PUKEKOHE'S WATER.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 122, 17 December 1915, Page 2

PUKEKOHE'S WATER.

Unfit Fop Consumption. Well and Reservoir Polluted "Polluted with animal eewage and unfit fur human consumption in its present state," is the verdict given by the Government Analyst on the samples cf water taken from tbe town reservoir and water-main by tbe Pukekoh! Borough Council at the request or and forwarded to tbe Health Department- 'lbis serious position of affairs was disclosed at the Borough Council meeting on Wednesday, and will necessarily cacsa consternation amongst' consumers, although ou the other fcand it n a eoaewhat redeeming feature that tbe water as it i3iucs from its original source of supply is cot or ly unc ntamir.ated, but u of firs -class quality. Tbe pollution accordingly arises in its subs qurnt treatment, i.e., storage. It may therefore be explained that the water is raised by an air compter ssr from a bore and spring and depcsited in a well at the power-bouse, whence jt is pumped to tha reservoir situatid on the simoiit of Pokefoha Hill, and then tupolied by gravitation through distributing pipes to consumets in all parts of tie town. From what transpired at the.Council meeting it is evident that the well is at fault, as its contents are swollen by drainage siakagp, and consequently contamination at that stage causes other germs to intusify atd multiply during;the subs quant storage of the water in the re&ervoir. It will be remembered that tbe investigations us to purity or impurity of the water were tbe seqeul to recent cases of diptheiia that occurred in the borough, as a consequence of which Dr Wake reported his suspicions to tbe Health Department that the diptberic germ was being transmittid by means of the water. Simples tor analysis were accordirgly taken an! tbe Council on Wednesday received the following as THE ANALYST'S REPORT. Auckland, December 13tb, 1915. t Repoit of analysis of four samp!3B of water from Pukekobe, all taktn December 7tb, 1315, marked with nanus of W. Wyatt, Waterworks Engineer, and J. F.' Dsane, Town Clerk; marked for "Domestic use," and distinguished respectively as follows: Borehole, eprinif, rtsrrvoir and watermain. All samples contained in sterilised stoppered bottles. 1 have analysed tbesesamplrs, the result being given in following pages. Briefly state!, tbe position of tbe waters is as fAlow#:— "Borehole" and "spring," both first-class waters, very pure and well fitted for general purposes of Town supply. "Reservoir" and "water main," both polluted with 'ammai sawsge and unfit for human ' consumption in present state. Signed-r ALF. J. PARKER, F.C.S., Govt. Analyst for Auckland, ENGINEER'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

the following report from tbe Waterworks Engineer, Mr Wyatt, was also read, viz.

"During the past month sampls cf tte scurcfs of tbe water supply, also one each from the reaervjir and watermains, have been taken, and analysed by Mr Patker Government Analyst. On persuing his report you will note that from tbe spring and borehole (which are our two sources from which water is obtained) the water proved to be of good quality, but when mixed with the water in the well hole proves to become contaminated with animal sewage, which makes it unsuitable, alter storage, for use for a domestic supply. I would beg to point out that during the wettest part of last winter we were receiving from this source aproximately 4000 gallons per hour. After receiving the report of the analyst steps were taken to clean oat tbe reservoir, which meant a complete waste ot 300,000 gallons of water. The reservoir is now quite clean and refilled to a depth of seven feet. I would recommend that the use of the well hole be dispensed with, and that a small reservoir be constructed, or an iron one purchasej immediately, and be put into use as tolbws:—All water coming from borehole to be emptied into reserviur and ti be pumped frum it t> the reservior on the Hill."

COUNCIL'S PROMPT ACTION. The Mayor remarked that it was evident that the pollution either arose in tbe well or the reservoir, and it seemed improbable that tbe latter brought about the contamination.

Cr Hubbard believed it to be an undoubted tact tbat in wet weather storm water drainage penetrated into the well as results had proved that the well often contained more water than bad been pumped into it. The Waterworks Engineer corroborated Cr Hubbard's statement?, explaining that the eoakage referred to wae non-existent cow wh?n the weather was dry. Consequently, he added, any analysis made at the present tima of the water in the well would not he a reliable guide. He was firmly of opinion that the trouble would be overcome if the use of the well was dispensed with and it was replaced by a concrete basin, to be constructed outside the power-house, as suggested in his report. The Mayor recommended immediate actjou jn order to avoid all lisks of (he outbreak of any epidemic. On the motion of Cr Koadley, seconded by Cr Hubbard, the Waterworks Committee were unanimously empowered to proceed without delay with the construction of the concrete basin as recommended by the Engineer.