THE WATER SUPPLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 55, 5 March 1921, Page 6

THE WATER SUPPLY.

. ] ■ Mr. Cecil 'Whitney's letter on the: t water supply, published yesterday, • should widen tfh* circle of those who are t not easy about the city's future j E supply, and think that there is a case \ for exhaustive, and impartial inquiry- ' "The rapidity with which Auckland is growing ia a wonder to even the most optimistic," says Mr. Whitney. H ia ,j indeed, but we wonder whether the City j Council, in its preparations for the ( future, is talking growth sufficiently into ' consideration. Melbourne's present population is about three-quarters of a , miltton, but provision is being made for i an extension of its water supply to meetj I the needs of two million people. Pro- j ' ba-bly Auckland will have 200.000 irthabi-1. tants before Melbourne has two mil- j lions. The Melbourne consumption, by the way, go?>; up to 115 gallons per head i pe-r day in vary hot weather: Auckland's!, average consumption last year -was 571' gallons. The official statements made], about the Auckland supply do not strike' us as altogether satisfactory. In. December the Mayor said it hnd neeni suggested that the supply from the Wai-] takeres would not be sufficient to serve..; Auckland for very long. 'The Council, ' however, took the contrary view. Exhaustive tests had been made, and he wa-s sure that with proper development ■ and conservation the supplies from the j ■Waitakere ranges would be ,<ufficicnt for! many years." "Many years" is too vague.; Has the Council had any deSnite e»ti- ( mate from its expert* of the mate time fur which the completed, •scheme w ; ll be sufficient for the city?. Who made these exhaustive tests? What! may he expected from the Iluia watershed, and what would be the cost 'if, pumping? Has the Council's engineering department considered what the re<|inre | ments of Greater Auckland will bo in the future, and whether and for hew i long tiie.se requirements can 'be satisfied from the Waitakeres? Already there is talk in the boroughs on the northern side of the harbour of having to go further alieM than Lake Takapuna for, water. What is the city's attiti.de to-! wards this problem? The city's engineer-J ing d-epartment seems to keep in the! background in discussions and state-1 ments on the water supply. We have no doubt its advice is sougnt, aji i its re-ports made use of, but the. public would like to Ihear more of what it d.ies and thinks. We again suggest t*>.it tne whole question of the future of frrentrr] Auckland's water supply should be fully : investigated. I