Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-11-26
ARTESIAN WATER SUPPLY.

The last successful well-boring at Pawaa,
where the Government has obtained flow
amounting TO about one and half millions of
gallons per twenty-four hours, invests the
subject of artesian wells with renewed interest.
And residents and property holders in Homo
lulu are asking the question, when and by
whom shall the experiment be tried Of boring
for good, pure water within the city limits ?
Every now and then. or whenever any mus
ual sickness prevails in the community we
begin to look askance at the water from our
taps, and fertile imaginatons people it with
all sorts of aniualculn and other living and
dead Impurities. However much or little of
truth here may be in attributing the low fevcrs
and intestinal disturbances which periodically
occur TO a more or less extent among residents
to the impurity of our water supply, still the
fact is quite evident that we cannot possibly
get really pure article of water from the
Government pipes. Aud on the other hand ii
is equally plain that the sparkling fountains,
filtered through numerous strata of earth aud
sand and rock for hundreds Of feet beneath
the surface of the ground, that are now bub-
bling over and blessing the plains to the eost-
ward of this city, are as pure water ns can be
produced in natures alombic. Owners of
property and residents at Waikiki may well
be congratulated on tile assurance which they
now have of Il never failing and copinus sup
ply OF that prime necessity of liie-pure wa
ter, Not, however, by any means so fortunate
are the denizens of Kulaokahua plain on the
combinations of King and Bcrelania streets.
The supply from the Makiki reservoir is not
only often inadequate for domestic as well as
irrigating purposes, but housekeepcrs com
/ plain bitterly OF its hlhiness. The only mode
in which (aside from fual fltering) passably
decent article can be obtained, is TO keep a
cloth strainer over the tap.
| Now it is confidently and reasonably antci-
pa,ed that flowing wells of a like character
with that lately struck at Pawaa, can be OBJ
tanned by boring anywhere, sag below the
level of King street, In this city Two such
wclls,- say an inch more in diameter, viz.
seven inches, would furnish as much water
for the city aud cnyirons as we now get from
the valley reservoir. The utmost capacity of
'hV po'o'"HcHt plp'S ~ ~ uelN'iI ol spilc-
thing under three millions of gallons for every
twenty -four hours. One such we'll as ia pro-
posed would supply half that quantity, SO
that with two, We should have an ample SUR
plus. Ii is estimated that the cost OF these
two wells, including engine and machinery
for pumping, would be from fifteen to twenty
thousand dollars. The water would, of course,
have to be raised TO the elevation Of the valley
by a steam pump, the running expenses of
which would he about $50 per diem, aud with
this force could be cxerted sufficient TO send
the water up to and beyond the level of the
present Nuusnu reservoir, IL needed.
On many accounts II is much preferable
that this enterprise Of supplying the city with
pure water should bo undertaken and carried
on by the Goyernmvnt, and we trust that the
matter will receive full aud early inyesliga-
lion, SO that prompt action may be taken in
the cunning Legislative Assembly. But our
authorities may rest assured that any un-
necessary delays on their part in taking ,he
requisite steps for bringing about this much
! desired wsler-reforu, will be worry likely to
bring 10 tho front the needed capital aud pri-
vaIe eulerpTise which shall accomplish tho