Our stakeholders.

We’re in this together.

As a business, Central Plains Water Limited (CPWL) seek to collaborate and engage with stakeholders to explore ideas and achieve vibrant, respected and sustainable irrigation solutions. Many hands make light work.

Our shareholders.

CPWL provides water to around 260 shareholder farms. Thanks to the close collaboration between our environmental team and each farm, every one of our shareholder farms has a Farm Environmental Plan (FEP) in place.

We work closely with our shareholders to improve their water use efficiency, shifting the focus onto improving water utilisation, reporting at a customer level and delivering one-on-one training specific to individual farms. This has improved their on-farm water utilisation and resulted in cost savings for their businesses.

Selwyn / Waihora Water Zone Committee.

The Selwyn / Waihora Water Zone Committee is made up of the Selwyn District Council, Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury. It is in the rohe of Wairewa, Rāpaki, Taumutu, Tūāhuriri, Koukourarata and Ōnuku rūnanga.

CPWL work closely with the zone committee to uphold the mana of the freshwater bodies within Selwyn Waihora delivering land and water management outcomes that give effect to the Canterbury Water Management Strategy vision, principles, and targets.

Manawa Energy Ltd.

To deliver water reliability to shareholders on Stages 1 and 2, an agreement was reached between CPWL and Manawa Energy Limited (formally Trustpower Ltd) for CPWL’s consented water to be captured and stored in Lake Coleridge. When the Rakaia River flow drops and CPWL is unable to take water due to flow restriction, CPWL takes the released stored water which effectively sits on top of minimum flow levels and is compliant with the Rakaia River Water Conservation Order. CPWL shareholders pay for stored Rakaia River water they use.

Our regulators.

CPWL is regulated by Environment Canterbury (ECan) and Central Plains Water Trust (CPWT) who were issued the water take consents and licensed them to CPWL.

Environment Canterbury.

Environment Canterbury (ECan) are responsible for managing the take of water from Canterbury Rivers. ECan publish daily water take restrictions, based on the water level in each river. CPWL work closely with ECan to ensure compliance with the water take consents and restrictions.

Central Plains Water Trust.

Christchurch City Council and the Selwyn District Council are settlors of The Central Plains Water Trust. The Trust was formed so that the resource consents to take and use water for irrigation within the Central Plains area were held by the community. The Trust licences the use of the consents to CPWL while providing oversight and ensuring CPWL are complying with all of the conditions of the consents.