Mava Scott, the head of communications for Water Affairs, has called for teamwork in attacking the problem ("Teamwork is needed, not water conspiracy theories", Letters, July 13).

Her letter ended on an unnecessarily negative note when she complained about certain parties' "grandstanding" in their continuing exposure of this serious national problem.

She needed, rather, to acknowledge the government's culpability in not having taken this problem seriously way back when it first became aware of it.

It is public and media pressure that has forced the authorities to get a move on.

It would have been more appropriate for Scott to have acknowledged the authorities' role in allowing the pollution problem to get out of hand.

It is the government's inability and sluggishness to take action long ago that has led to the continued deterioration of our water standards.

In the most recent example, Carolina was the area in need of repair.

And Scott calls for teamwork.