Nats at odds on bottled water charge

Parties across the political spectrum agree bottling companies should pay for the water they take but the Government is sitting on the fence.

With less than 90 days remaining before polling day, it looks as if water pricing could blow up as a key election issue.

In June, bottling company New Zealand Pure Blue Limited applied for the rights to take 6.9 million litres of water per day from the Waihou River’s Blue Spring near Putaruru, South Waikato.

It’s the latest chapter infuriating people around the country where billions of litres of water are destined for export and at no cost for the raw product.

Water New Zealand chief executive John Pfahlert called for a national discussion on a water pricing regime.

‘‘The time for taking our water for granted is now over,’’ Pfahlert said. ‘‘New Zealand needs a plan and it needs it now.’’ The group is a wide ranging industry body covering all facets of water management, distribution and commercial operators. See more

Agriculture Bottled water Council Drinking Water Freshwater Stormwater Water charging Water Conservation Water New Zealand Water Quality