THE WATER SUPPLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 5019, 17 December 1877, Page 2

THE WATER SUPPLY.

Bitter complaints are being made that the stand-pipes which have been supplied from the Domain water supply have been removed from the streets, especially Chapel, A lbert and other streets in the western portion of the city, while their places have not been supplied by new stand-pipes, nor by the new waterworks, and great inconvenience, not to say injustice, is thus caused to the residentD in this portion of the city. Our attention has been especially directed to the case of the stand-pipe which formerly supplied water at the corner of Albert and Wellesley streets. There is a school in the vicinity, and the children attending this, as well as the poorer residents in the neighbourhood, were in the habit of using this water for drinking purposes. It is now no more available, aud during the present hot weather the school children during tbeir play hour frequently feel thirst, but now cannot, as formerly, run to the stand-pipe, but have to beg for a glas3 of water from those residing in their neighbourhood. This is only a solitary instance. The residents in Albert and Chapel streets have certainly good reason to complain of the want of water. They have no standpipes from which to procure pure water during the present season of drought, while at the same time they are taxed for the water supply from which they derive no benefit. Wheu it is recollected that a large proportion of the residents in this block are of the poorer class, that the houses are closely crowded together, and that wells are therefore more subject to contamination., from surface drainage, they surely do not ask too much in asking to have stand-pipes erected in lieu of those which have been removed, r.nd which were public property.

While on the subject of the water supply there is another phase to which it is welt again to direct attention. A permanent staff has to be kept employed at the pumping works whether the pumps are working or not. What then is saved to the residents-, by keeping the engines idle while the water ■ is running to waste from the springs ? The working staff is an engineer and a stoker, and these men have to be kept on pay whether they have work to do or not. In the way of wear and tear to the machinery we may set down the saving by keeping the latter idle at nil, for it is a fact well known to all machinists and engineers that machinery when standing is much more liable to injury than when it is working. In the former case rust, corrosion, aud stiffness sets in in the joints and boilers, so that it may safely be said that so far a3 regards the machinery itself, nothing is gained to the ratepayers by keeping it idle. The whole extra cost of pumping daily is therefore the mere cost of fuel. We are informed that a single ton of coal is the quantity required to keep the pump in full work for eight hours, and that is the only saving effected by keeping the pumps idle, while water, which is so much required in the city, is ruuning to waste at the springs. It would be more profitable to the ratepayers and more conducive to the health of the city to keep the pumps going for the extra cost, and allow the water to run through the water channels aud drains of the city, for then they would derive some benefit from the outlay—-the streets aud ilraius would be well flushed, aud the temperature of the streets in some degree cooled, and the air purified during the present hot and dusty weather. But, then, the question arises as to whether there is water to spare, whether the supply from the springs is sufficiently ample as to permit of this liberality. It is only recently that we inquired into the truth of a rumour regarding the alleged decrease of supply from the springs. That there was a decrease was certain, but it was comparatively small, and the yield was still more than ample for a'l that was likely to be required. Since then a practical experiment has conclusively shown the exact quantity of water pouring into the collecting pond from the springs. The whole of the water was run off from the collecting pond, after which the dam was closed. It took exactly five days for the pond to fill again, so that the water ran off as usual over the by-wash or overflow. The capacity of the collecting pond is rat icr over 11,000,000 of gallons, so that the actual daily flow from the springs is at present— durinc the dry season—2,soo,ooo gallons, and, taking the estimated population of the city—that is within the bounds which are embraced by the water service—at 12,030, this would give for each upwards of 200 gallons per day. No further statement is necessary to show that the supply from the springs is ample, and it rests with the City Council to see that its benefits are extended to the greatest possible degree. These considerations should receive due weight when the motion for the reduction of the water rates or charges for water coines before the Council. The supply is ample, the machinery is excellent, and adequate in every respect, and their duty is to bring the water within the reach of all at the lowest passible cost. One remarkable, and, as it seems to U3, most unwise provision, is the rate of charge which is laid on the inhabitants of the suburban districts outside city boundaries, but through which the water-mains pass on their way to the city. Probably four or live thousand persons, if not more, reside on these lines of mains and within easy reach of them. Nothing that we can see should prevent inducements being offered to such persons to take in the water. Imagiue a gas company enabled to supply a large amount of gas refusing to sell their commodity to persous outside the city, o. putting to such parties sot. e thirty or forty per cent. on the ordinary price charged for their gas. This practically is what the Council in its wisdom has done as respects the inhabitants in these suburb ui localities. Tiie charge for the city, including both general rate and domestic supply rate, is nine per cent, on the rental. To. chose outside residents the charge is 12< per cent., or half-a-urown in the pound '. Is it possible t > imagine anything more suicidal and unbusinesslike than this? The dog-in-the-manger simile gives no proper name to such a policy. The water is overtl jwing, audit might be sold to a great advantage. At least five tiine3 the number of inhabitants in Auckland city could be supplied by the present flow from the springs at 40 gallons per head per diem; and yet, instead of utilising this water, and offering inducements to people outside the city ti> take it in, and thus increase the revenue, the Council have actually fixed a coinpbtely prohibitive rate of 2s G1 per pouud, thus d.iing harm two ways, by refusing the beiiuiits to outsiders aud rejecting an obvious means of making a handsome addition to the corporate income. The force of municipal foliy could no further go.