Report from LDR
More than 40 protestors marched through Masterton today, protesting against a dam being proposed for the Wairarapa. The campaigners, from a range of local environmental groups, met outside the Wellington Regional Council’s Wairarapa office, joined in opposition to the Wakamoekau community water storage scheme.
A Wairarapa iwi has also raised concerns over the multi-million dollar dam project. Rangitāne o Wairarapa leaders have criticised the company behind the water storage scheme [WCWSS], saying the scheme proposed for near Masterton lacked an assessment of its cultural impact, and had yet to conduct public consultation.
Wairarapa Water Ltd [WWL] is the driving force behind the scheme. Formed in 2017, the company adopted work started by the Regional Council, among other stakeholders on “water security” in the upper Ruamahanga river network.