The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal to decide which of two competing interests can take water for irrigation from Canterbury's Rakaia River.
There has been a protracted legal wrangle between the dairy company Synlait and the Central Plains and Ashburton water trusts.
The Environment Court initially ruled in favour of Central Plains. That finding was overturned by the High Court, then reversed again by the Court of Appeal, which said the water should go to the first fully completed application to the regional council.
The Supreme Court has given Synlait leave to appeal against that ruling.
