Moss, Worms In Water

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30478, 27 June 1964, Page 1

Moss, Worms In Water

Decomposing organic matter, sea mats and thread-like eel worms have been recovered by the Health Department from the Heathcote water supply-

Samples of the water have been sent to the Lyttelton Borough Council—the supplier—with’ a full report on the position which the department describes as being “far from satisfactory.”. The Heathcote County Council has complained to the Borough Council on several occasions during the last two years about foreign matter in the water supply and this was last done in March after complaints had been received from residents of Heathcote Valley. Last week, the district medical officer of health (Dr. L. F. Jepson) instructed one. of his inspectors, Mr J. L. O’Callaghan—who is also the borough- health inspector—to investigate. According to the report, he found a considerable growth of a moss-like substance in a brick sump by one of the supply wells which was later identified as bryophytes, a moss that grows in wet conditions where light can penetrate. A black material found below the water line in the sump was caused by decomposing vegetation from the same source. Worms From Tap A sample obtained from a household tap at 34 Flavell street contained, in addition to decomposing bryophytes, some minute round or threadlike eel-worms called nematodes. The tap had been run at full power for about 30 seconds before the sample was taken.

A further sample, which was taken from inside the balance tanks by the wells contained bryozoa—a name given to sea mats and corallines which are a division of a small aquatic animal.

The bryozoa, the report said, was in a stage of .hibernation awaiting warmer weather for further such development of its life cycle. “Although normal routine water . samples from this supply have proved to be free of coliform organisms, thus indicating a reasonably .safe water supply bacteriologically speaking, the presence of this decomposing organic matter in the supply is far from satisfactory and must inevitably give rise to many complaints,” the department told the council. “Hardly Pure”

“You will appreciate that Section 240 of the Municipal Corporations Act 1954 places the onus upon your council to supply pure water to the district and I think you will agree that water containing the foreign matter . . . can hardly be considered to be pure.”

The departm nt said it would be necessary for the borough council to remove the moss growth from the complete system. Any reservoirs should then be adequately covered to exclude all light to prevent further growth. “Once the vegetation is prevented growing there will be no food for the minute animal life and this will also automatically disappear. Very probably, it will be necessary to construct a new sump and if so, it would be advisable to do this in concrete with a properly-constructed lid." The report, which was received at a meeting of the Heathcote County Council on Thursday evening, said Dr. Jepson intended discussing the matter with the chairman of the borough council’s health and sanitation committee, Dr. N. D. Walker. The report also asked permission for Mr O’Callaghan to attend last Monday’s meeting of the council so that he could give councillors a clear picture of the position and the need for urgent remedial measures.

Mr O’Callaghan was in attendance at the meeting but’left after the council had been in committee for 55 minutes to discuss the undisclosed contents of a letter from the department.