Environment Canterbury chief executive Bryan Jenkins has defended his council's handling of water consent renewals for the Mackenzie Basin, saying the council has worked with landowners to reduce the impact and cost of the process.
Dr Jenkins said the council was also advised to appoint a fourth commissioner to the hearing panel, Edward Ellison of Ngai Tahu, given the area's importance to the iwi.
Dr Jenkins said the council had worked with Mackenzie landowners for many years, in 2006 helping set up the Upper Waitaki Water Quality Trust in response to the Waitaki catchment water allocation regional plan.
This meant the trust and the council could provide farmers wanting additional water with a solid understanding of the issues a resource consent authority would have to take into account when assessing the environmental effects of more irrigation in this area.
This was particularly relevant in areas with tarns and where indications were that nutrient run-off into the high country lakes would be detrimental and irreversible.
The council supported the trust's application to the Sustainable Farming Fund and had contributed staff time which Dr Jenkins said would have offset hearing costs.
Last year, the Mackenzie Irrigation Company withdrew from the process despite Government and council support.
It decided to fund its own study rather than support an application to the Sustainable Farming Fund.