IN EARLY PROSPECT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1943, Page 2

IN EARLY PROSPECT

RESTRICTIONS ON GARDEN HOSING

BOROUGH COUNCIL DECISION LAST EVENING.

PRESSURE IN MAINS ALREADY VERY LOW.

Restrictions on garden hosing were imposed at the discretion of the Engineer at a meeting of the Masterton Borough Council last night. The Engineer, Mr C. R. Maljeon, said that last year’s zoning system would be carried out, but" the hours for hosing would now be from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. On Sunday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Residents in all the areas will be allowed to use their hoses.

Mr Mabson said last night the water pressure was down to 301bs. In the high level areas of the town there would be insufficient pressure for fire fighting. He suggested that in the event of a fire the fire bell could be rung to warm people to turn off their their hoses. Councillor C. E. Grey said he regretted that the restrictions should be necessary when so much wateAflowed to waste down the Waingawa rWi’. The present supply was inadequate. A TREMENDOUS DEMAND. The Mayor (Mr Jordan) said a local garden was metered and in 23 days 41,000 gallons of water were used. No system could ever cope with a demand on that scale. Councillor W. Kemp said too much water was wasted. More use, he added, could be made of the'hoe. “The borough is divided into saints and sinners,” observed Councillor H. E. Gardner. “There are a few saints and a lot in between.” Councillor G. W. Morice remarked that in the summer after the pipes were concrete lined there were no restrictions. Mr Jordan: “What do you deduce from that?” Councillor Morice said the engineer had promised to give a report on the water coming through the pipes now as compared with the volume before ' the pipes were lined. No report had yet been made. EFFECT OF PIPE LINING. Mr Mabson said last year was a broken year and did not give a fair indication. Previously the main twin pipes gave 600 gallons a minute. Last night 2,110 gallons a minute was passing through the pipes. Mr Jordan observed that when any system was worked out about 40 to 60 1 gallons of water per person per day was allowed. He advocated metering as the only remedy. Mr Mabson stated that from 8 a.m. yesterday to 10 p.m. last night, 1,000,000 gallons of water were used ‘in Masterton, or about 150 gallons of water per head.

- Mr Mabson was empowered to remove the restrictions at his discretion.