NORTH SHORE WATER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20176, 9 February 1929, Page 14

NORTH SHORE WATER.

Sir, —The article in Thursday's Herald describing variations in '.he levels 'of Lake Pupuke is apparently somewhat in error as to levels in the pasi. and so lends to create a feeling of security which is not warranted. Instead of the old normal level being about 7gft. above tho sea, it was in the neighbourhood of 14ft.; a chart in tho Takapuna Council office shows a level of 13ft. 9in. in 1905. That the level now is the same as at this time last year is not satisfactory, when one considers the difference in the rainfall of the two seasons At this time last year the city reservoirs were throe-parts empty, and the Western Springs were being drawn on to tho full capacity of the pumps, while this year the reservoirs are full. If Lake Pupuks shOw£ a level t no higher than a year ago ths position is one lor anxiety and not complacency. What will bo the position when we have a series of years as much below tho average in rainfall as the past three or four havo been above, especially as the consumption must increase with tho growth of population and the installation of drainage in Takapuna, Northcote. and . Birkenhead ? To thoughtful people in touch with the facts, there seems an urgent need for the Water Board to take/ some definite step to. secure a permanent sufficient supply arid I for, one, have not yet heard of any other scheme likely to be as generally satisfactory as the Waitakere proposition put forward by ' Mr, Powell. A. M. Seaman - .