The Town Water Supply.

Southland Times, Issue 19305, 18 March 1904, Page 2

The Town Water Supply.

The waterworks engineer, Mr A. llnrpcr, HublliiUtMl his annual report to th<j Borough Vouncil yesterday ovening. The report is interesting' and satisfactory and the full text is as follows >-

It must llrst be a matter for congratulation that the town water supply stood tho test of the driest summer that wo have had. There was not the slightest diminution of the supply, and though the consumption increased very much, we. were able to supply tho demand without restricting the consumers to actual household requirements.

Twelve years ago, when I took charge of the works, -tho annual consumption was 23,000,000 gallons. For the year just finished we have distributed through the town 78,834,000 gallons, which" is an increase over the previous year of 15,---384,000 gallons. Our present consumption, 'after deducting all extraordinary supplies, is over 30 gallons per head per day, which is a much too liberal supply, though even at the same rate as last year we had » reserve of 35 millions of gallons, or sufficient for over 3000 more of a- population. The waste of water during tho night still continues. From midnight till 7 a.m., when no one is

supposed tq be using the water, there is an average of 85,000 gallons used nightly. The large increase of last year can be accounted for by the dry weather and also, by the increased number of consumers. During the year 138. household services were laid on, bringing the total number of services of all kinds up to 1173.

For the twelve mouths 32,047 feet of piping have been used, of which 7213 feet have- been -*• chained to consumers, while the concessions allowed inside the building line have amounted to '2171 feet. The balance, 8263 feet, has been used in connections from tho mains to the building line. At tho beginning of the year a complete lire service was installed in the Hospital, and one in the Zealandia Hall.

The laying of the mains through Northend has now been completed— in all 110 chains ; that is. 2.1 chains of sin. maii». and 85 chains of 4in. .Services have been lajil on to 23 houses, so all the householders, with the exception of three, have taken udvantngo of tho town supply.

There have been .no complaints about the quality of tho water, the aeration being a success as a purifying agent. The excavation of the new reservoir was completed some months ago, ai«l a start has now been made to line it with concrete. When this is done I feel certain that the water will be still further improved, as I will bo able to aHow it longer to settle beforo distributing* it through the town.

With regard to the engines, pumps and l-.oilers, I intend \.o give them all a thorough overhaul now that the rush of outside work is nearly over.

Tho Council considered 'the report highly satisfactory. Councillor^ Ott said said that the fact should be made known that tho waterworks had come splendidly through tho tost of the recent hot weather. The Council had never had to ask tho consumers to be careful. They had sufficient Water tc meet all requirements night and day. This was a very strong reason for requesting that jlnvercargill should be placed in class A. in lire insurance.-* (Hear, hear.)