THE CITY WATER SUPPLY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1248, 30 January 1896, Page 39

THE CITY WATER SUPPLY.

A special meeting of the City Council was held on Monday to consider two motions in reference to the city water supply. There were present The Mayor, Councillors Devine, Anderson; Willeston, Harris, Myers, Higginbottoni, Tatum, Barber, Smith, Tanner and Harcourt.

Councillor Devine proposed the first motion as follows : —"That in view of the great inconvenience being suffered by the residents of the higher levels of the city through insufficient water supply, storage reservoirs be erected adjacent to these levels or other adequate means be adopted to remedy the evil." This difficulty was continually cropping up, and the only satisfactory solution of it, he thought, was to provide storage reservoirs. If the supply at the higher levels was only intermittent the residents might put up with it, but it was cut off altogether sometimes, especially on Sundays. The evil was increasing, and people holding sections on the higher leveln were afraid to build in consequence. There was a precedent for these reservoirs, and he instanced Dunedin. In Hopper street recently a house had been burnt down owing to the scarcity of the water supply, and it was almost the same with the he-use in Percival street above St. John's Church. In the event of a house being burned down through no water being available, the Council would be liable for damages. At night all over the city taps were allowed to run, while the people on the higher levels could not get a glass of water to drink. It was a matter of great urgency. Councillor Myers seconded the motion. Councillor Harris acknowledged that it was a growing evil, which the Council sooner or later would have to grapple with. It was a very large question, and would mean the expenditure of some thousands of pounds beyond the Council's power of expending out of the revenue. It would be a question of to raise money by a loan. Now that the question with regard to running the electric light by water power was to be settled, could they not utilise the Karori reservoir for the supply of water for the higher levels only ? The whole question would have to be grappled with in the near future,? and they would have probably to consider whether they would have enlarged mains from Wainui or lay a second service from Wainui. He suggested that Councillor Devine should add to his motion that the surveyor should ascertain the cost of using the Karori supply for the higher levels only. Councillor Devine pointed out that the latter part of his motion, as to " adequate means of remedying the evil," would cover that.

Councillor Tatum referred to the srreat inconvenience suffered by the residents on the higher levels. Ke would like to have an estimate of the cost of erecting these reservoirs.

Councillor Smith thought they should do all they could within their power. He did not agree with all that had been suggested, but lie was quite willing that the matter should be laid before the surveyor. In answer to Councillor Higginbottom, the Surveyor said that on Saturday the Karori supply was shut off, and they went on with the Wainui supply alone until Monday morning. The draw off was purely local. He had sent up to Shannon street (the highest street under Mount Victoria) three times recently during the middle of the day, and had ascertained that there was water at the highest house. Councillor Higginbottom said that residents of Mount street had told him that they could not get a glass of water on Sunday. The City Surveyor said that the object of shutting off the Karori supply was that when the machinery, &c, were not working the pressure would go up to 1601 b to 1701 b in the old mains, and they would burst. The Mayor stated that a large number of letters had been received from residents of the higher levels, complaining of the want of water. There was no doubt, he said, that the nuisance was a very great, and honest and genuine one.

Councillor Devine, in replying, reminded the Council that last year the City Surveyor in a report on the question had made a suggestion, amongst others, that the difficulty could be met by the construction of reservoirs at each of the high levels, and therefore it was unnecessary to delay the matter, which was one of serious urgency, by referring it back to him.

After some further discussion, it was agreed that the motion should be amended to the effect that the City Surveyor should be instructed to report on the cost of erecting storage reservoirs, or of the adoption of other means, and with this addition the motion was put and carried.

Councillor Barber then moved, in accordance with notice, " That the City Surveyor be instructed to report as to the best means of increasing the water supply within the city by laying an extra water main to Karori or otherwise." Everything that had been said in favour of the previous resolution applied to this. In his opinion, and he had been advised by experts, this was the way to remedy the evil. Councillor Willeston seconded the motion.

Councillor Smith thought they could get over the difficulty for some years by extending the larger mains to the south, and having several branches. To lay down a seoond service was a large question, and would mean many thousand pounds. Several Councillors pointed out that the previous resolution provided for the City Surveyor also enquiring into this matter, and after some little discussion the motion was put and carried.