WATER SHORTAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25239, 31 May 1943, Page 2

WATER SHORTAGE

PLIGHT OF PORT CHALMERS EMERGENCY SUPPLY FROM CITY There has been a serious shortage of water at Port Chalmers for some months, but the position took a critical turn on Friday when the reservoir, with a capacity of 4,590,000 gallons, became completely dry. This necessitated immediate measures being taken by the Borough Council as there was no water in the borough, and something akin to a real state of emergency that could only have occurred at a time of national disaster arose. ' Through the kindness of the Mayor of Dunedin (Mr A. H. Allen) a desperate situation was relieved to some extent by the despatch to Port Chalmers from the city of- water in a 8000gallon tank and in several 400-gallon tanks belonging to the City Corporation. Other tanks were also supplied by the military authorities and the Railways Department. The water was placed at. street corners and was delivered throughout Saturday by the staff of the Port Chalmers Borough Council. E.P.S. wardens are mounting guard over the tanks in order to ensure that they ate not tampered with in any way and that the water drawn' off is lor essential purposes. • In a statement to a Daily Times reporter last night the Deputy Mayor (Mr A. L. S. Cassie) said that on behalf of the citizens of Port Chalmers he wished to express heartfelt thanks to those who, had come to the., assistance of the borough. Without their timely help, he said, an almost unbelievable position might have arisen, as up till last night the reservoir had been absolutely dry for 48 hours. Mr Cassie said there would be a slight" improvement to-day as water would be made available from the recentlyacquired Cedar Farm property, the capacity being estimated at from 20,000 to 25,000 gallons a day. This will enable a certain amount of water to,.pe. made available for a number of household needs, and it would also enable \ all industrial undertakings to be carried on. s Asking again for the complete cooperation of citizens, Mr Cassie said that until adequate rain fell the borough would be faced with a critical 4 position, and he asked them to read carefully page 6 of the E.P.S. general v instructions, relating to a state of emergency and to act upon the information. "The health and well-being of citizens of the borough,” Mr Cassie said, " depend absolutely upon the most rigorous economising of water. We are making every effort to see that reasonable household requirements are pro- ■ vided for, but there is not a drop to spare, and it is by no means certain that the situation may not become worse.” • ■ , / - •