SERIOUS SHORTAGE
IN CITY WATER SUPPLY
HOSING AND WASTE PROHIBITED
The fact that the city water supply was just now in a serious position was stressed to a “Post” reporter this morning by the Mayor (Mr. R. A. S. Wright). “Owing to the fact that such an exceedingly dry season has been experienced, the city is now faced with a water shortage,” stated Mr. Wright.
“While we are very reluctant about interfering with the hosing of gardens, there is no alternative, and in every case the use of the hose must be prohibited, whether there is a meter on the premises or otherwise. Only by adopting this course can we hope to carry on until the weather breaks.”
A report submitted to the Mayor by the City Engineer states that the rainfall in the city has been only 29 inches for the year, compared with the average of about 49 inches. As a consequence the upper reservoir at Karori, with a capacity of 62½ million gallons, is practically empty. The lower reservoir, holding about 40 million gallons, is still full.
At Wainui-o-mata both reservoirs are practically full, but they are no longer overflowing, and the ground in the catchment area is very dry. The draw-off from Wainui-o-mata, as recorded by the Venturi meter, varies from five to five and a half million gallons per day, and the total storage amounts to about 120 million gallons.
Over the past three or four weeks the pressure in the city has been reduced to such an extent that the householders on the intermediate levels have been subjected to very serious inconvenience on account of the water not reaching them at certain hours of the day. This reduction has been caused, in the engineer’s opinion, by the heavy draw-off, largely due to garden hosing.
Inspectors have patrolled the suburban districts in the evenings recently, and the City Engineer has reported for prosecution many cases of waste of water at houses without meters. Street watering is not now being carried on with fresh water.
The city authorities urge on the public the necessity of conserving the supply in every way.
