The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-04-10 00:00:00

tATER COMMITTEE.

The usual weekly meeting of the Water Committee
was held yesterday afternoon at the Town-hall, Mr.
Hodson presiding. The other members present were
—Messrs. Vernon, erellin, Estill, Beloe, Jeffery, Fern-
worth, Rae, Turner, Wagstaff, Woodruff, and Bennett.
Mr. DUNCAN, the water engineer, reported that the
quantity of water received from Rivington during the
week ending Saturday last was 68,170,716 gallons, and
that the quantity of water pumped from the wells was
23,825,629-gallons, making a total supply of 91;996,245
gallons. There had been a rise during the week in the
following reservoirs :—Roddlesworth, 3 inches; Rake,
3 inches; Anglezark, 21 inches; Rivington, 1 foot 5
inches. The Prescot No. 1 reservoir was steady, and
the No. 2 reservoir had fallen 61 inches. On the pipe
line one leaking joint had been discovered near Platt
Bridge. This was under repair. The movement of
the ground is this locality is becoming gradually less,
and the engineer trusted it would soon be at rest.
In answer to Mr. Farnworth, Mr. Duman stated
that there were six filter beds.

Mr. FARNWORTH.—Then supposing you require half
as much more water than at present, will they pass
more water.than they now do ?

Mr. DuNcA.N.—Yes.
Mr. FARNIVORTH.—Then you could give an increased
quantity ?

Mr. DUNCAN.—Yes.
Mr. FARNwourn.—lt was so intended ?
Mr. DuNc.ax.—Yes.
Mr. WAGSTAFF.—If you force the water through it
will not be properly filtered ?
Mr. DUNCAN.—Thd slower the better.

Alderman BENNETT.-But did not Mr. Hawksley say
that three filter beds would filter sixteen million gallons
a-day.
Mr. DUNCAN thought it would be better to filter more
slowly than that.
Mr. JEFFERY then brought forward his motion, of'
which he had given notice. He said he did so with a
view to their financial position. There was no doubt,
he thought, that the water now coming from Rivington
was better than it was some time ago. Seeing,
then, that their financial difficulty was so great, as
prudent men it was their duty to consider what
they could do in order to relieve themselves. It
appeared that the condition of the cottage holders,
as laid before them, would reduce the present revenue
received from them by something like £2,500 or £3,000
a year. It was true they would have a slight increase
by an average rate of charge of 6 per cent. from- the
higher priced property. But ho did not think that
would amount to anyt'aing like what was anticipated.
The consequence was that they were bound to turn
their attention to see how they could economise their
expenditure. He found that during the last week they
received 68 millions gallons from Rivington, and the
engineer told them they might calculate on -a con-
tinuance of that. Prom Bootle they had received 3
millions. Now, the cost of pumping Bootle was about
£650. Then they had the cost of all the other stations,
amounting to nearly £5,000. If they could save that
£5,000, he took it that it was imperative upon them to
do so. From cottages of £l3 and under the revenue
was about £19,000 a year. Now, when they took off
the various amounts for rates and for gas—which in
all equity .and in law they should be 'obliged to take
off before they could impose their charge—they
should reduce their revenue by about 121 per cent.
That would amount to at least £2,500, or near £3,000
a year, plus the present deficiency. Seeing that a con-
siderable portion of the town was already supplied from
Rivington, he thought they might venture, at this sea-
son of the year, to give a trial to the proposition he had
submitted to the committee ; and he hoped the com-
mittee would give it that consideration which their
financial position demanded. Now, he understood the
agitation of their financial difficulty" had occupied the
attention of those who held their bonds. It was only
right and proper to say they would in no way be affected
by the financial position of the committee, because the
bondholders had the security of the ratepayers. He
concluded by moving that the supply, for the future,
should be confined to Rivington and to Bootle.

Alderman BENNETT seconded the motion. It would
only be an experiment, and they could resort again to
the wells if Rivington fell short.
Mr. VERNON said no doubt the time would come
when Mr. Jeffery's motion would have to be carried,
but he thought this an inopportune period for such a
proposal. The spring was approaching, there was every
probability of a dry summer, and the wells therefore
ought to be continued in work, for it was a fact that a
quarter of a million of gallons of water were daily
escaping from the millstone leak. Another reason why
the pumping stations should rot be closed was that by
ceasing to use the engines and boilers for any length
of time, there would be a serious depreciation in the
engines.
In answer to Mr. Crellin,

Mr. DUNCAN stated that if they stopped pumping the
wells, they could not on returning to them retrieve their
lost ground.

Mr. FARNWORTH Was sorry he could not support Mr.
Jeffery's resolution.
Mr. Emu, supported the motion, and suggested that
at least the pumping might be stayed for two months.

Mr. JEFFERY said the Green-lane and Windsor
pumping stations cost £2,830. together, per annum. To
stop them, therefore, would be a great saving.
Alderman BENNETT supported the motion. Se far as
the boilers were concerned, no harm would accrue to
them by standing a few months, and that fact was
proved by large manufacturers having two sets of boilers
to their engines. As to the engines, they would take no
harm if properly prepared for being thrown out of use.
He considered that this was the only time when the
committee could prudently adopt this motion, and
pointed out that the season had been alleged on other
occasions as a reason for not supplying the town solely
with Pike water. They had indeed been bandied about
on this point merely to hide the capacity of the Riving-
ton works, which would never yield more than they did
at present.

The ENGINEER said the yield would very much
depend on the rainfall.

Alderman BENNETT said the watershed per se would
never be more productive than at present.
Mr. BELOE said Mr. Jeffery had fallen into con-
siderable error, for,the amount he proposed to save was
entirely insignificant compared with the total amount of
the deficiency. He held that it would not be wise to
risk this experiment; for the only thing that made the
Rivington water palatable at all was the mixture of the
well water.

Alderman WOODRUFF would be very glad, if he
could see his way to do so, to vote for saving £5,000
a-year ; but, that talked-of saving had dwindled down
to £3,000, and against such a trifling sum he would put
the many contingencies that might arise, and the
terrible results that would flow from a curtailed supply
of water in the heat of summer.
Mr. JEFFERY, in replying, said, he would first refer
to quantity. The Health of Towns Act said that twenty
'gallons per head was the extreme of sufficiency for all
purposes whatever, and that being so, the present mode
of distributing the water now received must be highly
discreditable to the town, for this week the supply was
ninety-one millions of gallons, whilst, it the maximum
necessary amount for all purposes whatsoever, under the
Health of Towns Act, were given, only fifty-six millions
of gallons would be required. Me held that the argu-
ments that had been used that day against the motion
were the most conclusive condemnation of the whole
Rivington 'scheme that could possibly have been ad-
vanced.

The motion was then put and lost, the only members
who voted for it being Messrs. Jeffery and Bennett.
Mr. Estill then moved, and Mr. Jeffery seconded,
that the Green-lane and Windsor engines be stopped for
two months; but this motion was lost, only the mover
and seconder and Alderman Bennett Toting for it.
The oemmittee then adjourned.