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ECan call hits BCI plans BY MICHELLE NELSON
MICHELLE.N@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
Future growth of the Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation Scheme looks likely to be halted by Environment Canterbury’s decision on plan changes to the Hinds plains catchment. The Variation 2 plan changes relating to the Hinds catchment were announced last week. The plan was put in place to deal with the over-allocation of
nutrients in particular nitrogen, as required by the National Policy on Fresh Water Management. Both BCI and Rangitata Diversion Race Ltd (RDRL) have consents to expand operations in the district. However, as of Monday BCI customers will only be able to use water until the company’s consent runs out in 2018. “What it essentially says is BCI can no longer continue to ex-
pand in that zone; we don’t completely understand or agree with the rationale used to come to that conclusion,” BCI chairman John Wright said. “The key question appeared to focus on whether BCI was part of the existing environment, as opposed to the RDR schemes – which have clearly been there much longer,” Mr Wright said. “That’s where questions will need to be asked and it should
become clearer over the next few days.” BCI delivers about 35 per cent of the scheme’s current water allocation into the Hinds plains area. “The other side of the equation for BCI is that our business strategy has been to build in significant over-capacity in the pipe networks,” Mr Wright said. “While we are delivering a fixed volume now, we have a massive investment in the network, which
is not fully utilised at this stage, and this decision would suggest it could never be fully utilised.” The commissioners’ decision is final, subject to High Court appeals – which can only be made on points of law. “We have to liaise with the other parties involved and make a decision whether our issue is significant enough to challenge the commissioners’ ruling,” Mr Wright said.
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