DISCUSSION

Mr H. C. Bowen (Chief Engineer, Thames Conservancy) said that the Minister of Housing and Local Government was empowered by the Act of 1958 to vary compensation water in emergencies due to drought. When such emergencies occurred, it could be difficult to decide what reduction in compensation water was justifiable. If the reduction were insufficient, public supplies would be put in peril. If it were excessive, compensation water would be curtailed, possibly for long periods, while the associated reservoir was not drawn down to the extent that it could be, and should be. Moreover, the decision had to be made without foreknowledge of the river flows to be experienced during the emergency.