STRICTER CONTROL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 5, 19 January 1942, Page 5

STRICTER CONTROL

USE OF WATER SUPPLY

POSITION SERIOUS

That there was still a consid" • erable amount of waiter from the town supply being used during restricted: periods of the day was stated by the borough electrical engineer at this month's meeting of the Whakatane Bor-

ough Council, and 1 he referred

to the position arising The Borough pumping service would have been improved l to the ' extent necessary to cope with ' increased demands had' it not been for the war, and in the meantime the consumption taxed the plant to the extreme

"Hoses are still being used by some residents during the day and it is not unusual to see water playing on gardens and lawns from unattended hoses during the restricted times," continued Mr Lysaght, adding that more stringent measures to conserve the supply should be en- " forced. He suggested that inspection • should be made more often and a check- made on houses for leaking taps. "There are many who take no notice whatsoever of the restrictions • mad if these Averc made an example of then the trouble would soor> cease," he said. Prosecutions Necessary In reply to Cr J.< Crceke he said that the daily consumption was 180.000 gallons and the storage available was sufficient if during the dry ■spell garden hosing was restricted to the two hours daily. He added that it Avas a difficult job for a part time inspector to carefully Avatch the position and he suggested that prosecutions Avere the only means of making the people observe the regulations. The position Avas referred to bv Cr Crecke as serious and lie said that it Avas not so much a case of restricting the use of Avater as of providing an alternative and adequate scheme. He claimed that the. fault Avas the Council's in not having provided a proper supply. Equipment Overseas The Deputy-Mayor, Mr S. S. Shap]ey, pointed out that the Council had had a scheme in hand for a long time and this Avould have been com- . pleted had not the Avar broken out when it did. The machinery necessary Avas still overseas and although -it had been stated that this Avas on the way some time ago, it could not 'be traced. "All Ave can do is make the best of it in the meantime," he said, "and it is the duty of the residents to consent supplies otherAvise -we will be forced to bring about further restrictions."

Mr Lysaght stated that had the yiew machinery come to hand it •would have been possible to pump half as much again. One of the present pumps was well wctiv and if a breakdown occurred it was impossible to catch up the quantity lost.

It was decided on the suggestion -of Cr A. J. Canning to employ the Inspector on full time and that one -warning be given offenders. If the ■warning was not heeded than.a prosecution would follow. -