CITY WATER SUPPLY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11730, 3 November 1903, Page 5

CITY WATER SUPPLY.

FURTHER DISCUSSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. The City Council last night further discussed matters connected with the proposed high pressure water supply. It was decided that the vote on the proposed loan should be taken over the whole city, and not in each separate ward as originally proposed. Cr. Pearce's motion to rescind the resolution to the effect that the source of supply should be from artesian wells, was negatived, only two councillors supporting it. No arrangements were made for holding the public meeting at which the scheme should be placed before the

ratepayers. The Mayor, in proposing the rescinding of the resolution that the poll bo taken m each ward separately and the acceptance of the scheme be dependent on the i>oll in the Central Ward being in favour of it, said he had given his reasons for his motion in a- memorandum which councillors had received. The water supply question was one. that the city as a whole was interested in, and if they started with special areas and special rates they would be laying up trouble for their successors. The fact that the district fund would be the security for the loan necessitated the vote being taken of the areas as a whole.

Cr. Iladtield seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Cr. Pearce moved—" That the resolution passed on September 21st, that the source of supply be from artesian wells, be rescinded." He said he was in favour of a high pressure water supply scheme, but he taought before any expenditure was made, or wen before the proposals were submitted to the ratepayers, the Council should prove conclusively tnat the artesian water is there in sufficient quantity. He instanced several eases where wells had ceased te How or did not now rise to the height they once did. A well at the Rev. P. J. Cocks's place hud fallen two feet in ten years, one at the manager's' house. Cashmere, had fallen three feet, in the same period, one at the. Convalescent Home had fallen the same distance in the same period, and others had similarly decreased. Captain Hnlton had stated 'that shallow wells decreased in the height to which they rose from to 2ijin per year, and deep weils, from sin, roughly, per year. It would not be right for the Council to do anything that might ailed existing wells until they showed that the wells they proposed sinking would not interfere with the present artesian supplies. Cr. Cooper seconded the motion, and said that there was no doubt that for many years the artesian supply had been going down. He wa.s the possessor of nine wells, some situated in the highest, and some in the lowest, parts of the city, and they were all giving out. In the circumstances, to ask the ratepayers to spend £150,000 on an artesian supply was simply ridiculous. It would be wrong to the present owners of wells if the Council obtained its supply from artesian wells. '1 ho highest authorities had advised that the Waimakariri was the proper source for a water supply. Cr. Grav pointed out that the larger portion of the expense in connection with the scheme "was for tho reticulation of the city, mid this expense would have to be met, no matter where the supply was obtained from. .Supposing the artesian supply did give out, they would have had the use-of it for a largo number of years at a small outlay—all they would lose woidd be the cost of the pumping station. Ho contended that there was a superabundant supply of artesian water, and that at present there was water from artesians going to waste which would supplv a much larger city than Christchurcii. Cr. Beswick said that it was admitted that the water pressure from belcw, is not now so great as it once was. Those who advocated the Waimakariri did not realise that tho longer a scheme, such as that now proposed, was delayed, the more the underground pressure would be reduced by the sinking of hundreds of wells. What they wanted to do was to stop the further sinking of wells in the city, and to teach the people to conserve their supplies. The cost of sinking wells hi the city was, he considered, about five times ae much as would be required to pay interest on the water suppiy loan. Nearly every Councillor was elected to secure a high pressure water supply, but they had done little so far towards it. Whilst all information possible should be given the electors, they had shown very clearly that they were in favour of a water supply. Cr. Lougluian thought it was extremely wrong to argue that because water in artesian wells did not rise to the height it once did, the supply was giving out. If Cr. Pearce could produce figures to show that there was any failure in the supply they would be pertinent to the question. Cr. Sorensen pointed out with regard to new buildings going up in the city that they would require wells, and these would supply more water than was proposed to be pumped under the scheme. He contended that there was an ample artesian supply. Cr. Carey expressed regret that Cr. Pearce had left the matter to such a late stage. Their engineers reported in favour of the artesian supply, and he thought they could safely say there would be sufficient water from that souroe to serve them, their children, and their children's children.

Or. Hadfield regretted that Cr. Pearce had not earlier taken the <?ame keen interest in the question of water supply that lie now took. The committee had discussed the matter for nearly six months, yet during that period Cr. Pearce had only attended one meeting of the committee*. It was impossible to give proof of the permanency of the artesian supply until they undertook the scheme. The Mayor thought he would have little difficulty in satisfying Cr. Pearce that they could get an ample supply from artesian wells. He had a letter from Mr T. Danks, who estimated that 560 wells were being put down yearly, and estimated the amount going 'to waste at 19,000,000 gallons daily. Allowing for a consumption of nineteen gallons per head, there was water enough for a population of on© million persons. He suggested that experiments as to the wasto from artesian wells, could be conducted in connection with the Council's existing wells. Of the £150.000 that the scheme was to cost, £123,500 was for the reticulation of the city, and it did not matter, so far as that expenditure was concerned, where the supply came from. Cr. Parsons, in support of the contention that the artesian supply was ample, referred to the fact that several natural springs were at present running to waste into the Heatheote, and could. be tapped if the Council's proposed wells gave out. Cr. Pearce, in reply, said if the artesian wells proposed to bo sunk failed, they would have their chief main in the wrong position. He had not stated that he was in favour of "the Waimakariri supply; he was simply opposed to the scheme being put to the ratepayers until the Council wss satisfied that the artesian supply was ample. H 9 had only been absent from two meetings of the Water Supply Committee, and his absences were unavoidable.

The motion was lost by 12 votes to 2 C'rs. Pearce and Cooper only voting for itThe Mayor said he presumed it was too late that night to discuss fixing the date for the public meeting. Probably it would be best to postpone the matter till next meeting. The Council concurred in this view.

At an earlier stage of the proceedings Cr. Cooper gave notice to movo on November 16th—'That before proceeding further with the high prefaure water supply scheme prepared by Messrs Dobson and Cyrus Williams, this Council tako the opinion of Mr Hancock, the hydraulic engineer now visiting the colony from America, under engagement to the New Zealand Government."