CITY WATER SUPPLY

Evening Star, Issue 19786, 9 February 1928, Page 2

CITY WATER SUPPLY

SERIOUS EFFECT OF DRY WEATHER ANDERSON'S BAY'S TROUBLES CHAIRMAN REVIEWS P.OSLTJON. Between January 1 and yesterday morning there was a depletion of 33,164,000 gallons in the quantity of water in the reservoirs which supply Dunedin, the inflow, owing to the continued spell of dry weather, being a good -deal below what it is at normal times. As was pointed out at the meeting of the City Council last night by Cr W. Begg (chairman of the Water Committee), there is at present no cause for alarm, but if the present dry weather continues further measures, in addition to the prohibition of hosing of gardens, will have to be taken to conserve the supply. Or Begg said that in -view of the recent dry weather and many inquiries, he would give an outline of the position of the city water supply. In a statement which he had drawn up reference was made to the Anderson’s Bay supply, which for several years had been a bugbear to the department. He had a diagram showing the daily water levels of the three storage reservoirs since January I, 1928, on which date they were all full The capacity in gallons of the threfe reservoirs when full, and the amount stored in them yesterday morning, was as follows: Yesterday When Full. Morning. Boss Creek ... 50,000,000 00,636.000 Southern Reservoir ... 65,000,000 51,200,000 Sullivan’s Dam 33;000,000 33,0.00,000 Totals ... 148,000,000 114,836,000 The quantity stored yesterday morning was exclusive of 1,455,000 gallons in the service reservoirs. The depletion since January 1 was 33,164,000 gallons. During the past fortnight, continued Cr Begg, the stored water had been drawn upon to the extent of approximately 1,380,000 gallons a day, and during the past week the average had been 1,895,000 gallons, approximately. The only rainfall of any consequence since January 1 was that on January 23, 24, and 25, this averaging a total of slightly over half an inch over the watershed, but fogs and occasional light rains on the hills had assisted in maintaining the levels of the creeks, which were as yet not nearly down to the drought level recorded in 1924. The intakes measured yesterday morning were as follows, the lowest levels recorded in the drought of 1924 being given for comparison ■•

Cr Begg went on to say that as the present dry spell might possibly continue tor another throe months, it had been thought advisable to take stops to conserve tho supply, and notice had been advertised that the use ot hoses was prohibited, 'to augment the supply to the Southern Reservoir instructions wore issued to the E.P. ;ind D. Department on Monday morning to put the Powder Creek pump into commission, and pumping was commenced shortly after 3 o’clock on Tuesday niternoon. Ho had visited the whole of tho intakes of the system during the past few days, and with the exception of tho Powder Creek supply every intake was being absorbed, .He thought that some time on Thursday the effect of the Powder Creek pump would bo felt at the Silverstream end. ANDERSON’S BAY TROUBLE. '

Some trouble had been experienced on the higher levels of the Anderson’s Bay district during the past fortnight by the pressure during some nights being insufficient to put water into the tanks on the higher levels. Pressure ■records showed that at Ross’s Corner the pressure was low iu the absence of rain, and the trouble was, no doubt, largely duo to the draw-off on the lower levels for garden watering. The warning issued against the use of hoses was followed by a marked improvement in the pressure. To afford relief to Glendiniug Horne and other residents on the high levels water was carted up to the top of the hill on two occasions last week.

Tho work of installing a pump at Ross’s Comer to increase the pressure on the high levels of the Bay was in hand, and it was expected that the work would have been completed by last night. Cr Begg added that the engineer was in favor of tho establishment of a pump to “boost” the water, so as to give a fuller supply to the people on the higher level*. The increased pressure was purely theoretical in the meantime, and the _ pump had to be tried out. The engineer was hoping for the best. A pressure of 1601 b would have to be recorded before the Glendining Home received water. That there would be an increased pressure was certain, but whether it would be sufficient to maintain a full supply to the people on the high levels during the day remained to be seen.

_ A statement had been made, continued Cr Begg, that the Health Department would not allow a domestic storage tank to be connected to the sanitary fittings. There was_ nothing, however, in the water or drainage bylaws to prevent a storage tank being connected to the supply cistern of the sanitarj fittings in the same manner as a service pipe from the water main would be connected. The Health Department officer, when applied to for his opinion of this statement, had said that he knew nothing about the matter. Tt was reticulation of the whole system that was at fault, continued Cr Begg. An Anderson’s Bay resident had demanded a supply system, hut ho had. pointed out that only a service reservoir would adequately supply the needs of the district. To take a 9in pipe from the Sullivan’s Dam would mean a length of ten miles, and the whole cost would be £50,000. The speaker went on to say that the growth of the city was taking place on the higher levels, and provision would have to be made in the future to supply those higher levels. Data, had now been collected by the engineer which would,assist materially in finding how additional storage in the catchment area could be provided. Cr Douglas congratulated Cr Begg on putting the position so clearly before the council. _ • Cr .Scott thought that the restriction in the use of the garden hose would do a lot of gardens a great deal of good. Tie suggested that a greater use of the hoe and less use of the hose was needed. Later, Cr Shacklock, in moving the adoption of the E.P.,and L. Committee’s report, said that the _ water supply at Waipori had been _ giving the committee food for considerable thought. The dam had dropped from 43ft to 39ft, whereas a fortnight ago it was running over. The engineer and he proposed visiting the locality to-day in the hope of making some suitable arrangements. If the dry weather continued for another eight weeks, said Cr Shacklock, the whole of the water now stored •rould be used up.

t* >» M'S u 'S = s. & *£ c* s ?« o • > ■r. O ci o a Sullivan’s Dam 659,003 343,000 West Branch ... 237,000 165,000 Morrison’s Creek 316,000 233,000 Doss Creek 693,100 422,000 Southern .Reservoir ... 1,8Utd ,UUU 601,000 Totals ... 3 ,707,000 1,769,000