,000cu m/year until June 2017, then 820,000 onwards.
Purpose: To take and use water for the purpose of water bottling and supply for staff facilities.

8. Consent holder: Sleeping Giant Holdings Ltd
Site: SH2 at Awatoto.
Amount: 1,179,412cu m/year.
Purpose: To take and use water for the purpose of water bottling.

9. Consent holder: Bearsley Ranui Trust
Site: Whakatu Rd, Whakatu.
Amount: 76,800cu m/year until July 2018. 134,400cu m/year onwards.
Purpose: To take water for a water bottling facility.

10. Consent holder: Elwood Road Holdings Ltd
Site: 115b Elwood Rd, Hastings.
Amount: 670,000cu m/year.
Purpose: To take and use water for a truck wash, water bottling and potable supply for staff facilities.

11. Consent holder: Napier Water Ltd
Site: 44 Briasco St, Awatoto, Napier.
Amount: 786,240cu m/year.
Purpose: To take and use water for water bottling.