A final decision on whether or not a controversial water bottling company can take billions of litres of water from a Canterbury aquifer to sell in China - is getting closer. Cloud Ocean Water took its appeal to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
For the first time in its history, the Supreme Court is sitting in Christchurch this week and on Wednesday it heard Cloud Ocean Water challenge a Court of Appeal decision which overturned consent to take water from Christchurch aquifers.
The case comes with some history.
In 2020, the High Court found Environment Canterbury lawfully granted consent for Cloud Ocean Water to take billions of litres of water bottling - using historic resource consents which were originally granted for industrial use.
That was after a High Court decision in 2018 found it was unlawful.
Cloud Ocean Water's plan to sell its water overseas sparked public protests in Christchurch.
The hearing continues on Thursday in New Zealand's highest court.
The Supreme Court is the final court of appeal.
