AUXILIARY SUPPLIES OF WATER

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 259, 29 July 1941, Page 6

AUXILIARY SUPPLIES OF WATER

Wellington Fire-Fighting

RISING MAINS DRAW FROM HARBOUR

The development in Wellington of a system of rising mains tapping the water of the harbour (there are 11 of them between the Taranaki Street Wharf and the Glasgow Wharf) has given that section of the city which lies along the harbour front extra security as far as water supply is concerned, for by the use of the new form of trailer pump each of these mains can furnish a fine force of water, inexhaustible in quantity. This use of a new system of mains, drawing water from the harbour, is so important and yet so simple that the wonder is that it was not done many years ago, as an alternative to fresh water from the Wainui mains. The explanation is that it is only comparatively recently that the Wellington Fire Brigade has used power pumps at all. Before that, the brigade relied wholly on the pressure of the water in the ordinary mains which fed the city. Now the city has not only the harbour as an inexhaustible auxiliary supply of water, but a little investigation on the part of the superintendent, Mr. C. A. Woolley, disclosed another source in the storm-water culverts which run through the city and discharge into the harbour at different points. The access holes to these culverts are now plainly marked with a white ring to assist the brigadesmen in their duties at night. The culvert may be tapped with profit anywhere between Kent Terrace and Thorndon Quay, and right down in Aotea Quay, where the storm-water culverts of Wellington North run into the harbour, there is a wonderful auxiliary water supply available. The culverts at. the northern end of the city are so low in level as they traverse the reclaimed land between Thorndon and Aotea Quays that the tide backs into them without cessation; providing a supply of water that only requires pumping power to make it readily available for fire-fighting. There is one of these culverts not far from the Social Security building, and another not far from the floating dock.

Example of Coventry. ' How valuable are such sources of supply can best be judged .by what happened at Coventry (England), which had no alternative to the ordinary water mains and tanks for fire suppression during the German blitz last year. An article which appeared in the January issue of the National Local Government Officers’ journal, “Service,” dwells on the fire aspect of that tragedy, as follows: — “While the fire-fighting organization worked admirably, and ample equipment was sent from far and near, shortage of water proved a serious drawback. It would seem that even limited reliance on mains is dangerous, and the static supplies provided by street tanks are inadequate in a heavy raid. Some more substantial supply, in the form of artificial lakes and special big fire reservoirs are essentia’ in towns lacking rivers or natural lakes. Big factories should be required to instal adequate reservoirs themselves.” It is now proposed that as soon as necessary equipment is here a special demonstration of the whole of the 11 mains should be given, preferably on a Saturday afternoon, when there is little traffic about, and the public would have an opportunity of witnessing what the latest development in fire-fighting water services means.