Water Bottling Consents

Due to recent interest in water bottling consents, GWRC has pulled together information relating to water bottling consents and how freshwater is managed in the Wellington region.  We have developed a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) sheet and other information below to help explain this topic.

Information on this page:

Background information

Water bottling and water allocation in the Wellington Region

Current water bottling operative consents

Current water bottling consent applications

Background information 

Fresh water is highly valued and is essential for our aquatic life, our economy, our health and general well-being. Surface and ground water throughout the region is abstracted for a range of uses. This includes primary production, recreation, industry and public water supply.  The abstraction of water has the potential to adversely affect the environment and the sustainability of the resource. It is therefore important that the quality, allocation and efficient use of fresh water is managed carefully. In line with the Resource Management Act (RMA), GWRC manages the taking and use of water in the Wellington through our regional plans. It does this by establishing rules for when resource consents are required to take water are required and setting limits for how much water can be taken from our regions aquifers, rivers, and streams.

When someone has determined that a resource consent is required they prepare an application and submit it to GWRC for consideration.  Anyone can apply for a resource consent for any purpose, including overseas interest. There are no grounds in the RMA to reject or decline an application on nationality. Applications for resource consents must include an assessment of environmental effects that will occur as a result of the activity. The assessment of environmental effects is in relation to the effects of the water abstraction on the environment, such as effects on the aquifer, effects on ecological values, effects on cultural values and effects on others who abstract water from the water body. The application must also assess whether the proposed water abstraction is consistent with the objectives and policies of the regional plan.

Once the application is lodged with all the information necessary about the proposal and its effects on the environment, a decision on whether the application is notified or not notified is made. Please see our Consent Process webpage for more information about how applications are processed. If a consent is approved to take and use water conditions are imposed that manage environmental effects including the maximum amount to be taken and how water taken will be monitored.

Water allocation and water bottling in the Wellington Region 

There are nearly 600 consents to take and use water in the Wellington region. In total there are three water bottling consents which represents 0.5% of the total number of consents in the region. These water bottling consents are in the Upper Hutt Groundwater Zone and the Lower Hutt Groundwater Zone/Waiwhetu Aquifer.  The table below sets out the amount of water that can be allocated from these groundwater zones (as specified in the regional plans), the percentage that is currently allocated, and the proportion that is allocated for water bottling purposes.

Current water bottling operative consents 

Below is a summary of the three water bottling consents in the Wellington region. Further information on each consent click on the links with each consent number or name / organisations

Current water bottling consent applications 

There are currently three applications being processed (as at March 2021):

Petone Pure Water Company Limited

A consent application WGN180274 [35303] was lodged on 1 March 2018 to renew consent WGN040360 [23776]. This consent is for taking and using groundwater for water bottling purposes from a bore located at Jackson Street Gear Island, Petone.  GWRC are currently awaiting for further information and for affected party approval from bore owners; they have yet to state which bore they are taking water from. No decision has been made on this consent application yet.

20-24 Hautonga Street Limited

A consent application WGN190353 [36315] was lodged on 28 June 2019 to take and use  groundwater from a bore located at 20-24 Hautonga Street in Petone for water bottling purposes. The application is to take groundwater at maximum rate of 20 litres/second 24 hours a day, 8,640 m³/week with an annual volume of 432,000m³/year. The applicant is seeking a consent period of 30 years. This application is currently being considered by GWRC. A decision on whether the application will be notified has not yet been made. No decision has been made on this consent application yet.

Petone Property Holdings Limited 

A consent application WGN160011 [37471] was lodged on 9 February 2021 to extend the lapse date for consent WGN160011 [33583]. The consent was due to lapse on 18 February 2021 and the applicant has proposed to extend the lapse date for a further five years as the consent is yet to be given effect to (no water abstraction has commenced). This consent is for the take and use groundwater from the Lower Hutt Category B Groundwater Management Unit using two existing bores (R27/1167 and R27/1168) for water bottling purposes. The consent holder has not yet abstracted water under this consent. GWRC are currently awaiting further information on the progress that has been made to date towards giving effect to this consent (as required under Section 125(1A)(b)(i) of the RMA). No decision has been made on this consent application yet.