WATER SUPPLY PROBLEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17348, 20 December 1919, Page 10

WATER SUPPLY PROBLEMS.

~«. POSITION IN AUCKLAND. UNITED STATES' ENTERPRISE. Discussing the matter of the city water supply yesterday, the Mayor. "Mr. J. H. Gunson, said it was exceedingly disappointing to 'find, on his return from America, that progress in the construction of the Nihotupu dam had been so retarded. The Works Committee of the City Council had, however, done the best it could in the face of great difficulties during the last three years, and the council fully appreciated the fact. He had no doubt the auxiliary supply which the council had. in his judgment, very wisely provided for, would prove to be thoroughly justified. The relatively smalj cost was nothing in comparison with the security which would be afforded. He hoped to go out shortly with the committee and make a further examination of all the council's interests in connection with the water supply. The season had been an extraordinarily dry one, and in December, with' three months of dry weather ahead, in ordinary circumstances, the streams at Waitakere and Nihotupu were both down to a very low level. The seriousness of the position was realised by the council, and the best possible was being done consistent with a due sense of responsibility. Water supply problems were agitating the minds of municipalities all over the United States, said Mr. Gunson. They had abundant supplies everywhere, but Ihe question to be solved was" how to get the water mto the various cities He attended a meeting of the Board of Supervisors—equivalent to the City Council— sDfil5 D fil 9mm(?'* whe «J a contract ™as lefa. at £1,200000 for the construction of a dam in the high Sierras, 200 miles from S )e ct& , ft i y l°" e if tnc P° wei- themes, X,i° & h, «? h, y remunerative, were SH? te H?" 4f v el°Pment of a water 3 y J° *« city and district. This '. ' Wur, etc L a A i l materials, cement, I ■VWm-h&J**« d Xt nced > more than i,; " •vigorously nush?«„ h f L Americans were f i!s < at we 4 °* their large develop- . ... .../. ...7' *