THE MUNICIPAL WATER AND DRAINAGE SCHEMES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 702, 28 December 1909, Page 2

THE MUNICIPAL WATER AND DRAINAGE SCHEMES.

Thk hot days of summer, with their concomitant miseries of shortage of water for bath purposes, wrecked gardens, and dreaded fires, makes a high pressure water scheme particularly ' Interesting. , The report of the dJo rough Engineer, which appeared ih our last issue, supplies much food for reflection, and ought to be fully considered . by every member of the community. For an expenditure of a little over ,£io,ooo an up-to-date and ample water supply will be provided for

the Borough. What dreams of pleasure does such a proposal as this conjure up in the domestic mind. Just to think‘that to every person in (every house a 50 gallon per day allowance is made by this proposal. During the past few weeks, while the dry spell affected us—-just at the time when an ample water supply would have been most appreciated—our water consumption had to be reduced to the minimum because- of the danger threatening us of exhausting our limited tank storage. ,£IO,OOO may be regarded as a very large amount for a small community to face, but when it is remembered that a 4 per cent, charge will pay interest on the amount and provide a sinking fund, by which the whole liability will be wiped out in forty-one years, considering the immense advantages gained, does not appear tormidible.

Connected with the above is the drainage proposal. At the present time a sum of about £3OO per annum is being charged residents for what, at the best, can only be regarded as a crude and unsatisfactory system of sanitation. With such a water scheme as is proposed, a drainsge system can be effectively maintained at an in-* significant cost annually, and the amount at present paid would be sufficient, or nearly so, to pay interest and sinking fund on the amount required for construction. In the matter of cleanliness and health, there is no comparison between the present and the proposed schemes, while the total cost will never be felt by a single ratepayer.

The two schemes are sucii as a progressive community would unanimously adopt. Towns smaller and less important than Foxton have similar schemes to those now proposed here, and the residents in such places not only find water and drainage systems a pleasure for cleanliness, a safety against fire, drought, and disease, but an economic means of securing all these benefits. In a future issue we will lay before our readers what the exact cost of the proposals will be, and many will probably be surprised at the small expenditure which will be indivf dually imposed upon those who are to reap the greatest advantage from a full, ample and satisfactory supply of clean water, and a modern, healthy and sanitary drainage scheme.