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REPORT.
(i) The sample taken from the storage reservoir is fairly pure water ; faecal bacilli are present in 5 cc
shows a great improvement on last quarter.
(ii) The sample from the service reservoir is about the same in quality, but the bacilli present suggest silt at
bottom of the tank. This might be investigated.
(iii) The sample taken from the hydrant opposite the Post and Telegraph office is about the same quality as
above—fœcal. bacilli in 5 cc. But that from the hydrant opposite the station shows signs of pollution of an objection
nature. This fact was also noticed in last quarter's analyses. As leaks are not likely to be the cause of this, on account
the very high pressure, the only alternative is silt in the pipes. Scour valves should be opened when possible.
Chemically the water is a very soft one and after standing in the reservoirs is a good water.
INSPECTION REPORT.
The water-supply of Coonoor is derived from a large catchment area situated at a very considerable altitude in the
to the north-east of the town. As a water-gathering ground it would he very difficult to find a better spot provided
properly conserved and looked after. This however is not anything like as satisfactory as it should be.
Up till quite recently grazing of cattle was permitted within the watershed ; this has however been stopped. The for
authorities to whom the land belongs have removed this objection. But what 1 consider is a much more dangerous source
pollution is the charcoal 'burning that is carried on within the drainage basin. This, I am informed, is a very paying
Government concern ; but it necessitates some dozen people being constantly present in the forest within the catchment area all
and a few persons remain there at night. These workmen use the surrounding jungle for the purposes of nature. Sho
they happen to do this before a heavy shower, the possibilities of very serious pollution of the water-supply are extremely gr
If by any chance one of the workmen was a carrier of enteric or cholera, the results would be of a very serious nature.
The water after leaving the catchment area runs for several miles in an open channel along the hill side.
portion of its length where it passes near a village it is made to rim through a length of pipe and again when it passes
to the main road there is another short length.
There is no avoiding the fact that whenever there is open channel there is a chance of pollution and that chance is
considerable if the hill side is frequented to any great extent. In this particular instance the opportunities for pollution
considerable ; for the bill side is used as the grazing ground for the cattle of several villages.
At the point where the pipe ends near the Kotagiri road is the worst defect in the whole system ; for within a very e
yards of a main road the pipe ceases and the stream becomes open. There is a patch of scrub jungle close at hand and
not surprised to hear that a wayfarer was caught in the act of using the stream for ablution purposes.
The water then passes into a small lake situated in a valley. The drainage area of this depression is not preser t.
though part of it passes the main road to Kotagiri. An attempt is however made to prevent the drainage of the road fin e
its way into the lake.
The lake so-called is a very small one and does not contain more than a few days' supply. From this point the
passes in pipes to a service reservoir and thence to the town.
Now the scheme as a whole suffers from the following serious defects :--
(i) The main catchment area is liable to pollution from stray cattle grazing within it, for although this has I
officially discontinued there is no fencing to prevent it.
(iv) The main catchment area is liable to very serious pollution from the presence of charcoal burners.
(v) The main catchment area is liable to pollution of a dangerous nature on account of a foot-path that traversee
basin running from some villages to Wellington..
(vi) The water is liable to pollution from cattle and to ver y dangerous pollution. from human being the whole leng
of the open channel, but particularly at the spot referred to above near the road.
(vii)The smaller catchment area is indifferently preserved, has a main road through it and possesses other defects.
The aggregate of these defects forms a very serious impeachment against the present water-supply ; and there is,
speak not a single redeeming feature. The few dais' storage in the small reservior is certainly better than nothing, but-
is not sufficient to ensure safety.
That these various objections are not purely theoretical is demonstrated by the fact that in the analysis of Su ptember
all four samples contained fœcal bacilli in 1/100th of a cc. The recent samples certainly show great improvement, for for
bacilli are only found in 5 cc.or a little less ; but unfortunately the risk of dangerous pollution is not abated.
Recommendations :—
(I) Protection of the catchment area is necessary. The area should be strongly fenced in, foot-paths diver
trespassing forbidden. If the charcoal burning must continue only felling of trees to be allowed within the areas
cutting up and. burning must he done outside.
(II) The water must be taken from the catchment area in pipes the whole way from the valley to the small lake
(III) The catchment area of the small lake should he preserved from gross contamination.
(IV) The water must either be stored or filtered, probably the latter will be the cheapest. Storage for one inc.
would however answer the purpose.
The carrying out of these recommendations will not be cheap, but nothing less will do away with the risk of sent
accident.