PURITY DEFENDED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 301, 21 December 1939, Page 10

PURITY DEFENDED.

DEVONPORT DISCUSSION.

appeal for patience

At/ the meeting of the Devonport Borough Council last evening the Mayor H - * • W- Meikle, protested against ■the publication of a picture of a bottle of water in the "Auckland Star" as, being evidence of the impurity of ® Shore water supply. "I Wish to assure the people of Devonport," sa,d Mr. Meikle, "that everything possible is being done to protect purity of supply. The mains «re being regularly flushed, the reservoir is clean, and the aerating plant of Lake Pupuke is in good working order." Mr. Meikle said that all complaints would be settled bv February, when the cycle of nuisance caused by minute organic life in the water would hayr been completed. He said that he fully appreciated the general inconvenience to the public, but li 3 asked them to have a little more patience, and all would be well. * n ., rep 'y t( > » question by Mr. Alaridge, the borough engineer, Mr. \ T. Griffiths, stated that the Devonport reservoir was last cleaned out five years ago. There was, however, no complaint as to its condition.

I At Mr. Meikle's request Mr. Griffiths explained that the "fishy" smell in Devonport water was caused by a minute organism call ad perineum, which dissipa ted itself in gas in water supplies. It resisted chlorination more stubbornly than an allied organism named ceratium wuch had permeated Lake Pupuk.about five years ago. In reply to a further query by Mr. Al lridge, the en-i neer admitted th f t the two organisms were similar in appearance, habits and efflu\ ia, and that their effects ou water were identical. He agreed that the

trouble with Pupuke water had a threefold character—vegetable growth in the lake, bacteriological phenomena and consequent chlorination, affecting its taste, odour and colour.

At a later stage Mr. S. S. Green gave notice that at the next meeting he would move that Takapuna should be notified of Devonport's intention to be relieved of any obligation in the matter of water supply to the neighbouring- borough. Mr. Green also moved that the borough engineer be instructed to prepare a full report on all works necessary to ensure ft sure and adequate water supply for Devonport.

. Mr. Aldridge protested against what he described as "flamboyant and extravagant statements," and claimed a breach of the standing orders in both proposed motions.

■ The Mayor ruled against Mr. Green, and agreed with Mr. Aldridge that the suggested course of action would be duplicating the investigations of Messrs. Vickerman and Ward, the two experts nominated by the Government who had been engaged by the North Shore Water Board to report on the water supply. Mr. Meikle undertook to expedite the production of this report.