Petition is successful with 1,563 signatures
To: Whangarei District Council
Save Poroti Springs
Campaigner Millan Ruka worked with ActionStation to stop the application for a water bottling factory at Poroti Spings. Your official submission was one of 856 that showed the Council and the applicant, Zodiac Holdings there was overwhelming opposition - Zodiac have this week withdrawn their application! Thank you for taking action, it really made a difference.
Zodiac still have the rights to take water however - if you would like to be updated on future events and possible actions you can join the Save Poroti Springs Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/saveporotisprings/
![](https://images.controlshift.app/rails/active_storage/representations/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTg5NjMsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--978911c0ab48e4250a9d3aa2b052aab94fddbaaa/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6eyJmb3JtYXQiOiJwbmciLCJzdHJpcCI6dHJ1ZSwicmVzaXplX3RvX2ZpdCI6WzcyNSwzMDBdfSwicHVyIjoidmFyaWF0aW9uIn19--63a28fffb8010cfb1090d6d81d94ac2da5373ff2/Poroti_banners.png)
We ask that the Whangarei District Council reject the Zodiac Holdings Limited application to construct and operate a mineral water bottling plant on Lot 1 DP 482474, at 649 Mangakahia Road, Whangarei.
We oppose any risk from commercial operations that threatens the pristine aquifer.
We oppose any risk from commercial operations that threatens the pristine aquifer.
Why is this important?
A private water company is applying to build a bottling factory at Poroti Springs, a hapū-owned pure water source, near Whangarei.
The plant will not only risk the purity of the spring and aquifer but also add increased activity in the local community and around Poroti Reserve. It will create a significant health and safety issue with 80 truck movements per day, right next door to Poroti School.
Please use this form to make an official submission to the Whangarei District Council. Submissions are open until 5pm Wednesday 30 August.
Over years the local hapū have been shut out of decision-making over the treasured spring, and the aquifer under their Reserve. For example, the Council spent $1.08 million on establishing the adjacent bore site then sold the site to private interests for $40,000 without hapū knowledge.
Now the company with rights to take the water want to build a 3600-square-metre water bottling factory across the road from the Reserve. The factory will bottle up to a million litres of water a day to sell for the domestic and Chinese markets.
Your submission on the risks to the spring posed by the factory, from potential groundwater contamination and the increased traffic activity, will help the Council give more consideration to the protection of the spring and aquifer. You will also be standing with the hapū and give support for their right to be heard as guardians of the springs.
Make a submission today using this form. If you have local knowledge of the area and/or people you can add a personal message to support your submission.
You can make a contribution to the cost of the legal fees to deal with the Zodiac objection here: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/porotisprings
Zodiac Holdings Limited - Resource Consent Application http://www.wdc.govt.nz/NewsRoom/PublicNotices/Pages/Resource-Consent-Zodiac.aspx#Expand
History:
The Whatitiri Māori Reserves Trust is legally responsible for administering the “Whatitiri Māori Reserves” under the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 and The Māori Reservations Regulations 1994. The first seven trustees of the reserves were appointed, 28th June 1940 and replaced the people who were originally vested title in the individual blocks.
The 1895 Survey Map shows Poroti Springs Reserve as a “water supply” for the benefit of hapu Te Uriroroi, Te Parawhau and Te Mahurihuri subtribes of Ngapuhi’
1960 Sept 28th Gazette Notice – further confirms Poroti Springs Reserve as a “water supply” for the benefit of hapu Te Uriroroi, Te Parawhau and Te Mahurihuri subtribes of Ngapuhi.
Our hapu of Poroti will object to the proposed building of a bottling factory just across the road from our Poroti Springs. The building is huge and will have 40 in and 40 out truck movements heading to Marsden Point. Up to 2.5 million litres of water is consented daily to Zodiac Holdings Ltd to take from the Whatitiri aquifer that feeds our springs and previous WDC takes have dried us up in 1983 and 1987. This water is intended for export to Asian markets and Zodiac has been marketing the business for sale to overseas interests. This company also markets under the name of “New Zealand Spring Water Ltd”. We as a hapu find this situation to be intolerable and yet our local Governments Northland Regional Council and Whangarei District Council facilitate for our water to be plundered by people whom do not belong to our community. We cannot accept to wake up one morning to see up to 16 foreigners loading our water across the road, 16 hours per day to send overseas.
