"FISHY" WATER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2000, 6 March 1914, Page 8

"FISHY" WATER.

THE CAUSE OF IT ALL. When the city water gave unmistakable signs' at' this: time-last year of going "off," it was stated that thero was. a possibility of a recurrence of the trouble during what the City Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton) terms the , "period of stagnation" (i.e., the period of tho year when there is the least quantity of water flowinc into the Morton Dam at Wainui). That is tie period when a certain water-weed is given an opportunity to arrive at maturity; and it is during the seeding time that this weed gives off an oil, which has the, effect of fainting the water. At one time it was believed to be minute animalculae, arising from decayed vegetation, but according to ono , authority in Wellington the former explanation is considered the correct one. Strange to say, the trouhle usually arises in new reservoirs, , and though' it cannot be said that it does nof occur in old basins, it is known to occur much more frequently in those of recent construction. The "fishy" taint has been noticed in the water for- a. couple of. weeks by residents of Tinakori Road' and Grant Road particularly, and many residents in that neighbourhood havo been drawing their supplies of drinking water from the ; spring in Grant Road.