POOLS OF SOLOMON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 28 March 1923, Page 7

POOLS OF SOLOMON

SUPPLYING WATER TO JERUSALEM

The Chief Secretary to the Palestine Goveriiment has issued a statement on the subject of the new water supply of Jerusalem from the pools of Solomon, writes a special correspondent of the Christian Science Monitor.” “An event of considerable historic interest, ' tlie statement commences, “has occurred. After many centuries of disuse, the ; Pools of Solomon are again supplying the Holy City with water.” It is stated that the Department of Public Works has for some time been engaged on the restoration of the Pools of Solomon and the erection ot a pumping plant designed to force the water through the pipe lino laid down by the army in 1918. The work proved more difficult than was anticipated. Leakages occurred in several places. “In bringing once again into use these ancient reservoirs,” the statement continues, “such experiences are almost unavoidable ; it is a modern example of tho parable of putting new wine into old bottles, but in this case there is fortunately no doubt as regards the structural stability of the bottles.” The leaks were not stopped unfortunately in time to enable the bottom pool to be filled by the rains of early spring. “It will be remembered that the ‘later rains’ failed this year. A considerable quantity of water has, however, been collected in both middle and bottom pools which it is hoped will enable the present supply to Jerusalem to be maintained during the next three months. This period is always regarded as the most difficult from the point of view of water supply on account of the seasonal ‘lag’ of spring discharges behind rainfalls. “It is clear that in order to make these ancient reservoirs watertight boyond the possibility of doubt, the whole inner surface should be rendered in cement. This would be costly work, and the department is reluctant to recommend the t necessary expenditure until the efficacy or otherwise of the repair work now in hand is proved. It is hoped that the work undertaken may be sufficient to render the full capacity of tho bottom and middle pool available for this winter’s rains. No work is for the present being undertaken on the upper pool. “A visit to the Pools of Solomon, concludes the statement, “is well worth while, both from the point of view ot antiquarian research, and also from an engineering aspect.”