Letter: Saving water: meters, permits, tankers and shared baths

From Mr T. J. Schaeffer

Sir: Michael Taylor (letter, 29 August) uses unsound logic in arguing against water meters because of the consequences for poor families with many children. There are arguments against the introduction of meters, but paying for what you consume is not one of them. There is no suggestion that the poor should not pay for bread on the basis of how many loaves they eat. If meters are introduced, there are other ways to safeguard the poor, eg increased children's allowances.

The antics of Yorkshire Water are a different matter. In Hong Kong in the 1960s, water was restricted to four hours, every fourth day! One part of the solution was to bring in water by tankers from China. If that was done there, it could be done here. One ultra-large tanker could deliver some 40,000,000 gallons from water-rich areas of the UK to Yorkshire. There would be difficulties, but not insurmountable. It is high time that Yorkshire Water started showing some initiative and appreciation of the problems of consumers, rather than just its own.

Yours faithfully,

T. J. Schaeffer

Sevenoaks, Kent

31 August