We are appealing the recent High Court judgment which upheld Environment Canterbury’s decision to allow the MHV irrigation scheme to pollute water for 10 years.

The Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) has been largely unsuccessful in its judicial review of Environment Canterbury’s (ECan) decision to grant a nitrogen discharge consent to the Mayfield Hinds Valletta (MHV) irrigation scheme.

Environment Canterbury and Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation Ltd (ALIL) have withdrawn their appeals against our historic High Court ruling, cementing an important legal victory for freshwater protection.

In a landmark February ruling, the High Court found that Environment Southland failed its legal duty to monitor and protect wetlands—clarifying that all councils in Aotearoa must take proactive, effective action to safeguard these critical ecosystems. The decision sets a powerful precedent, reinforcing that inadequate monitoring, enforcement, or resource excuses will not meet statutory obligations under the Resource Management Act.

Join Dr Mike Joy and ELI for a public talk on the future of freshwater in Canterbury.

We are challenging Environment Canterbury’s blanket rule allowing nitrate pollution in the Christchurch High Court this week.

“Canterbury holds the majority of Aotearoa's freshwater, but this public resource is significantly degraded,” says ELI’s Senior Researcher, Anna Sintenie. 

ELI’s submission to the Water Services Authority (Taumata Arowai) on a set of proposed wastewater environmental performance standards (wastewater standards) under section 138 of the Water Services Act 2021.

ELI’s submission to the Department of Conservation on the Modernising Conservation Land Management proposals.

High Court finds Environment Southland failed to act against huge wetland losses. 

ELI’s submission on the Resource Management Act (Consenting and Other Systems changes) Amendment Bill.

In a judicial review announced today, the Environmental Law Initiative alleges Environment Canterbury failed to account for the impact of nitrogen discharges on drinking water supplies when granting a discharge consent to MHV Water Ltd. 

“We believe there are firm grounds for the Council’s consent to be overturned,” says ELI’s Senior Legal Researcher, Lottie Boardman. 

Water is a public good. No one automatically has the right to pour contaminants or waste into water - or land, in circumstances where it may enter water. 

Yet, last week, the Government weakened key provisions of the Resource Management Act, meaning more pollution into rivers, lakes, wetlands and estuaries - such as nitrate from cow urine - is suddenly allowable.