CORRESPONDENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 20 February 1915, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE

WATER QUESTION.-. (To the Editor.) Sir,—Your report of the question asked by me of the City Surveyor at the last meeting of the Council, hardly gives the idea I had in my mind. There were four questions which in my estimation were important. They originated in a visit I paid to the waterworks. I think that anything connected with the water. supply is important to the city. I saw a number of pipes, laying near the new reservoir. It was about these pipes I asked the question. The first question was: Are those pipes, laying near the reservoir, to go through the wall, or over the top of it. The City Surveyor answered, not readily, "Through the dam." The second question was: "I think you said at the last meeting of the Council, 'They are not to be connected with the meter, so there will be ho measurement of the water through that pipe?" He answered "No." The third question was: "Do you intend to supply the city generally "from the big dam, and the high levels from the -weir?" I think he answered, ••'No alteration to the supply." That is a mystery to me. As I understand _ the reticulation, tt» are now supplied by a j 12-inch pipe from the reservoir, which I is connected with a smaller pipe through the Venture meter, which is again enlarged to a twelve-inch pipe, as far as the gate leading to the Waterworks Reserve. From near the gate a 7-inch pipe and an eight-inch pipe, ape connected with the 12-inch. The eight-inch goes right down to the corner, I think, of Tasman-street. The seven-inch goes down Brook-street to near Bashford's, and crosses the stream, and I think as a six-inch it passes through the late Mr Edwards' property, Brougham-street. Near Mr Graham's property it turns up Tafalgar-street, down Van Diemenstreet, and up Ngatitama-street to the Asylum. Now, Sir, I would like to know why that pipe-laying near the dam is wanted at all.- If it is to be connected with the 12-inch and avoids the water it is not wanted. Surely it is some advantage to know the daily consumption, and that meter I have reason to believe is pretty accurate. If it is to be connected with the old seven-inch, which I believe, passes through the big dam, and is connected with the old supply from the middle weir, and goes no farther, that does not help us much. Our water supply is of immense importance to the city. It is worth a sacrifice to get clean and pure water, not only to a highlevel, but to every part of the city. I did my level best to get that high level weir, and do not regret the spending of that £4OOO on if. And lam not going to rest quietly while I am in the Council while there is a danger that some part of the city will be deprived of that pure water from that bush-bound weir. I am," etc., J. PIPER.