POOR WATER PRESSURE

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 46, 23 February 1923, Page 8

POOR WATER PRESSURE

TAX ON RESERVOIR EFFECT OF USING GARDEN HOSES. Residents of the higher levels in Newtown and surrounding districts have found cause for complaint recently against the water service to their districts. The pressure of water has dimin. ished very considerably within the last few months, and at some periods of the day, it is stated, no water at all can be drawn from the taps. The supply ap : pears to be weakest in the morning, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., when little. more than a trickle is to be had, but frequently the service is inadequate at other times of the day. Other districts of the city are similarly affected, though perhaps not so acutely.

The explanation of the trouble is that the water pressure throughout the city is considerably below 'he normal. The customary pressure is about 1201b to the square inch, but to-day it was down to between 701b and 801b to the square iach. while a few days ago it was still lower. In rainy weather there is abundant water, to serve all parts of the city adequately, as all the reservoirs are then full. It is stated that there is .it present no .actual shortage of water, but there is a big drain _ in the evenings. upon the distributing reservoir at Bell road, and it does not get sufficient opportunity to fill up properly to fulfil its functions on the following day. The drain upon the reservoir is largely due to the fact that every night it has to supply the tanks at Miramar, and that in the earlyevenings the supply is considerably depleted through the use of garden hoses. If there were sufficient mains from the Morton Dam there would be no difficulty in supplying all parts of the city adequately at all times, but until the present water scheme, which provides for a new 21-inch aqueduct along the Hutt road, is completed, little hope can be held out that the service during the dry season will be any better. It was the serious menace that threatened the city as a result of too frequent use of garden hoses that prompted the Mayor a few weeks ago to draw attention to the need for conserving the water supplies.