Environmental groups fighting to protect the last two pristine rivers in Hawke's Bay say they're stemming the tide of "misinformation" about the proposed water conservation orders, with some growers even changing their minds.
Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Five organisations, including Forest and Bird and Whitewater New Zealand, have applied to place water conservation orders on two of the region's largest rivers, the Ngaruroro and Clive.
If successful, the orders would give them similar status to a national park.
It would prevent damming and further water takes, but would not affect existing resource consent holders.
However, fears this could affect production and result in job losses led to farmers staging protests over the issue last year.
Forest and Bird chief executive Kevin Hague said he was meeting industry groups this week to "clear up any misinformation" they had.
"There was a whole lot of misinformation circling in the community causing a whole lot of panic. People had been told that thousands of jobs would be lost, that the local economy would crash of a water conservation order was put in place. Clearly that's not the case."
An order would retain the rivers' "pristine" status quo, Mr Hague said.
"The responses we've had from our meetings [with industry] so far have been very positive, " he said.
"What we're hoping for is that when the order is next before the tribunal the points of difference will have been narrowed right down to a few points."
Another hearing is expected to be held later this year.
Water conservation orders, which fall under the Resource Management Act, are designed to recognise and protect the outstanding values of particular bodies of water.
