Ngati Rangiwewehi celebrated the return of Taniwha Springs over the weekend.

The springs is one of the main water supplies to the city of Rotorua and were taken from the hapu by council in 1966 under the Public Works Act.

Ngati Rangiwewehi welcoming officials to the handing over ownership of Taniwha Springs. Photos: Supplied.

More than 100 gathered at Tarimano Marae to mark council's recent historic decision to return ownership of the springs to its traditional owners.

The celebrations included the signing of an agreement by council and Te Arawa hapu (sub-tribe) Ngati Rangiwewehi representatives, as well as a visit to the springs to plant ferns symbolising the two parties' new relationship.

Taken without negotiation and vested in the then Rotorua County Council, the springs are of major cultural significance to hapu.

'It is a significant taonga (treasure) for us and we have mourned the loss,” says chairman of Ngati Rangiwewehi's Pekehaua Puna Reserve Trust, Louis Bidois.

'The celebration of its return was a significant occasion. We see the springs as the life force of Rangiwewehi and placing a pump station over the top has been a cultural harm that runs deep.

'It's always been Rangiwewehi's position that it wanted the pumps removed from there so that the spirit of Pekehaua – the taniwha who lived there – might return and with it, the mana of Rangiwewehi.”

The council's resource consent to continue taking water from the spring does not expire until 2018 and the return of ownership was seen as a goodwill gesture as part of building a new, positive relationship, Louis says.

'We recognise the value of the resource to Rotorua generally and to Ngongotaha and Awahou specifically. First we need time to grieve and to celebrate its return and what happens in the future will be for the iwi to decide.”

Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick says the celebration was 'a very significant occasion” for both iwi and council. She acknowledged the loss of the iwi's taonga had been very deeply felt.

'Returning the taonga was the right thing to do but it's been a long time coming and the iwi have been very patient.

'We know there are more effective ways for local government and iwi to work together than has been experienced in the past. This council has undertaken to work better with iwi and I have faith in the collaborative new relationship we've established with Ngati Rangiwewehi.”

The return of the springs and a memorandum of understanding signed between the iwi and council earlier this year signalled a new way of working together for the benefit of the wider community, the Mayor says.

Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick (left) planting ferns at Taniwha Springs.

'We can't change what happened in the past, but we are doing what we can to make it right and now have a new way forward – tatau tatau (together), working side by side.

'We all have the interests of the district as a whole at heart and I'm confident the public interest and the community's aspirations can be well served alongside the aspirations of Ngati Rangiwewehi.”

An easement will allow council to continue taking water from the spring until the current resource consent expires in 2018. Council and the iwi are in discussions about its future and alternative water supply options are also being explored.

'We're undertaking these discussions in good faith, exploring the potential for solutions that would be good for both parties, but any final decision will rest entirely with Ngati Rangiwewehi,” Steve says.

'There is another wrong affecting Ngati Rangiwewehi that also needs to be put right. And this is to do with the Hamurana Springs water take easement area that was left in Crown hands when the rest of the Hamurana Springs was returned to Ngati Rangiwewehi.

'There is no reason why this land needs to stay in Crown hands to secure council's water take as this is already secured by an easement.

'I would like council to support the transfer of this area to its rightful owners and work with [the Department of Conservation] to make this happen.

'It is my view that this should be part of council's commitment to doing the right thing.”