SUPPLIES OF WATER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 306, 27 December 1928, Page 7

SUPPLIES OF WATER.

REPORT BY MR. S. I. CROOKES.

REPLY BY MB. E. H. POTTER.

COMPARISONS WITH SHEFFIELD.

''It is unfortunate that the city; authorities have never had any confidence in the future growth of Auckland, with the result that with the water supply they are constantly short of requirements for areas already reticulated, and unable to cope with the potential demands of the outer suburbs," said Mr. E. H. Potter this morning, in criticising the report on water supplies presented to the last meeting of the Auckland City Council by Mr. S. I. Crookes, who examined various water supplies when away from New Zealand.

"There are several points in Mr. Crookes' report which axe of interest," said Mr. Potter. "In his examination of English towns for the purpose of comparison with Auckland, he selected Sheffield, where he says the population is about five or six times that of Auckland. Sheffield is noticeable as the town where consumption was brought down to a low figure by the employment of a small army ot inspectors. Its population if 523,600, less than three times the population of Auckland who wish to take water. Mr. Crookes says their reservoir capacity is 7,500.000,000 gallons against Auckland's 1,050,000,000 gallons. Mr. Crookes considers that this points to the necessity for increased storage, but why provide increased storage when water can be had from the Waikato, or from Arapuni, or later Taupo. As Auckland is growing at present, it is obvious that mountain streams "with inadequate gathering, areas can be nothing but a temporarv stop-gap, and the building of additional dams for them is a waste of money. Mr. Crookes says that Sheffield is obtaining estimates for an additional supply of over -7,000,000 gallons daily, so that although they are already in a much better position than Auckland, they consider it necessary to provide further water. What would they do if they were situated as we are*? The estimates both for Sheffield and Auckland are estimates of cost only; in addition, the supply from Maung&tawhiri is but an estimate, and the figure Mr. Crookes gives will hardly be borne out by II r. Bush. According to Mr. Crookes, British towns consider that it is well to look ahead for 40 years in estimating future requirements. We should take note of this, for we have never been fonr years ahead of requirements." Mr. Potter said he approved of the suggestion that all the local bodies should work together in regard to the water problem, and it was to b'e regretted that previous efforts in that direction had been resisted by officii*-, of the Auckland. City Council.