WHY is there still a water shortage? Millions of gallons of water have been wasted and I do not mean through burst pipes, leaks and consumers using water frivolously.

For as long as I can remember we have always had wet summers and wet winters. After all, the reason Blackburn exists at all is because the damp atmosphere, good water supply and high rainfall were ideal for the textile industry.

With planning and foresight, more reservoirs should have been built to collect this surplus water. Then, in a drought, we would have ample supplies of water.

Water is a natural resource of this area and we should be exporting it, not having hose pipe bans.

KELLY LOFTHOUSE, Fecitt Brow, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.