THE CITY WATER SUPPLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18049, 24 September 1920, Page 4

THE CITY WATER SUPPLY.

The decision of the City Council to make certain repairs to the Silverstream water race and to have two more reports on the city water supply cannot bo accepted ae other than a small contribution towards the final solution of this much-discussed question. The provision of an adequate water supply for the city has now been discussed in various aspects on innumerable occasions by the City Council and has also been the subject of many special reports. There is certainly much public interest in the views of Mr Slinger on the possibilities of procuring water in abundant quantities at a comparatively cheap cost for the reason that some of his friends have hmted that he has special knowledge on this phase of the question which is of great value to the city. In the meantime we must await Mr Sanger's own views on the matter. The decision of the City Council leaves several important points in abeyance. The report of the Water Committee, which fras considered at Tuesday evening's special meeting of the ccftmcil,. stated in plain terms that practically the whole 0 f its proposals were little better than the perpetuation of a makeshift policy, some of tho works proposed being undulv expensive. The committee saw no other prospect than the continuance of a policy of expediency for a further term, despite Its many drawbacks. The council deleted all such references from the Water Committee's report, but the mere deletion cannot alter the facts. Tho council also rejected tho proposals in connection with the proposed acquirement of tlm water in Flagstaff and Gow's Creeks. I his leaves the makeshift scheme even less reliable and sufficient. The excision of the committee's reference to Lee Stream would appear to be an indication that the council hesitates to endorse the opinion of its expert' advisers Messrs Couston and Williams told the Council very plainly that they did' not behevo in the makeshift policy In effect they say that the present watersheds are insufficient for our water supply. And, said Mr Williams,. "they might as well face matters at once and

spend a large sum of monoy rather than have again to face the question later on." Wo have on several occasions emphasised the fact, that oven when the makeshift programme has been completed,immediate steps will bo necessary to provide for a larger supply. With the inevitable adoption of the larger programme a considerable portion of tho expenditure on tho makeshift scliemo will be found to bo valueless and therefore wasted. It is possible, of course, that councillors desire to await tho additional reporbs before finally deciding on tho question. When theso are forthcoming tho average ratepayer will havo concluded that qui to sufficient monoy has been spent on reports, and that tho time has arrived for definite decision. In the meantime the Silverstream race will be repaired, wasto will bo prevented,- inquiries will be instituted as to machinery for cleaning tho Southern Reservoir of the silt deposit about which the engineers differ, and the city will go prospecting for subterranean water. Despite the multiplicity of reports and the volume of discussion an element of hazy uncertainty still pervades tho City Council. Two examples may be quoted from Tuesday evening's proceedings. Cr Green, chairman of the Water Committee, intimated in his statement to the council on the 15th inst. that tho estimated cost of tho Lee Stream "was £162,000—1et us call it £175,000 to cover advances made since the date of the estimate." That is generally supposed to provide for the major work so far within the purview of the council's consideration. Yet Cr Scott hints at some expenditure of £600,000, suggesting in some occult fashion that his statement forestalled something in the minds of the Water Committee. We have endeavoured to keep the issues clear, ancl the Water Committee and the council will be well advised to be perfectly frank with the ratepayers. In which scheme is an expenditure of £600,000 possible? Can Cr Scott explain? It is not surprising that the public is mystified by the confusing counsel tendered on the water supply question, especially when it is remembered that one councillor endeavoured at the close of the special meeting tp have the report referred back to the committee "because tho council was' not clear on the business." We are hopeful before the necessary far-reaching decisions are made by the council that the whole of the facts and the estimated maximum expenditure will be plainly placed before the ratepayers.