Water exports evaporate?

Forest and Bird, Volume 17, Issue 2, 1 May 1986, Page 31

Water exports evaporate?

Proposals to export water from Deep Cove appear to have sunk, with the news

that likely Triune Resources buyer, the Goodman Group Ltd, has decided not to enter the water export business. The move by Goodmans to buy out Triune appears to have been designed to allay New Zealanders’ fears that an American company would own a New Zealand asset. Ever since Triune mooted the idea of exporting water from the Deep Cove tail race, there has been both tourism and environmental opposition. Our Society criticised both the Deep Cove concept and its technical proposals. Giant supertankers’ daily visits to the fiord would detract from the integrity and wilderness quality of our largest park. It would be disastrous for tourism and outdoor education activities in the fiord. Major pollution and shipwreck risks were also identified in Triune’s scheme. Meanwhile a proposal for a black coral underwater observatory in Milford Sound has been welcomed by our Society's Southland branch. Visitors could then discover the world’s most extensive and accessible black coral. This would increase public support for extension of Fiordland National Park to include the fiords and ultimately protection in the South West New Zealand World Heritage area.