The Rotorua District Council has decided to fight local Maori over the future of the city's water supply.
At a fiery meeting on Tuesday night, Mayor Grahame Hall used his casting vote to allow the council to appeal against a ruling by an independent commissioner that opponents claim will put thefuture of Rotorua's water supply under threat.
The commissioner ruled that the council cannot increase its take from Taniwha Springs from 68 litres a second to 210 litres to cater for future growth.
The council has warned that finding an alternative supply is likely to be costly, and could mean filtering and chlorinating water from Lake Rotorua or Lake Rotoiti.
Ngati Rangiwewehi spokesman Te Ururoa Flavell said the tribe wanted the spring and surrounding land, including Hamurana Springs, returned to its control. The tribe has lodged a Treaty of Waitangi claim over the land, which was taken under the Public Works Act.
