ABOUT TANKS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 275, 11 April 1911, Page 7

ABOUT TANKS.

To the Editor. Sir—l was surprised to read the following sentence in the "News":—"Xobody can exist, propagate and succeed on tank water, all assertions to the contrary notwithstanding"—a sufficiently dogmatic and definite statement certainly, and yet absolute nonsense, which, if believed, because "seen in print," is calculated to do a great deal of harm. It is akin to a scare got up by some rare ass of a medical man, some 20 or *25 years ago, that tank water was poisonous and productive of lead poisoning; which, when investigated was found to have arisen because a careless plumber had not wiped off the spirits of salt used in soldering a tank. I will not stop to enquire as to the truthfulness or otherwise of the belief of our American cousins, that neither plumbers nor lawyers will be found in heaven, but it may not be amiss to remind those of your readers who folloiv the use of solder that it is requisite that they be careful when using poisonous acids to carefully remove all traces of the same from tanks and like vessels. Taking it for granted that this ia done, there remains no element of truth in your assertion. For about one-half of j my life, i.e., between 30 and 40 years, I as a rule I was confined to tank water, as have been very many tens of thou- i sands of my fellow-colonists, and we all I existed, propagated and flourished on it. | I once had an enthusiastic teetotal friend,' who, with his wife and family, used to pride themselves on drinking nothing but water—and all their catchment was in tanks. It is true he and his family are now dead, but he certainly propagated as well as existed, and succeeded in icing fat and well looking on this fatal fluid. I could easily fill your paper with such instances, and I am sure that were your sub-leader to be published in Queensland —or any other Australian State—outside of those few towns and cities that now have waterworks, which few of them had when I first knew them, it would lie 1 looked upon as an attempt at wit, and provoke a more or less broad smile. I never saw a 400-gallon tank with a foot of filth in the bottom and do not quite sec how it could accumulate thus, if, as is usual in tanks, there is a tap at the bottom to draw off the water. As a rule no tanks are made of a less capacity than 000-gallons, most being 800, 1000 and 1200-gallon sizes, those 400-gallon tanks being square and of flat iron, in which biscuits were imported. Although to speak of a foot of mud in one of these I is probably an exaggeration, it is quite true that much black mud will accuraulate in tanks, especially when, as is usual, the house is near a dusty road. This makes periodical cleansing advisable. A better plan has come into vogiio of late years, which I commend to those requiring new tanks. This is to use a second tap two or three rings above the lower one, and from which the supply should always be drawn. Then, when the rain has fairly set in, after the dry season, the lower top should be turned on and j the tank thoroughly cleaned out. If this •lie done, no more wholesome supply of water can be obtained for culinary and domestic use than that from tanks. At least, that is the experience of the present writer. While perhaps it may be, at times, a little discolored at first, it will soon free itself, for like another of the best gifts of heaven —wine —it has ail inherent power of cleansing itself from impurities. —I am, etc., B. ENROTH. [The reason for the contention that tank water in Queensland can never take the place of a (lowing supplv are—(l) That it is frequently impossible to have an unlimited supply even by tank water; (2) the water is still it'fid attracts dirt; (.3) settlers depending on tanks dare not ahvavs clenn them out, as they would waste the supply; (4) underground tanks and scooped dams, which are so common in Australia, are open to even greater objections. Tt is a tribute to the liardi--1 ncss of the settler that thev "win j through" as well as they do, but none of [ them would depend on tanks if a bountiful nmniiiff supply could be brought to j them. — F.d.] .