TOWN WITHOUT WATER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21159, 16 April 1932, Page 6

TOWN WITHOUT WATER.

BREAK OCCURS IN MAIN. PLIGHT OF HOUSEHOLDERS. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] NEW PLYMOUTH, Friday. The sudden breaking of a water main outside Hawera on Tuesday afternoon deprived the town of its water supply for eight hours. As the break came without warning, tanks supplying the booster plant were empty.

Some confusion resulted when the Supply failed at 3 p.m. Residents were cliirfly concerned about filling their kettles for the evening meal Those with the usual types of hot water service were in a fortunate position, merely using the hot tap instead of the cold. Others, howevet, ha.! to go on a foraging expedition, getting pots and bucketfuls of water from their luckier neighbours, who, not knowing how long the water would be off, were loath to part with too much of their reserve.

Upon the failure of the water supply 8 number of taps were left turned on, and when the service was restored at 11 p.m. these began io pour, and several business premises received a drenching from running taps overhead. A chemist's shop and garage were the chief sufferers.

The portion of the pipe where the break occurred was 30 years old. Considerable difficulty was experienced in effecting repairs, owing to tha flooding of the excavations made- to remove the broken pipe.