WATER SUPPLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15834, 3 February 1915, Page 9

WATER SUPPLY.

Sir, — I am convinced that I can showthat the assertion " that the Waitakere Ranges are inadequate to supply Auckland with water" is quite erroneous. I built the Waitakere works for the City Council, and I was in the ranges for rive years and a-half, and from official data and observations during that period, I am positive that the Waitakere stream alone (the stream the council has drawn from) would supply a population of 100,000 people. The question is simply one of conservation only, and that is where the council's engineering staff failed. For the Waitakerei scheme, the total cost, including land resumption, was £150.000. Up to the present this represents one storage, dam of approximately 500,000.000 gallons- Additional storage capacity equal to 1,100,000.000 gallons has not been touched, notwithstanding the fact, that to reach, the stream necessitated the construction ot three miles of road from the Swanson railway station to the eastern foot of the ranges, two miles of heavy moun-tain-side cutting, tasides two tunnels, one of which is half-a-milt' long. This pave a command of the Waitakere stream at the top of the falls, at which point the great dam is huilt and the stream tapped. The normal flow of the stream is about a quarter of the daily consumption, so that the key to an adequate supply from that source must be conservation. The conservation capacity of the stream admits of three large dams with an approximate total of 1,600,000.000 gallons, as against 500,C00,«aX) at present. The winter flow would fill these dams 50 times over, and every gallon would flow into the city without the expenditure of one penny outside the cost of building the dams, the water from which would flow under control as wanted intc tho present dam. The whole of the works, including tho reservoir, pipe lines, etc., are well designed, and adequate, to deal with the extra delivery and storage. Summed up, the actual capacity of the Waitakere scheme is as follows ;Total storage capacity equals 1.600.000. gallons, normal annual dry weather flow equals 400.000,000 gallons, making a total of 2.000.000.000 gallons Allow 20,000 gallons per head annually, and you have a stored supply for 100,000 people from Waitakere alone. Grant tho Nihotupu works an equal capacity, when completed, and you have, when all storage : capacity is full, a year's supply for 200.000 people, without, any rainfall, and a daily consumption of 50 gallons per head. Arnold Wit.kins. Sir.—All ratepayers who consider the matter must heartily endorse your leading articles on our water supply. Two or three years ago wo were assured that when certain extensions then in hand were completed the city would have an ample water supply lor the next 15 years. Vet here is the position— we have a few weeks' dry weather the ratepayers are cautioned to be careful in the use of the water, and are prohibited from using any on their gardens, while the watering of our dusty streets has to be stopped. The position is ridiculous. And while this deplorable state of things exists, ratepayers' money is being lavishly spent on unnecessary parks and other fresh schemes. As if this were not enough, the City Council proposes to borrow money for workers' homes on the council property ii! Clarence Street, at a lime, too, when lliei'e are scores of empty houses and shops in every district. The. owners of these places find it hard enough to pay the rat.23 on them as it is, without having the council use the ratepayers' monev to enter into competition with them. "One 'Mild understand it if there were a monopoly, or unfair combination, on the part of property-owners to keep up rents; i but there is absolutely r.r> such monopoly or combination, rents being dei ided in open market, and being regulated in a perfectly natural way— supply and deand. 'I would like to suggest," that the council havi bores put down in \arioits places in the city and suburbs, on its properties and reserves. Why could the city lot have a number of auxiliary sources in this way to avoid drawing for everything on the sami water supply There are hundreds of springs right under our feet, .*-" to speak, as is proved by the thousands of wells that there used to be prior to the general water supply being inaugurated. Anyhow, whatever is done, or not done, a full and pure water supply for the people is absolutely esa.-ry. "Itisto be hoped I that your timely articles on the question I will have the desired effect. Whoever our i next Mayor may b\ as a ratepayer of the I city. I trust that ho and the council will j make this, and other necessary matters, l their first consideration, letting parks and I fre.-h schemes have a rest. Aqua.

Sir.— I road with pleasure your leader i'ii the above subject, and I think all garden lovers must heartily endorse all ■ your remarks. It seems rather absurd that ratepayers' money should be spent mi tlip acquisition of beauty spots such as Gillies Park, etc., and on their necessary upkeep and at the .-a me time private individuals have to watch their plants and shrubs wilt and die in their own gardens. Surely it would be far more practical, since our water supply is so inadequate, to restrain our desires for new paries and gardens, which must at least consume a fair amount of water and to have that much more for use in the gardens, which have taken years of hard work and cultivation. As matters now stand it is simply robbing Peter to I pay Paul. Parks are a very great acquisi-

tion to any city, and we should be sorry to he without them, but I certainly think an adequate water supply has a prior claim. If it were possible I should like to_ seo the water cut off first from the gardens of those gentlemen in the City Council who have been opposing schemes for a quick and adequate supply for all purposes. I have been informed that had the authorities taken the advice ten years ago of a competent engineer we should not now be in our present predicament. G.uiden Lovee.