Complaints Of "Beasties" In Hospital’s Water Supply

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29263, 22 July 1960, Page 12

Complaints Of " Beasties" In Hospital’s Water Supply

(New Zealand Press Association)

INVERCARGILL, July 21. Mothers, babies, and nurses at the Tuatapere Maternity Hospital were being made sick by the water supplied to the hospital for drinking, Mrs T. M. Watson told the Southland Hospital Board today- .. Patients drawing a bath at Riverton Hospital found thousands of “little beasties” swimming round in the water, said Mr W. A. Soper. . Water for drinking was being carted to the hospital at Tuatapere because of the sickness, said Mrs. Watson. She said the staff and patients would be quite happy if a tank to catch rainwater was erected. “It’s unreasonable for babies to be getting sick,” Mrs Watson said. The “beasties” in the drinking and other water at Riverton Hospital were fresh water shrimps, said Mr M. W. Grandtham. They passed through the water-filters in egg form and hatched in the pipes. The only way to get rid

of them was to put in better and bigger filters. “They shouldn’t be there. The whole water system is wrong. Something will have to be done immediately,” said Mr Grantham. It was time all small towns began schemes to supply adequa*'. clean water, said Mrs Watson. She said even tanks were not the answer. “Drinking waiter which has drained off roots is looked upon in other countries as a filthy habit,” she said. Mr G. D. Cochrane: That’s right when you consider what goes on roofs.

Miss C. G. Porteous said she had been told that two bores would give the Riverton Hospital an adequate and clean water supply and would do away with the “crayfish” which bred in the springs from which the water was drawn. The secretary (Mr T. H. Milas) said the Health Department had approved, after three years’ consideration, a scheme to enclose the water source. This would stop sunlight getting to the water and would d-o away with the algae and insects, which could not breed without sunlight. The board decided to approach its consultant, Mr F. M. Corkhill, to see what could and should be done.