CITY ENGINEER'S REPORT ON LEITH POLLUTION.

Evening Star, Issue 16990, 12 March 1919, Page 3

CITY ENGINEER'S REPORT ON LEITH POLLUTION.

TO THE EDITOR, Sir,—The City Engineer's report has now been published, and so it is open to criticism. To make my story coherent, I may state that during all the years I have lived in Dunedin I have visited the bushlande and waste lands around the City with some friend as opportunity Offered, in order to study the crust of the earth and the native birds and plants common to our district. This hobby has led me to visit many odd corners I would not otherwise visit. During the last 12 months my observations hiiyo been principally confined to the Leith "Valley, which I have visited about once a month, and on each occasion I inspected the Morrison's Creek and Leith intake pipes, and found them working. This will explain to some citizens the odd corners in which they may have met me from time to time. Now to the report. Paragraph 1 says: "No dirty water is allowed into the pipes at all." "Answer : How can that be provented if nt any time the Leith water is permitted to enter? Now, I and my witnesses saw the Leith water enter the pipe, and the Leith water at the intako pipe is polluted water at all times. Nos. 2 to 6 paragraphs require no comment, as they are not material to the question of pollution. Nos. 7 and 8 make the astounding statement that the water in the main reservoir—otherwise Ross Creek reservoir—is stored therein for 50 days. Now, according to the engineer's estimate, Dunedin consumes 4,500,000 gal of water per day—vide my pamphlet on ' Dunedin : Its Water Supply,' page 8— and the figures therein were given me by the engineer. Then four and a-half millions into 50 millions gives us about a 10days' supply instead of a 50-days' supply, as stated by the engineer. Again, the whole storage capacity of the three Dunedin reservoirs is only 100.000.000ga1, or about a 20-davs' supply. Where now are the 50 days? ' if we havo a 50-days' supply in the Ross Creek reservoir, or, indeed, in the combined reservoirs of Dunedin, why trouble about bringing in the Lee Stream supply at an estimated cost of £130,000'.' Besides, the Leo Stream supply is of no value to us from a health point of view without enlarged reservoirs, and possibly nitration at a cost of well over £200,000. I directed attention to inaccuracies in the report when it was before the Water Committee last Friday, but neither engineer nor any member of the committee made nuv comment. Dr Faris's (the Health Officer) report is non-committal, while his statement regarding the 50-days' supply is shown to be incorrect. _ There is one point more —viz.. the daily inflow. This varies from 1,000,000 to 4,000,000 gallons daily, according to the state of the weather ; but as it is unsettled water it cannot be reckoned, and even if we did it would not alter the figures to anv appreciable extent. The proposal to purchase Booth's farm acknowledges guilt, and is a bankrupt policy. Why did the council spend £6,000 on this scheme 18 months ago if it was not intended to use the water? Whv was the water cut off \l no impurities existed? The evidence in the official reports conclusively shows that the Leith water is polluted, and so unfit for human use unless stored and filtered, neither of which things the council do. The whole question re our water supply is desperately in need of being handled by competent authorities. I am quite prepared to defend my part in this episode, and I have no doubt you can defend yourself. The question now resolves itself into the credibility of witnesses, and for the final decision it rests entirely in the hands of imperial C;esar—the great public. —I am, etc., Gordon- Macdoxald. March 12.