DUNEDIN FACES MAJOR WATER SHORTAGE

Grey River Argus, 18 February 1949, Page 4

DUNEDIN FACES MAJOR WATER SHORTAGE

P.A. DUNEDIN, Feb. 17 With the levels of all reservoirs supplying the city and suburbs falling steadily, Dunedin faces a major crisis unless' heavy rain falls almost immediately. The City Council Water Committee has already reduced the pressure in the mains, and to-morrow consideration is to be given to the question of shutting the supnly off completely, except for three brief periods each day—7 to 9 a.m. and from 11 a.m. to noon, and from 5.30 to 6.30 p.m. If this drastic step is taken, many businesses in the city will be unable to operate.

The milk treatment plant, without water, cannot use its cooling plant, or wash bottle and the refrigerating works at Burnside, now killing forty thousand head a week, would have to cease operations if the water supply were cut off. The stock would have to be diverted to other centres, and the men could not be employed. Though the weather has been cooler recently, than during the period of the heat wave, when temperatures exceeding 92 degrees were recorded, no rain has fallen, and the creeks supplying the reservoirs are fast drying up.