THE NELSON WATER SUPPLY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 13 February 1908, Page 3

THE NELSON WATER SUPPLY.

To the Editor. Sir, — The question of the water sup- • ply is a serious one, but as it has to be ; ' faced I think the Council will do well to . consider it in all its bearings before finally deciding what course to adopt. ' : It is useless thinking what might have | been done, though I believe that the ; i general opinion out-side tho Council was that the new dam was being built in the wrong place, which events nave proved correct. There has never been a j question since it was built but that it [ was too low to give the pressure needed \ for the higher levels, to say nothing of ; the need of a high pressure in case of j fire. Supposing a fire in any part of the town except on the flat — say, for instance, at the Hospital? Would the \ present pressure be of any service to extinguish it? Even in other parts of • j the town the present supply can hardly I !be called a high pressure. It is often I I nothing but a dribble. Now, as I i have said, the question has to be laced, j and whilst about it the Council will do well to make a good job of it, even if it has to obtain another loan for the purpose. It will be no use tinkering at it, and then when a big fire has occurred regretting that a good pressure had net been obtained, as apparently it can. Then comes the question of paying interest on tho-oost. It has always appeared to me that the water supply should be equally as much a source of revenue to a town as the gas. Why should any person be allowed to use an unlimited supply at the expense of the rest of the ratepayers? What I would suggest is that under the ordinary water rate the inhabitants should be al- | lowed water for strictly domestic pur- 1 peses only, and outside this every per,son should have a meter and pay accordingly. This would at once put a ston to the illicit use of water. In some places I believe that even baths and we.'s are charged so much extra per annum; and it has to be kept in mind that the new drainage system will necessitate the use of a considerable quantity of water, and if that system applies to any of the higher levels an intermittent supply will be almost worse than none. The Council, I understand, will compel householders to dram into the sewers, afcd therefore should see there is no danger of an intermittent supply for flushing purposes. 1 am,C HENRY M. NALDER.