WATER FOR NORTH SHORE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22961, 12 February 1938, Page 12

WATER FOR NORTH SHORE

Once again the insufficiency of the water supply from Lake Pupuke has forced itself on the attention of the North Shore Borough's Water Board. A proposal to meet the position by diverting the waters of the Wairau Stream into the lake is to be placed before the councils concerned. Thus the admitted drawbacks of the lake supply would be supplemented by the reported drawbacks of the stream. The chairman of the board, Mr. H. F. W. Meikle, does suggest that the bacteria of the Wairau would help to cancel out the harmful organisms present in Pupuke. Such a suggestion serves to cast the most serious doubt on the health aspects of the scheme. Few would hope for the best from a bacterial war in their water supply if any reasonable alternative source offered. It is present in tho city supply from the Waitakere Ranges. Mr. J. Guiniven showed commonsense in recommending this easy alternative. Most of those who live or own property on the North Shore will agree that the time has come to abandon the present dubious source, to save money by ignoring dubious supplements, and to negotiate with the city for regular supplies that will be above suspicion. Birkenhead has shown the way. North' Shore has yet to realise the future to which its unique residential advantages entitle it. Nor will it do so until it arranges satisfactory services in respect to the fundamentals of water and drainage.