WATER ALL AROUND

Evening Star, Issue 19856, 3 May 1928, Page 15

WATER ALL AROUND

AND ENOUGH FOR HOSING WORK ON THE CASTLE STREET MAINS “ P.ienty of water.” That was what Cr Begg (chairman of the Water Committee )told the City Council last night. Tho change from a shortage to plenty was the result of the rains of the past fortnight, amounting to din. Cr Begg said Boss Creek was practically full, and it was expected to be soon overflowing. The Southern Reservoir was within a few inches of the top, and flic Powder Creek pump had been closed down for the season. “ I hope/’ continued Cr Begg, “that tho worries and troubles of the water department are at an end, at least for this season if not for some time.”

Cr Begg also said be would like to express his own thanks and the thanks of the water department to the great majority of citizens who had assisted by refraining from using their hoses. They knew that there was a minority of citizens who used their hoses in spite of tho restrictions. Those people had very little consideration for their fellow-citi-zens on the higher levels. Cr Black asked if the water department had any other place whore it could erect a dam like the Sullivan dam so as to catch the water when it rained. Cr Mitchell said the council had decided wherever possible to do work by contract. Could the water department not have done tho work of laying two pipes in Castle street by that method ? That job had been publicly discussed, and it had been said tho men were not working as they should. From what he had seen himself the complaints were well founded. That job seemed to him to be suitable for contract. Cr Begg said the question of further storage for water was being investigated by tho engineer and his officers, and would be fully embodied in his report when it was ultimately presented. He thought personally that the work ol putting in mains should not be sub-let, but should be done by their own men. .However, it was a matter for the committee. He would like to say that the work in question had been done under the actual estimate. In regard to the work of the men, he had received a report from the inspector, who said that those on tho job were of a very good stamp, and were picked men who had been in the service a long time. The inspector was quite satisfied with the work done.