Tony Dingle

Vital connections is an informative and enjoyable read. It covers not only Melbourne's water supply but sewage, metropolitan planning, drainage and other several areas. But like many "corporate histories", the coverage is relatively isolated and it is not good at placing it's subject in the broad context of what was happening in Melbourne and Victoria at particular times. The authors are also fairly uncritical of the MMBW, the book unquestioningly endorses corporate policy and barely acknowledges even minor errors of the Board made decades before the time of publication.

An example of the lack of context is that there is little background provided about the time before the creation of the MMBW. The reasons for it's creation are given, but nothing about water supply before 1890, it is as if the Yan Yean Dam and the pipes supplying water from it to the city and suburbs had existed since prehistoric times. The book could have greatly benefited from a short chapter that covered water supply and related areas for at least the 50 years preceding the creation of the Board. Likewise, little information is given to place the MMBW in the broader context of the issues affecting Melbourne and Victoria throughout the century covered by the book.

While the book attempts to be bipartisan, It is not difficult to work out which side of politics Dingle favours and in particular which prominent politicians he especially disliked. This political preference of the author somewhat colours his assessment of political issues in the 40 years before publication and is slightly disappointing for a book which aims to be a fairly straight narrative history rather than a 'peer reviewed' treatise pushing a particular viewpoint.

However these failings aside, the book is otherwise well researched and well written. The authors manage to make the most mundane issues like the search for reliable sewage pumping engines relatively interesting. Reading it is well worth the time for anyone interested in water supply or the history of Melbourne.… (mer)