PETONE'S WATER SUPPLY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2213, 28 July 1914, Page 7

PETONE'S WATER SUPPLY

TOO MUCH WASTE t TWENTY GALLONS PEJR HEAD : : ' , : IN EXCESS.

•A report of some importance to'Pβ,tono ratepayers, and concerning tho borough s water supply, was submitted at last night's meeting of tho Borough' Council by. a , committee consisting of the Mayor (Mr. J; W. M'lSwan)- and Councillors' uox, Brocklebank, and lundlay, who were get up to'inquire info, the supply, which has not been satisfactory ior. some.: time past. The report stated, that "the original 'intention, ot tlie present, Supply tvas for lire purposes, and to supply those.properties near the western side of the borough, where artesian supplies wero.not available. At the time the scheme wae installed (it was turned into the mains in January, 1904), the population of the borough was approximately 6700. As time went on and new houses were erected, these wore-connected with the mains, until gradually almost tho whole of, the dwellings', in the borough drew their supplies from the. borough mains, , and at the present time the premises drawing water supply from the artesiau source is the exception. At the present time the supply is quite 1 eftual to the demand ,. except during the dry months, owing mainly to the use of garden noses. . ■',: V . .7 : . '. \

'"Tests in. April :last y betw6eri. the hours of 5 a.m. and.B p;m., and allowing an additional "5 gallons' per head after that time, gave a daily coirsump--1 tion of 45 gallons per head. As sooii as Hie sewerage works, are completed,", continued tlie report, "a further call will be made upon the supply'of' at least 9 gallons per head, making the total consumption 54; gallons per head, which must be considored 20 gallons tod high."'.- ; .•"'...•■■. .::"'' ■■ '-. The committee recommended that all extraordinary supplies, should bo meter-, ed and an inepector ; appointed; that pergarden hoses have the'Wliole service to their premises and an allowance mgde equal to tie amount j of'water rate payable on the. property, the remainder of water to b& charged for &s an extraordinary supply; All services for fire purposes'only to be provided with motor, no permission to be granted for water for fire purposes' unless: suoß meter is installed. The committee further proposed as an alternative future policy/ that a ■supplementary supply he provided by sinking sis artesian wells near ■the pumping station for the purpose of pumping into the mains in case of any shortage; and that a 12-inch, main be laid from the reservoir to the junction of the esplanade with the Hutt Road. Councillor- Townsend considered that , the committee proposed a lot of useless expenditure in the' report. He asserted that one million gallons, would'be supl--by getting.the water supply direct through the mains, , insteads of -through the settling tank. i''-yz. v .' . ■• '• .. , The Mayor/replied that this had al< ready been given a trial. '.'"'■ \i • It was decided, ■■: after some discussion, to hold'ovdf certain clauses.of the recommendations ,in view of the purchase of a Ventura meter, and also that »6 charge be made for: water used for fire purposes. .. /■■:' '.'. y