Rakaia-Selwyn groundwater consent conditions on web

 The conditions for 69 new groundwater resource consents have been posted to consent holders in recent days.

The Environment Canterbury hearing commissioners’ full decision with conditions is the follow-up to the preliminary decision released a year ago granting the consents in the Rakaia-Selwyn groundwater zone, Central Canterbury.

ECan staff had recommended that the applications be declined because the Rakaia-Selwyn groundwater zone is considered by ECan groundwater scientists to be fully allocated to irrigators. It is designated a “red zone” by ECan. There are over 600 groundwater consents already in this zone.

The Rakaia-Selwyn groundwater zone forms the larger part of the Central Plains area between the Selwyn and Rakaia Rivers.

All consents just granted are for ten year periods with complex adaptive management conditions. Appeals to the consent conditions and full decision have to be made within 15 working days by any party to the decision ie applicants or submitters.

To read the full decision, go to www.ecan.govt.nz/rakaiaselwyn or look under Resource Consents then hearing decisions, www.ecan.govt.nz/Resource+Consents/Hearing+Decisions/