ECan investigates South Canterbury water demand

Last updated 17:04, November 19 2015

Environment Canterbury (ECan) is investigating demand for another possible irrigation scheme in South Canterbury.

An ECan spokesperson confirmed on Thursday the regional authority was jointly funding a project with the Irrigation Acceleration Fund to support "an integrated water infrastructure solution" after requests from a local zone committee.

A survey of coastal consent holders aimed to find out how they would respond to "various water and land-use scenarios", the spokesperson said, adding ECan was also undertaking a computer-modelling exercise as part of the investigation.

The spokesperson said the Orari-Opihi-Pareora zone committee requested the investigation to support "river system health along with reliable supply for communities, animals and irrigation".

Alpine Water Solutions (AWS) chairman Brent Isbister said on Wednesday he understood the survey was "90 per cent done".

Isbister formed AWS with five other members in February to investigate channelling water from Lake Tekapo, and swapping water from the Rangitata Diversion Race (RDR) and the planned Hunter Downs Irrigation (HDI) scheme.

AWS was "facilitating outcomes" in ECan's project but had "nothing firm on the ground" for a water transfer scheme, Isbister said.

Two researchers were working part-time to conduct face-to-face interviews with farmers as part of the project, he said.

ECan commissioner David Caygill said in March he wanted two South Canterbury water transfer schemes to be consented and another to be planned before September 2016, when his tenure as commissioner was scheduled to end.

Environment Minister Nick Smith has since announced ECan elections scheduled for next year will elect seven members of a 13-member ECan board, leaving six Government-appointed members.

At the time, Caygill said there would likely be a "gap in the middle" between areas the RDR and HDI supplied with water. He said channelling water from Lake Tekapo had "not been ruled out" despite an ECan-commissioned report in 2014 suggesting such a scheme would be unprofitable.

The ECan spokesperson said "numerous" studies had identified South Canterbury as "water short".

- Stuff

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