THE CITY WATER SUPPLY. MORE COMPLAINTS FROM THE HIGH LEVELS.

Evening Post, Volume LII, Issue 1175, 15 December 1896, Page 2

THE CITY WATER SUPPLY. MORE COMPLAINTS FROM THE HIGH LEVELS.

The Public Works Committee of the City Council was again agitated last evening with the question of supplying the high levels of the city with water for household purposes. Messrs. Penty and Martin Kennedy both wrote on the subject, complaining that at Salamanca-road the water supply was quite insufficient. The City Engineer reported on the subject, stating that until the high and low level supplies were separated he did not see how it was possible to give effect to the request of the residents of Salamanca-road for water in the upper stories of their dwellings. In thg t endeavour to supply Messrs. Kennedj' and Hislop by putting on an increased pressure, several bursts in the mains occurred, which, besides being costly, caused a heavy waste of water, which was a serious matters He had therefore declined to continue these attempts to carry the water to the very high levels. Mr. Martin Kennedy, in a letter antici-' pating the report, said that for two days neighbours tvho were tenants of his had been in want of water, although they paid rates, and were connected with the mains. To deprive tlie liigh 'levels of a regular water supply after being connected with the nmiflSj aud having provided the proper patent waterclosets on' "eaoh of the preiriises,' would be ruinous to such property. He suggested that perhaps the- breaks mentioned occurred through want of judicious working in shut ting off and opening. He, pointed out also' thai ..supply or pressure fjrouji the Wainui should be as effective now as It was in winter, for, hevwas informed the.re was no lack of supply in the i dam, and therefore it was evident there was a waste of water. Ha suggested that high level* should be' pnl y supplied on%h'e foliowhi^'feysteins :"-^Puttine' the consumption on I 'the. meter service,; 1 turning on the Karori' supply once or twice weekly to fill tanks, provided at private cost, or laying a special service fqr the high levels. „ , . „ Councillor Lindsay asked if' the Council could not supply the water. The City Engineer said that 12 months ago, when Mr. Kennedy was building these houses, he was told that no guarantee could be given of supplying them with water. They could get the water on the lower story of the building, but not in the tanks upstairs. This was the complaint — that the water had to be carried upstairs. Councillor Lindsay said he was glad to hear that they could get water at all. In answer to Councillor M'Gill, the Engineer said the water mams in this vicinity were not joi fihe.-best .quality, and would not stand the niguest pressure. Councillor Betine aefeed* if flic Engineer could explain "how -it was that the water was now failing at the high levels on Mount Victoria. The Engineer attributed this partly to the large quantity _of wateir nolv used for machinery. The only means of remedying this was to authorise the keeping on of the Karori supply. Councillor Barber said the only remedy was to have larger water mains to the city. There was plenty of water at Wainui, but the pipes were not large enough to bring the water here. Councillor Anderson urged that a water storage reservoir should be built near the Botanical Gardens to supply the high levels — the water to be pumped up to the reservoir. Councillor Devine asked if the Engineer had any scheme wherewith to meet the requirement* of the City during the summer months. Unless something was done they would hear about it. The Engineer explained that year after year he had brought down a report on the subject and a scheme to remedy any shortage. The pressure in the summer was not less than in the winter, but it was the wilful waste and extravagance that caused the shortage — the waste on gardens and fountains, &c, that was going on all the summer. If the Karori supply was turned on for two or three hours every evening it would supply all the high levels excepting the Salamanca-road, which required a specially high pressure, which the pipes in that locality would not stand. Councillors generally appeared to agree that the waste of water on gardens, &c, was the chief cause of the shortage, and it was decided to recommend to the Council that a notice be inserted in the newspapers warning the public against wasting the water in watering gardens, &c. Regarding Mr. Martin Kennedy's letter, it was decided to recommend that the Council inform him that an endeavour would be made to supply his lower levels with water, at the same time as the other high levels of the city. Mr. F. J. Pinny wrote regarding a supply of water as far as the Town Belt, in the direction of Boseneath. It was decided to recommend that this matter would be considered when a water main was laid in Grassstreet. • 4 It was decid.J to recommend that the application of the Athletic Park Company for an increased water supply be granted.