A panel of commissioners yesterday heard that many tangata whenua and residents did not feel safe to collect kai from the rivers, or let their children swim in them.
But despite this, Samuel Lewis, Rongawhakaata, said they still lived and breathed the awa.
“Everything that takes place around these river systems is consolidated within us — it's where we come from.”
The whole area was under rahui (ban), he said.
“It may not be recognised by the authorities here today but it's certainly recognised within ours.”
Hapu Ngati Oneone said the discharges were culturally unacceptable and had been ignored by the council since iwi raised concerns in the 1990s.
Ngati Oneone had “no confidence” that the council would resolve the discharges if an application was granted for another 20 years.
Dianne Irwin, of Ngati Oneone, slammed the council for the “mess that we're in today”.
“Western engineering, western science, western thinking, western design are responsible.
“And we're asked to trust that and all we've seen is devastation on our people, and we're asked to give some leniency to this practice of dumping sewage into our awa.”
The council's request for another 20 years showed it did not value matauranga (knowledge) Maori, she said.
But in reports presented to the commissioners, the council argued overflows could be managed with consent conditions and that its DrainWise programme would improve the situation.
Shorter consent terms would not necessarily mean better outcomes for the community, and would direct money and resources away from solving the issues, the council said.
Former council employee Sandy Gibson, who is a drainlayer, opposed the application, saying the council's DrainWise programme was “fundamentally flawed”.
“We're doing the same sort of work now that we've done for 50 years,” he said. “If you reject this, money will be found to do something else.”
The council sought consent for two types of discharges from the city's wastewater network: those caused by heavy rain events (wet weather overflows), and those caused by a malfunction or blockage in the system (dry water overflows).
On average, there were 2.5 wet weather overflows annually.
There had been 36 dry weather overflows since the 2015/16 year, however only nine reached waterways.
The application is for a non-complying activity.
Owen Lloyd, kaitiaki of Iwi o Nga Ariki Kaiputahi, spoke in opposition.
“Sometimes it's a bit concerning for Maori to hear the words ‘we're working towards it'. Words like that can become a bit temporary.”
They had been hearing those words for years, he said.
“Those words become annoying because they don't have any mana anymore.”
“It's different for us Maori, too, because the sea is our swimming pool. Yet we're spending $50m on a swimming pool.
“If we can clear up our rivers, the sea will be clean enough to swim in.”
Other residents detailed the stress of sewage bubbling up from manholes in the past, but credited the council's work in recent years to improve the situation.
Commissioner Dr Brent Cowie said he was conscious of concerns that the council was both the applicant and the consent authority, which was “not a common situation”.
The council had received a report from consultant planner Todd Whittaker, who considered a 10-year period appropriate for dry water overflows and supported a 20-year consent for wet water overflows, but only with more stringent conditions.
The hearings were adjourned at the end of day on Wednesday, and the council will have its right of reply in writing.
