24 JANUARY 1958, Page 16

BERKSHIRE'S WATER SUPPLY

SIR,—Buckingham is not the only place where fan- tastic waste of public money is being planned. Against strong opposition, the Ministry is trying to impose a wholly artificial water scheme on the county of Berkshire, with the usual pleas of standardisation and greater convenience (for the bureaucrats).

In this area the chalk downs are one vast under- ground reservoir, yet elaborate repiping with five- inch mains from a county centre is the first action planned by the proposed board. No estimate of the cost has been made, although the Bill is already in Parliament—but it cannot be less than £11 million.

It would be difficult to find a more complete and cynical example of unnecessary extravagance (or would it be easy?).—Yours faithfully,

T. P. LAWRENCE

The Old Rectory, Farnborough, Wantage„Berkshire