THE WATER SUPPLY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 55, 11 April 1914, Page 9

THE WATER SUPPLY.

NEED FOR DUPLICATION.

CR COOPER DISSENTS. The following far-reaching proposals caused the usually brief and businesslike of the Fire Board to lengthen at Thursday's meeting: — That the following recommendations be forwarded to the City Council for serious consideration, in consequence of the risk of a recurrence, of. an interruption in the high pressure water supply, such as occurred on March 14: — ,

(1) That the Sydenham 12-inch main be connected tip to the 18-inch main at the pumping station.

(2) That the Sydenham supply be connected up with the city supply at the various intersecting streets crossing Moorhouse Avenue.

(3)" That the question of laying down more street hydrants, and placing ground or pillar hydrants in, an# around the large business blocks of th,3

city be carried out as soon as it is pos - sible to do so. _-,,

(4) That the question of sinking more wells at the pumping station b« taken into consideration.

(5) That consideration be given to the reticulation of that portion of North Lin wood, St.; Albans, and Eichmond (in Greater Christehurch) where at present no water.is available for fire extinction purposes.

(6) That an additional reservoir and' water tower be erected in the distris t-» of North Lin/wood and St. Albans respectively. An Objection. Mr Cooper said he objected to lh" recommendations made, and would liivi' to know why, in making them', the born-1 hadn't also told the council where ii was going to get the money. The recommendations were a slur on the Cil.y Council. The city had spent £"1GO,OUO in "building a high pressure water sup- . ply, and now the superintendent, a servant of the board, came forward with • proposals entailing the expenditure of many more thousands. He questiouc.l if the City Council would consider such advice, and did not believe that- the ratepayers would sanction the expenditure. He had beon told,on the best authority that the city's water-supply - was equal, if not superior, to most*ft.us-\ tralasian centres, and he questioned the board's right to advise the City Council to make such expensive extensions. • Mr A. Williams thought it best to delete the recommendations as there were three members of the council's Waterwork's Copimittee on the board who could bring them before the council.

No Justification. Mr H. R. Rusbridge said there was no'justification for Mr Cooper's remarks, and thought the recommendations should be sent. In advising the improvements and extensions the superintendent was only doing his duty to the board, and the board would only be doing its duty in forwarding'-the - recommendations to the council. He did not know hdw the system could be considered perfect when the bursting of one water-pipe could hold up the whole city supply for 40 hours, aiid. 7 thcre was no'reason why the water supply should not be brought up to perfection.; Mr Cooper said he ' understood Mr Rusbridge was giving his " personal opinion, but he was speaking as a councillor and a representative of the ratepayers. No Reflection Intended.

Mr H. Holland did not consider the recommendations could be taken as a reflection on the council, and did not . think any councillor would so consider them. The system was open to improvement—it was designed to supply a million gallons, and the consumption at / present was nearer two million gallons. No harm would be done by sending the recommendations to the council —the question would be how they were to be carried out. Superintendent Warner intended no slur,on the council in making his report. Mr Cooper: "Seeing that three members of the council are on the board it ■ is not necessary."

The chairman: "Mr.Cooper, you are not here as a city councillor; as a member of the board you must sink your identity as chairman of the Waterworks Committee." Mr J. F. Grierson saw no objection to sending the report to the council—it didn't"follow that it would be adopted, but if one or two of the recommendations were adopted it would dS some good for the city. '' The Financial Aspect. e Mr Cooper interjected that he was not present merely as a member of, the board, but as a representative of the ratepayers, and said that when any future' suggestions were sent along there should also be sent some suggestions as to where the money was to conic from.

The chairman: "I don't know another'city that has only a single pipe line to depend on. The previous superintendent also realised this defect, and had referred to the danger of relying ou a single line of pipes. Mr Holland pointed out that Timaru had provided itself with storage reservoirs of' twenty-two million gallon capacity, while Christehurch, with a nrueh larger population, had storage capacity for only one million gallons. Mr Cooper replied that Timaru provided itself with greater storage capacity because the risk there was greater. There Avas always a danger of the river Hooding and washing away its hanks, in which case Timaru would be left without water if it did not provide plenty of storage.

Mr Rusbridge: "Does Mr Cooper then, object to the. provision of additional storage?' '

Mr Cooper: "Certainly not. There are many other things to be considered." •

The chairman then applied the closure to the discussion and the report was carried unanimously.