The Hunua Water Catchment provides about 65 per cent of Auckland's drinking water. Photo / File
The Hunua Water Catchment provides about 65 per cent of Auckland's drinking water. Photo / File
A trust opposing Auckland Council's 1080 poison drop in the Hunua Ranges has won a court injunction temporarily suspending the operation.
The council had already begun covering the bush with non-toxic pre-drop pellets, to be followed up with 1080 within seven to 10 days, despite being aware of the applicationto the Court from the Friends of Sherwood Trust.
Judge Jeff Smith said the pre-feed drop had commenced just prior to a telephone conference.
"The Council proceeded with the drop in the knowledge of this application and therefore at its own peril in the event that the interim orders are granted for the long term."
The aerial poison operation was publicly notified at the end of August.
The purpose was to reduce pest numbers and maintain the natural habitat of the Hunua Ranges. Pest levels had risen again after a successful 2015 operation.
Sodium fluoroactetate (1080) was to be applied by helicopter to 30,501ha across the Hunua Ranges, an area that provides about 65 per cent of Auckland's drinking water and houses four large water reservoirs.
Auckland Regional Public Health Service had developed safety measures for the drop, including a no fly zone designation, buffers of 20-50m around water reservoirs and exclusion buffers of 200m around any water intakes.
