Acute Shortage Of Water Continues On West Coast

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 March 1947, Page 6

Acute Shortage Of Water Continues On West Coast

The rain amounting to one-tenth of an inch, which fell on the West Coast yesterday morning did little co relieve the acute shortage of water being experienced in rural areas. The cartage of water by the various local authorities has now become a big operation with supplies being sought by practically every house in such communities as Blackball, Brunner, Ngahere and Kumara. Dry tanks are the rule in most houses, and residents in smaller isolated townships, where no organised carting is taking place, are meeting with difficulty in obtaining sufficient water for domestic consumption. Many have to fill containers at creeks and streams where the hygienic condition of the water is an unknown factor. Though in Greymouth the water supply is not affected, the condition of the water is now similar to that, last June, when a dry spell occurred. Housewives are meeting difficulty in washing with the water which refuses to lather. The position is more acute in Westport where the civic authority is considering the imposition of restrictions as the supply is likely to become very short if the dry weather continues much longer. It was intended last week to cut off the supply to the Westport State flax-mill, but as a result of representations by the mill management the supply will be cut off two days of each .week.The dry weather, it is reported, has also affected the electric power position in Buller and unless there is a change shortly some restrictions may have to be imposed on the supply. '