Inquiry #8

Selling NZ Spring Water

Fertile

Should New Zealand sell their natural spring bottled water to other countries?

Thesis

Our thesis is that we should because it helps NZ build its economy.

Intro

Selling New Zealand spring water overseas must continue to happen. 18 years ago the local government started investing in bottled water. Ever since then this industry has grown and New Zealand bottled water has been sold overseas. This report will be covering what a natural spring is, their positives and negatives, how many springs there are in New Zealand and which ones are being used for bottled water. We will also be talking about what the government is doing about this problem and how all this information links to our thesis and makes it reliable.

1) What are natural Springs?

A hot spring has more than just one name like it's two scientific names: hydrothermal spring and geothermal spring. This is a spring produced by the presence of geothermal heat or heat coming from the earth's crust and when it rises and comes incontact with water on the surface, it heats it up. Many companies have taken advantage of these hot waters, and have brought the land they are on and put a factory/breweries to help power their companies.

2) What are the pros and cons of selling natural springs as a source of water?

Okay let's start with the pros. Bottled spring water provides much needed oxygen to the body and the brain, aids in good digestion, helps us maintain a healthy weight, and tastes great. And a pole was set up to see if people like spring water more than normal water. The results said that people preferred spring water because spring water never tastes flat or boiled. It makes for an excellent drinking experience and one that does wonders for the body. Having companies built over these natural springs which are mostly in remote places would seem like a con because it stops the public from enjoying these hot springs, but the amount of job opportunities that are presented to vacant occupants is outstanding. Now the cons, the only way to spread bottled spring water around the world and to get people to buy it would be through a big company. Many companies like kiwi blue have bought the lands where natural springs are located like we said before, but after those factories have already been built the public don’t have access to those relaxing pools and have to go elsewhere. This is a con from a public perspective but for the companies they have more jobs to offer. Now what is the effect on the environment? because of these companies building factories onto natural springs. Since that natural spring would be the only source of good quality water for that area, the environment and habitats near the spring would dry up, and the food chain might shrink as the animals that depend on that spring die and their predators have to find a new source of food.

3) What natural springs in New Zealand have already been used and are now sold as bottled water ?

Large companies like kiwi blue have made their spot in the bottled water world, the thing that separates them from other companies is their source. They do have many sources for their products, but the main one is when fresh rain falls in the mamaku plateau which is located to the west of rotorua. The droplets seep into ancient rock. After a natural filtration process lasting up to fifty years, the water pushes its way to the surface from a labyrinth of aquifers( aqua fers ). It emerges so pure it is crystal clear and appears a brilliant blue, which is where kiwi blue got its name. Over all, it is unknown how many natural springs are in use out of the 110 in nz.

4) Why is the New Zealand government allowing the selling of natural Spring water?

In 2016, The New zealand Trade and enterprise or NZTE contacted a chinese water bottling company called Nongfu Spring, about potentially investing in a local water business. That act prompted calls from anti water bottling campaigners who were not happy about this act, and wanted Mrs Adern to cancel the deal immediately. Mrs Adern said she would take their demands into context. So on the 8th of October, 2018. Jacinda Adren said and I quote. “Officials putting New Zealand's freshwater up for sale or investment into bottled international water will not happen under the coalition (co-alition) government”

5) How many natural springs do we have in New Zealand?

New Zealand has a total of 110 natural hot springs. There are only 7 of these that are free like the hot water beach and the kawhia springs. The reason for these springs not being permanently occupied is because no companies have bought the land they are on or they are in very remote places like between mountains and the only people who see them and get the chance to take a dip are hikers. So an example of a natural hot spring that has been brought or claimed by a company would be the Mount hot pools, whose hot water source comes from pilot bay. The way they can access the water is when the water goes through the pipes to the hot pools where they get heated up by the warm hearth and come out into the swimming pools as warm.

6) What can New Zealand do to prevent this from happening?

Associate Finance Minister David Clark and land information Eugine Sage granted an application under the overseas investment act 2005 for

Cresswell Ltd to purchase land and expand the existing Otakiri Spring water bottling plant near Whakatane. . Decision that will be seeing 1.1 billion litres of New Zealand fresh water bottled and exported. There is little information as to where the aquifer that supplies takiri springs comes from. The depletion of the aquifer could potentially leave permanent damage to surrounding waterways. Tangata whenua/pole who have a claim to the land believe that fresh water including groundwater has important cultural value. It is believed that the mauri (life force) of the body of water seen and unseen needs to be intact to insure the physical and spiritual survival of all living things. Something we could do to help Tanagata Whenua would be creating artificial water filters for the public and exporting it to the countries that need it like the USA and the UK, And not damaging the land of the people who live on it.

7) Why do countries want to buy our natural spring bottled water?

So the sale of the Ashburton District Council lot 9, which comes with the resource consent to bottle 1.4 billion litres of artesian water each year, caused outrage. But the global beverage giants have been quietly bottling New Zealand’s water for years, Charlie Mithchell reports. Next a quiet dusty road near rural Tai Tapu lies a nondescript water bottling plant once backed by billionaires. It's a corrugated iron structure indistinguishable from the hay sheds scattered across the Canterbury Plains. This is one of the world's largest bottled water brands said to be the drinking water of choice for many celebrities including United States President Barack Obama. The bottled water was sold under the SpringFresh brand within New Zealand. The plant was sold to Naturally pure NZ in 2013.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have talked about what a natural spring is, Their pros and cons, Which ones have been used and which ones have been sold, Reasons why the NZ government is allowing the selling of natural spring water, The number of springs there are in New Zealand, and why countries want our natural water. All of this information contributes towards our thesis, our answer to our fertile question, should New Zealand sell their natural spring bottled water to other countries. Our thesis is Yes we should because it helps promote NZ to build its economy.

Bibliography

Works Cited

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