A public meeting will be held tomorrow night to discuss the Waimea water augmentation project. Laura Basham reports on progress on the $25 million plan to supply more water to the Waimea Plains, Richmond and potentially Nelson.

Sir, Your July 21 news item concerning the Tasman "burn-offs'' resulting in 261 complaints casts serious doubt on the ability of the Tasman District Council to protect our environment. Over several weeks, smoke from the Carter Holt burn-off was taken out to sea in the morning at a low level.

By BLOOMBERG, Simon AT A GLANCE Livestock numbers in Tasman recorded by the Agricultural Production Census in 2002 and 2007 2002 2007 Numbers Numbers % change Sheep 356,000 348,000 -2.2 Dairy cows 67,000 64,000 -5.4 Beef cattle 49,000 51,000 +4.9 Deer 32,000 21,000 -35.9 ------- ------------- Sheep farms and apple orchards in the Tasman region are giving way to the march of vineyards, the latest Statistic New Zealand agricultural production census shows.

Rain has brought only minor relief to the parched Waimea Plains, and water rationing will remain at the levels already introduced.

Bursts of heavy rain over the past few days have led the Tasman District Council to ease water restrictions.