BOROUGH WATER SUPPLY

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 December 1934, Page 6

BOROUGH WATER SUPPLY

REPLY TO COMPLAINTS. “I can assure you that there is nothing in the water to affect consumers injuriously,” said the Borough Engineer (Mr A. J. Fairmaid) to-day, when questioned by a “Star reporter, regarding complaints which have been made regarding the- Borough water-supply. It has been stated that the water is being pumped from the river, and not froin the usual wells. This is definitely denied by Mr Fairmaid. He explains that pumping from the river did occur one day last week, but only for two hours, when the gas engine was being tested, to make sure it was in order if required in case of emergency. The water supply is drawn by electric-pumping from the wells in the river-bed, as has been done regularly during the past five or six years. There is no shortage of water, so far, said Mr Fairmaid, although the amount being consumed is much greater than usual. The consumption is equal to emptying the reservoir approximately every 30 hours. The reservoir will hold 800,000 gallons, and the draw-off is between 600,000 and 700,000 gallons per day. With regard to a complaint that the water is very “hard,” this is admitted, but it is explained that the conditions are the same during every spell of dry weather such as now prevails. The river becomes low, and there is a greater inflow of spring water from the surrounding limestone country. This spring water contains minerals, and their presence accounts for the unusual taste of the water. Exactly similar circumstances ruled in June, 1931, and a sample of the water was analysed by the Government Analyst at Christchurch. He reported that, apart from its hardness, there was nothing in the water which would condemn its use for domestic purposes. The water will continue to be “harder” than usual, while the dry weather keeps the river at the low level, and allows a greater percentage of spring water to be pumped up. ’