The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1884-05-15
RESERVOIRS.

The question of storage of water
for this growing city of Honolulu
has for long time attracted atten-
ton and drawn forth discussion, but
has yet to be dealt with by the Legis-
lature.
Major Bender, reputed as an emf
nent expert has made flying exami-
nation of the water sheds and their
slopes which may be utilized for the
purpose, and in memorandum adj
dressed to the Minister Of Interior
has sketched out an idea for the con-
struction of reservoir at the head
of one or other of the ravines above
the town which may be constructed
at cost, roughly estimated, of
about 100000
To this may be objected. First,
that the cost is too heavy for our
revenue, falling off as it most pro-
badly will do for some few years to
come. Secondly, it is on too vast a
srale to become necessity for
many years hence. Thirdly, that
other less ambitious schemes may be
adopted, which will provide for the
| necessities of the city after it has
largely exceeded its present develop
ment or requirements.
The enlargement of our present
reservoirs, and the construction of
others on the same system with a
careful regulation of their supply
ducts, would be for many reasons
preferable to the embankmept sys-
TEN.
AS Major Bender justly points
out, to construct q dam capable of
retaining the terrific force of penned
up water many thousand tons in
weight, requires all the resources of
the best and latest engineering
science, and necessarily an enormous
outlay. A leak in solidly con-
structed dam, it apt to become 9
rent, and u rent become gap, and
a gap q hideous catastrophe. The
avoidance of such series of events
is only TO be assured by constant
scientific supervision. A staff OF
) laborers, under resident engineer
J himself if not in immediate commu.
nication with the constructing engi.
, neer, then thoroughly conversant
with every detail| of construction
; would be an absolute necessity, ant
/, at the price of skilled labor here il
| Honolulu, what an annual never
decreasing outlay! A costly anG
elaborate system of overflow ant
, and draws off to get rid of floot
water, or to relieve the pressur,
should any spot show weakness
Add to this the consideration that il
this climate storage of water many
times too great for consumption
before deterioration, would infallibl,
lead to variety of zymotic diseases
and other poison bred ailments. Thi
could only be avoided by constan
waste, and in drought the wate
supply might very possibly become
insufficient or unwholesome.
These are some of the objection
to the big reservoir system that sug
) sest themselves to layman. Th,
existing reservoirs are most notably
insufficient for the supply of thu
town as it is to-day, even supple
) mented by the artesian wells ALREADY
successfully sunk.
The votes of the Legislature o
1882 have resulted in little NOR,
than relaying one minor system, anC
: the providing piping for another.
The Superintendent of Public
Works is we'll acquainted with tn,
requirements of the city, and til,
available water supply We hope tha
this gentleman's suggestions be pre-
ferred to those of any other engi
neer, however eminent, who canno
possibly be so familiarly acquainted
with the details of the matter.