OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 March 1940, Page 6

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

OUR WATER SUPPLY (To the Editor.) Sir,—l think it must be generally admitted that tinder present conditions it is essential that restrictions be placed on the indiscriminate use of the town water during the summer months. This does not mean, however, that the townspeople should bo satisfied to let conditions remain as they are. After all. the Mayor and councillors are elected to carry out the wish of the majority of the ratepayers, who. if not satisfied, have the remedy in their own hands. There is no getting away from the fact that the present water supply is inadequate in quantity and poor in quality. This in a district with millions of gallons of good water daily going out to sea. The present situation is due to several factors which may be put briefly as follows: <l> The growth of the town since the present system was installed: (.2) the addition of the Lansdowne area to one already insufficiently served: (3) a totally inadequate reticulation system; (4) an intake and settling pond at too low a level. To get a sufficient pressure the source of origin must be much higher than the highest draw-off point, and even then it will be feeble if the quantity is insufficient. The fifth factor is a definite stand by some ratepayers against any increase in the rates, even for essential services.

Various remedies have been suggested. The Mayor has a fancy for meters. These, of course, will not provide a pint of extra water for the borough, and will simply allow the wealthier members of the community to water their lawns and hydrangeas while those less fortunate will hardly be able to finance the watering of their vegetables, and will also suffer from the heavier draw-off of their more fortunate neighbours. On the other hand, if in spite of meters it is necessary to impose restrictions, as it will be. why go to the expense of meters at all? Moreover all the meters in the world will not push any water up the pipe to the top of Lansdowne, whore the shortage is felt most badly. The scheme to line the present mains is supposed to supply an increase of 30 per cent on our present supply. Unfortunately this will not make water run up hill and it is more than doubtful whether another 30 per cent will supply a reasonable pressure for fire control, apart altogether from the garden question. It is no use tinkering with the system. The whole business must be dealt with sooner or later, and why not make it sooner? We require a new intake, a new settling pond and a duplicated main and there will be no permanent improvement until we get them. The intake must be higher "up the river, the settling pond oh a much higher level than at present. These two things will give the requisite pressure provided a duplicate main will produce the quantity of water. We don’t waht to mend the present unsatisfactory position but to end it —I am. etc., F. C. BROCKETT Masterton. March 4. THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE , (To the Editor.) Sii’. Judging from the tone of. and the amount of letters appearing in your journal lately. Masterton possesses its quota of people who are always looking for something to growl about. The short water supply, together with the action of some of our citizens who want to use more than then- share, has provided a subject for these critics. But in their anxiety to pick somebody to pieces, they seem to have overlooked the main facts of the case. the question of an improved waler supply has been voted on before, and the people said: "We don't want a better water supply; leave it as it is " In other words a loan to improve our water supply was turned down bv the people themselves. Then why blame anyone else? The councillors have an unthankful task to peiform in -their duties as councillors. and it is to be hoped that some ol these critics will, when the election comes around, endeavour to become councillors themselves. Would it. not be better to do something in the interests of the town, than to stand off and growl about the other fellow 9— I am, etc., A NON-GROANER. Masterton. March 4.