ARTESIAN WATER

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 119, 13 February 1935, Page 10

ARTESIAN WATER

Possibilities in Wellington City LIKE CHRISTCHURCH During a period of aggravated shortage, when people are prohibited from using the household hose and are even warned to go slow in the matter of baths, it is no wonder that some people begin to think of alternative sources of supply to those provided by the Wellington City Corporation. The corporation is now taking steps to augment its open-air mountain river supply with artesian water from the subterranean streams under Gear Island, an unfailing source which has never let the people of the Hutt Valiey down. There is no cheaper supply of water in the world than that offered by the vast untapped sources of artesian water, and there is an ample supply of artesian water under Wellington city. At least, wherever it has been tapped there has been a satisfactory and unfailing flow. There are at least two large industries which at present obtain all the water they require from their own artesian wells right; in the heart of Te Aro flat. These are owned by Messrs. Thompson, Lewis and Co., and the Macarthy Brewery. Mr. Lewis said yesterday that there had been not the slightest diminution in his supply during the long dry spell. Probably if a hundred wells were sunk in the same vicinity there would be no diminution in quantity; so that, if the worst came to the worst, Wellington might be able to live on artesian water in much the same manner as Christchurch.