WATER PROBLEM

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 45, 22 February 1930, Page 10

WATER PROBLEM

COST THE HURDLE

GENERAL CHANGE ROUND

PRICE PER THOUSAND

(By "X.")

Looking back over the brief time that has elapsed since the beginning d£ the City and Suburban water supply idea, and the early position in comparison with the present, a curious topsy-turvy change in the attitude of certain of the contributing bodies Lower Hutt, Petone, to a less extent Eastbourne, and lastly the City Council—is strikingly apparent. Those who were loudest in their calls for water then say to-day that they can manage very well without water from the board, and the city, which then was, so to speak, "easy about it," has today been made to understand that a sity water shortage is probably; bo learly ahead that a fresh development must be undertaken with little delay if that shortage is to be avoided. The city, broadly speaking," was not responsible for the city and suburban scheme. It had its Wainui, Orongorongo and Karori schemes. in operation, and hopeful plans of' a greater Wainui valley dam as a next development. Actually, a start had been made with this proposed eight or nine-million gallon dam in the Wainui valley by the building of a high level road and the raising of the Orongorongo main for a considerable length as a preliminary to the building of the dam if it was needed. The city's position was apparently pretty right. ! FOE "GREATER WELLINGTON." The metropolitan scheme was rather born of an invitation from Lower Hutt, Petone, Eastbourne, and the Hutt County, for. the city to come into a full Wellington area supply scheme for the good of the whole community. There lay the opportunity, thanks to the Government's offer to make available a great catchment area, for . a water supply scheme for Wellington and its environs for all time, said the 3maller bodies; they were powerless to avail themselves of the great opportunity; would the city come in in the greater public interest? The city, still not concerned over 'her own water, needs, but impressed with the real and great possibilities of a combined water scheme, and, moreover,' at that time having a friendly feeling for the nearby areas, engendered by the Greater Wellington idea (arising, no doubt, from the success of the city and suburban paving plan, then at its height), acquiesced, but rather, at that moment, regarded the need for development a still good many years ahead. The city, as represented by the City Council, was taking the long view, the parental attitude. . "WE WANT WATER!" Once the scheme had bqen accepted and the pre-Parltamentary and Parliamentary wranglings were over things moved rapidly. Lower Hutt and Petone urged investigation and development without delay. Eastbourne had wanted help from the very start. Though still not realising any immediate need for augmentation of supplies—for was not the Orougorongo system, to supply Wellington for many years, still, but a few years in operation?—the city agreed, still in 'the interests, of tho .community,,as: a whole, .rather .than.;:in..a narrow; city interest alone. The late I Mr. J. M./Morice^wbo had just retired from tho position of Waterworks Engineer, was retained as advisory.engineer, investigations were put under, way,.and were later carried on by Mr. G. A, Hart, City Engineer, and his staff. By this time the city's attitude of mind had changed from regarding development as a need of the future to the thought that the scheme, must soon be availed of. Mr. Hart's report confirmed that thought with almost unpleasant definiteness. What he said, in effect, was that the. city's present water supply provision would prove inadequate in a brief five years (by 1934), and that the third big Wainui dam, proposed, was a less economic proposition than a development of the newsources of supply, the utilisation of water, from the upper reaches of the Hutt River being recommended as the first development. Truly the city's attitude changed from the early "greater community interest" feeling. "WE DON'T WANT WATER." ,' But the change of feeling on the parts of Lower Hutt and Petone (particularly Lower Hutt) was to be more abrupt. Front quite early in the piece Petone had asked and asked, again: What is this going to cost? The city, through the Mayor, and less often, through the city representatives, advised Petone not to be impatient; the cost could not be stated until details wore worked out. Lower Hutt asked the same question less insistently, and' Eastbourne prayed for water and hoped, silently, for a low price. The cost was announced. Lower Hutt looked into the matter closely; worked .out the cost of the water it could obtain from its present and more artesian wells; found that board water would run. too high, and announced its withdrawal on that account, and further announced that it could obtain all its requirements^ without the board's assistance. Petone followed on almost precisely, the same'lines, and was equally definite that'board water would be far too dear and that Petone's artesian wells, plus what water might be available from Korokoro, would be ample. Eastbourne is the third to say definitely that the price is too high, and, • presumably, the next step will bo for this borough to withdraw regretfully from the scheme as at present formulated. . . ' Lower Hutt and Petone,' the two boroughs which in' the early stages of the scheme were insistent for more water now assert that they are well placed for years to come, and. Lower Hutt, so well to the fore in. these, early representations, may prove its happy position as regards plentiful water by supplying Eastbourne. : And the city, earlier being'persuaded to do the fatherly thing, to come in and help the little fellows who could not see a way .out of really pressing difficulties, to-day finds that alie will need more water so few years ahead that a start should be made with some new scheme right away. Truly circumstances (meaning cost per thousand gallons) greatly alter cases. VESTED IN THE CITY. In the early stages of the Water Board negotiations, it will be recalled, there was strong opposition from some quarters over the proposal that the catchment area lands, should be vested in the City Council, but the council insisted. Just what would have been the position to-day had the opponents of this adopted policy been successful and the lands had been vested in- a board representing the city, Hutt, Petone, Upper Hutt, Eastbourne, • and Hutt County? Assuredly then the case would have been difi/reht —given. a permanent mould, in fact, less readily; reshaped by the price per thousand gallons. , :;