A Maori trust is joining with a city council to fight Auckland's Watercare Services' plan to dump treated sewage on Puketutu Island in Manukau Harbour.
The council-owned company was refused consent to dump waste from its Mangere wastewater treatment plant on the island, because Maori see it as tapu.
Waatea News reports Watercare says it's going ahead anyway, using its powers as an infrastructure provider.
Now the Makaurau Marae Maori Trust is going to the Environment Court, alongside Manukau City Council which classified the island in its district plan as waahi tapu.
The trust says it's not for a wastewater company to decide if the island is sacred.