OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 November 1943, Page 4

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

CARTERTON WATER SUPPLY

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—First thanking you for space for my letter of August 24, I would be equally obliged if you would insert the following for the consideration of our (Carterton) Borough Council, ratepayers and water drinkers. Yesterday I made a point of investigating to some extent the cause of the obnoxious pollution of our water supply. Nov/ for the enlightenment of. those who do not know, our reservoir on the hill and about four miles of pipeline from there to the river we once drew from, are out of service and we are now drawing our water direct from the old settling pond by the roadside. This'means we are back on the old original supply of about 40 years ago, minus all the filter beds and dirt traps, etc., that have long since silted up, plus any cow and pig swill that unavoidably finds its way into the four miles of open race that feed the settling pond we now draw from. This is not an attack on farmers for polluting our water supply, for we should have had sufficient experience by now not to draw from such a source. There are cow and pig yards all too close to this race to please any boiled water drinker. It appears to provide natural drainage for most of the farm land between the road and the hill top and the stock have free access to this race. In fact it appears to be, like our’s, their only water supply —only they come first and we come after, lower down. My wonder is why on earth the health authorities did not condemn the whole outfit instead of committing us to spend £6OO on a chlorinating plant and also why, instead of opposing this installation in court, we did" not there and then proclaim that we would immediately kick out this dirty race supply and go to a bettor source. I say that this is not a matter to be postponed for any old time in the future, but calls for an urgent investigation to see if we cannot again draw our water from, at least as far up as where the main head race crosses the road, or, if we can, get some other means or source for better water and cut out this filthy race. How our hospital patients get on when they gasp for water and can only get a drink of cow swill is somewhat painful to imagine. Unless or until we can do something better we should make every effort to get that old hill pipeline working again. If there are parts of the hill that won’t hold pipes, the flat will, so we should be able to dodge these parts by using concrete pipes in the dip on to the flat, as the increased pressure, which need only be in the dip, would not be great. An ah’ vent at the commencement of any dip in the pipeline should protect it against airlock. If our council could only arrange a Christmas Sunday picnic at. the settling pond of ratepayers and borough water drinkers there would be no difficulty in getting sanction for a loan for improvement. But believe me (if this picnic suggestion appeals to the council and there is enough benzine about for this essential job) the day will be spoilt unless arrangements are made for a supply of water from some better source to boil the billy. Yours, etc W. CHEW. Carterton, November 10.