WATER CONSUMPTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21117, 26 February 1932, Page 12

WATER CONSUMPTION.

NEW RECORDS CREATED.

VALUE OF HUIA SUPPLY.

RESTRICTIONS AVOIDED. Some trouble would have been met in coping with the very heavy demand for Auckland City water since New Year if the Uuia supply had not been available. The consumption for January was a record, and a record single day's consumption occurred on February 8. "The recent hot dry spell has resulted in several records being broken," stated (he waterworks engineer, Mr. A. IDMead, in a. report to tlie City Council last evening." The record day's consumption occurred on Monday, February 8, when 11,586.000 gallons were used. The previous maximum was 11,245,000, on November .16, 1931. The amount used on February 8 was 36 per cent, in excess of last year's mean daily consumption. The amount drawn from tho high level pumped supply (Mount Eden and Mount Hobson reservoirs) was also a record, and amounted to 4,671,000 gallons. From February 1 to 11, inclusive, tho average daily consumption was 10,420,000 gallons. "The amount of water used during January was tho largest yet used for any calendar month, amounting to 300,025,000 gallons, an excess of 17 per cent, above tho mean monthly consumption for last year. The previous record month's consumption was 294,889.000 gallons, occurring in December, 1927, just prior to the imposition of .severe restrictions, and on that occasion Western Springs wore being used to supplement tho ply"During the past few weeks the heavy demand has necessitated drawing on the Huia supply to the extent of rather over 2,000.000 gallons daily, tho filters being operated on two shifts. During ordinary conditions the Huia plant is worked on one shift only. It is worth considering what the position would have been if tho Huia supply had not been available. There would be to-day .583,000,000 gallons in storage in dams, and, with only two and a-half months' supply in sight, there is no doubt that the council would bo drawing on Western Springs or imposing hose restrictions, possibly both, and, in addition, the demand would bo beyond the power of the two earlier filter stations to cope with, and would produce an unsatisfactory water." A return showed that on February 11 the quantity of water storod in the dams wa§ 1,310.000,000 gallons.