DEMAND FOR WATER

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28758, 2 December 1958, Page 16

DEMAND FOR WATER

Record City . Consumption While water rationing has not been necessary so far in Christchurch, the City Council last evening urged the public to be reasonable in its water demands. “The extremely dry season has laid an unseasonable heavy demand on the supply pumping plant and also upon the time of the waterworks staff after normal working hours,” the waterworks committee reported. “While the committee does not wish to suggest that any restrictions be placed on the watering of gardens, it is felt that a considerable amount of water is being wasted because of faulty fittings and carelessness. Excessive sprinkling, leading to flooding of paths, both public and private, and sprinklers so adjusted as to be useless are both common forms of unjustifiable waste of an asset which may not be as unlimited as is sometimes thought, and which . coats public money to pump and distribute." The committee added that some water supply authorities had already imposed water rationing. On November 22, a Saturday, a consumption of 22,443,000 gallons was reached, and on the previous Saturday the figure was 21,216,000 gallons. The previous maximum was 21,269.000 gallons used on January 16, 1956.