Proposals on water supply

Press, 28 June 1983, Page 8

Proposals on water supply

• The importance of farming and the need for a satisfactory supply of water for it were emphasised at a meeting of Paparua County’s town-planning committee last evening. The concerns were raised in the county’s submissions on the North Canterbury Catchment Board’s interim report on the groundwater resource of the central Canterbury Plains. One of the main submissions concerned the board’s recognition of a need for continued access to

ground water resources in Paparua County in order to encourage diverse and efficient land use. The County Council made proposals about wells and water quality, and the downstream effects of river-fed irrigation were put forward. The council asked that serious consideration be given to the early implementation of the Halswell River improvement scheme, and that the use of the rural water supply for domestic purposes and the extent to

which upper aquifers were used for effluent disposal also be looked at closely. An application by Lincoln Orchards, Ltd, to subdivide 72.2 hectares, in Weedons Road for a pip and stone fruit orchard, was approved by the town-planning committee. The County Planner, Mr K. G. Lawn, said that some members of the committee had expressed concern about the company’s need to subdivide the lot, but this was theoneans of financing the development.

He said the development of a substantial orchard on the site was in the interests of the county and the region and it was felt that the venture was unlikely to proceed without the subdivision. The committee’s approval was subject to the granting of water rights and a number of conditions which Mr Lawn said would ensure that the company did what it said it would do. 'y