Council plans to boost water supply run into criticism

Plans to boost Rotorua's water supply by taking nearly three times as much water from Taniwha Springs have upset anglers and local Maori.

Both groups are concerned that the plan could further damage the health of Lake Rotorua, despite claims by the Rotorua District Council that it is the most environmentally friendly option.

Taniwha Springs has been used to supply Ngongotaha with water since 1966. The council wants to increase the amount it takes over the next 25 years. It says the extra water is critical to ensuring the long-term growth of Rotorua.

Ngati Rangiwewehi and local Fish and Game representatives claim the plan is badly researched.

Three-quarters of the flow of Awahou Stream, on the western side of Lake Rotorua, comes from Taniwha Springs.

Anglers frequent the stream mouth during the trout season.

Fish and Game eastern region manager Steve Smith said the stream was an important trout habitat and provided a cold-water refuge when the lake warmed in summer.

Less cold, clean water flowing into Lake Rotorua could warm the lake and prompt a deterioration in water quality.

Mr Smith said he would prefer to see the council introduce water metering and promote water conservation.

The council's application to Environment Bay of Plenty states there are no known techniques to determine the effect the move might have on the Awahou Stream mouth.

But it has concluded that potential effects will be "less than minor".

Mr Smith said the council seemed to be putting the issue in the "too-hard basket".

Ngati Rangiwewehi controls the land around Taniwha Springs and has lodged more than 100 submissions against the plan.

Kaumatua Hikairo Paul said the springs were spiritually, culturally and historically important to the area's people.

"We were brought up and have seen it [Awahou Stream] deteriorating. Now there's hardly a trickle in there and they want more," Mr Paul said.

He fears the health of Lake Rotorua will decline if there is less clean water to flush out the lake.

District council strategic planning engineer Paul Cooper said the council had yet to be convinced of the benefits of water meters.

Instead, it had implemented the New Zealand Waste Strategy, which involved working on initiatives to improve water conservation.

He disputed claims that the council's plan was badly researched and said it had talked to the Department of Conservation, Fish and Game, and iwi about the proposal.

Mr Cooper said he was aware of concerns about the health of Lake Rotorua but maintained that the plan would have an "insignificant impact" on water quality.

Environment Bay of Plenty's manager of regulation and resource management, Paul Dell, said it would be months before a decision was made.

Meanwhile, a Waikato University scientist has warned against tampering with streams that flow into Lake Rotorua.

David Hamilton, professor of lake management and restoration, said proposals to change the flow into the lakes should be looked at extremely carefully.

"I would suggest, given the state of Lake Rotorua, they should be at least having a look at potential impacts of these sorts of changes."

- NZPA