THE WATER SUPPLY.

Colonist, Volume L, Issue 12167, 15 February 1908, Page 2

THE WATER SUPPLY.

CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. ; THE ENGINEER'S REPORT. A Kiiecial nieetiffg of tbe City Coiincil wad held lnstJeveDing to consider a report from Mr W. Aitcheaori-Smitbj City Engineer, upon the reservoir dam* and the effect of the' present drought upofl the city's -water supply; Present 1 The Mayor (Mr J. IPiptir),, arid Oouncillldrs T. A. Field, T. PetftirjA. H. Hisle'y,., W.. MeCouohlo, Wi S. •Hampson, aikl A. A. Grace: til An apology was received foi 1 the 1 absence of, Or Robejrtson! . . The report. was as follows:— • > v "On Thursday, the 6tb.in.st, a Jaab was discovered 20 foot fio.'n the west end of tho danv On making investigations .12 other leaks wore dis- ! covered, waning 13 Iqaks in all, extending over a distance of 39 feet, and discharging a measured flow of 210,000 gallons per day. Steps we.ro immediately taken in the matter, and the leaks stemmed as soon as possible. On pursuing investigations an additional H8 feet was opened up, with thp result that './seven additional^ leaks- from the. ■ concrete wall, and one iflo wing 'along the outside of the wall coming from the erection of the east end were found. These have been stemmed in a temporary manner pending further investigations.. : "In addition to those -mentioned ! above there is also a deep seatod leak round the western end of the wall, which has, I understand, j been practically always more or less in existence since the of the dani. . . | " T be d iscih a rge frdrii j the com * bined ungauged leaHs I estimate at (50,000 gallons per daj"— gauged leakage 21O 5 000 per clay, or an estimated fcotnl.dfuly leakage of 270,000 gallons. " ••■.,; ■ GalaDaily inflow gauged at flog catcher point . . 593,280 •Total leakage .-. .. '.. 270,000 Quantity available for service.. "..■■ 323,280 Average daily consumption 080,000 Rate at which water was diminishing daily .. 356,720 Was diminishing weekly .. 2,497,040 -"A satisfactory solution ag tti thb cause of the leaks oarinot beafri^ecl at until circumstances permit of con ; duntirig such operations and investigations that I may be iii. a position to form reliable conclusions. "I we-uftl sii&mit tb'your Council that the low state of the stream affords a good opportunity for removing shingle, etc., from the old reservoir, and would be pleased to receive authority to carry out this work." In reply to Or Hampson, the City Engineer SLiggstert that it would be as well to let things go on as they ware for the present, and that the top dam should be cleaned out, aDd the wafer supplied from there. He could not say definitely ho* long 1 it would take to clear the d%m out, but he should say approximately ii fortnight. Cr Grace said that he was of opinion that the water was not good* lie was therefore anxious that the dam should be emptied as soon as possible, so that .tbe Engineer ccnld give a reliable opinion as to the condition of tbe wall. It would later on be neoessary to re-consider the whole question of the water supply; It was, however, the duty of the Council as soon as possible to clean out the top dam so as to have a subsidiary supply. He moved that the City Engineer be instructed to clean out the top dani.as soon as possib le. Cr Pettit seconded, and said that it was the only reasonable course open to the Council at present tune. The question of cost should not enter into their consideration. The work should be done as economically as possible, but it must bo done. In reply to a question, tbe Engineer stated that the supply oould come through both mains. JCr Pettit said he would like to see the work started to-morrow, and pushed on as speedily as possible. The Engineer said he had already taken preliminary steps for cleaning out the dam. The Mayor said that in company with the Chief Health Officer he had that day visited the waterworks, and Dr Mason had told him that he had seen many water supplies in A much worse condition than that at present at Nelson, but that he thought it would be advisable for people to boil the water before using it. Cr Bisley supported the motion, and said that so. far as the schools were conerned the children as well as their parents had been cautioned against using the water without boiing it. lie oould not, however, see tnat the condition of the water supply need cause any great anxiety, and he thought the difficulty would turn out to be very mach smaller than anticipated. The motion was put and carried unanimously Cr Grace stated that in Ins opinion the City Engineer should have full power, if ho considered it necessary, to run the water out of the dam. Cr Hampson stated he considered that without any resolution of the Council the Engineer would have full power to act, and that if he acted in a case of emergency not enly the Council, but also the whole of the ratepayers would support him.' Cr Bisley moved that the City Engineer li* given full authority to act as he deomed best in case rt emergency, and that after the dam in emptied he furnish a full report tv tbe Council. Cr Grace seconded, and said that it was far better that the responsibility should /rest with tba Engineer. That gentleman was porlectly competent to act in any case. Cr iiatnpson would not oppose tbe motion, but said ho thought that the effect of having to wait to get a resolution passed was to. handicap the officials, as they might then feel doubtful as to whether they would be supported in any. action they might consider it necessary to take. He had every confidence in the City Engineer. Tbe Mayor agreed with tbe motion, and' said "that the Engineer aught bare some doubt as to accepting responsibility, and that it would therefore be better for it to be made clear- that he was at liberty ;o act. The motion was put and earned inanimouslv. Or Pettit asked what would be the juantity of water in the old dam, when it had been.oleaned out?

r r iiriTT'''"- '••---- - - ]mmm : The Mayor saiH he could not fltati definitely what the 'capacity was but he knew that it had always helc enough for the needs of the city, and that be believed it would b( sullicionf; to supply tho needs at th< present time. „ * Tho CouncjiL ..itieij i rose.