"He waka eke noa"
"A canoe which we are all in with no exception. We are all in this together"
For more info go to https://www.facebook.com/saveporotisprings/
News media
Poroti Springs hapu not happy about bottling plant consent application, NZ Herald, 8 Aug, 2017
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11899815
Northland hapū run out of steam in water-bottling fight, RNZ, 11 August 2017 http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/337016/northland-hapu-run-out-of-steam-in-water-bottling-fight
The plant will not only risk the purity of the spring and aquifer but also add increased activity in the local community and around Poroti Reserve. It will create a significant health and safety issue with 80 truck movements per day, right next door to Poroti School.
Please use this form to make an official submission to the Whangarei District Council. Submissions are open until 5pm Wednesday 30 August.
Over years the local hapū have been shut out of decision-making over the treasured spring, and the aquifer under their Reserve. For example, the Council spent $1.08 million on establishing the adjacent bore site then sold the site to private interests for $40,000 without hapū knowledge.
Now the company with rights to take the water want to build a 3600-square-metre water bottling factory across the road from the Reserve. The factory will bottle up to a million litres of water a day to sell for the domestic and Chinese markets.
Your submission on the risks to the spring posed by the factory, from potential groundwater contamination and the increased traffic activity, will help the Council give more consideration to the protection of the spring and aquifer. You will also be standing with the hapū and give support for their right to be heard as guardians of the springs.
Make a submission today using this form. If you have local knowledge of the area and/or people you can add a personal message to support your submission.
You can make a contribution to the cost of the legal fees to deal with the Zodiac objection here: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/porotisprings
Zodiac Holdings Limited - Resource Consent Application http://www.wdc.govt.nz/NewsRoom/PublicNotices/Pages/Resource-Consent-Zodiac.aspx#Expand
History:
The Whatitiri Māori Reserves Trust is legally responsible for administering the “Whatitiri Māori Reserves” under the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 and The Māori Reservations Regulations 1994. The first seven trustees of the reserves were appointed, 28th June 1940 and replaced the people who were originally vested title in the individual blocks.
The 1895 Survey Map shows Poroti Springs Reserve as a “water supply” for the benefit of hapu Te Uriroroi, Te Parawhau and Te Mahurihuri subtribes of Ngapuhi’
1960 Sept 28th Gazette Notice – further confirms Poroti Springs Reserve as a “water supply” for the benefit of hapu Te Uriroroi, Te Parawhau and Te Mahurihuri subtribes of Ngapuhi.
Our hapu of Poroti will object to the proposed building of a bottling factory just across the road from our Poroti Springs. The building is huge and will have 40 in and 40 out truck movements heading to Marsden Point. Up to 2.5 million litres of water is consented daily to Zodiac Holdings Ltd to take from the Whatitiri aquifer that feeds our springs and previous WDC takes have dried us up in 1983 and 1987. This water is intended for export to Asian markets and Zodiac has been marketing the business for sale to overseas interests. This company also markets under the name of “New Zealand Spring Water Ltd”. We as a hapu find this situation to be intolerable and yet our local Governments Northland Regional Council and Whangarei District Council facilitate for our water to be plundered by people whom do not belong to our community. We cannot accept to wake up one morning to see up to 16 foreigners loading our water across the road, 16 hours per day to send overseas.
"He waka eke noa"
"A canoe which we are all in with no exception. We are all in this together"
For more info go to https://www.facebook.com/saveporotisprings/
News media
Poroti Springs hapu not happy about bottling plant consent application, NZ Herald, 8 Aug, 2017
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11899815
Northland hapū run out of steam in water-bottling fight, RNZ, 11 August 2017 http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/337016/northland-hapu-run-out-of-steam-in-water-bottling-fight
How it will be delivered
Direct email.