Local hapu are worried about the health of the Poroti water springs after the Whangarei District Council gave an Auckland company consent to build and operate a water loading facility there.
Whangarei District Council have given Zodiac Holdings (Zodiac) consent to build and operate a water loading facility at 649 Mangakahia Road which director Paul Thompson said is essentially a large shed that will enable tankers to be loaded from the rear with up to 30,000 litres of water.
The company already has Northland Regional Council consent to take up to 1.5 million litres a day from the Poroti Springs.
Millan Ruka, a trustee of Whatitiri Maori Reserve Trust which represents Te Uriroroi, Te Parawhau and Te Mahurehure ki Whatitiri hapu, said he was worried water levels will deplete.
"Our whole issue with this is not just the building, not just the activity or the disruption of our community, it's always been about our water.