The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-03-26
WATER SUPPLY.
Mr. Wilson Solves the Problem for
the Present.

representative of the ADVERTISER, ac-
companied by Mr.. C. B. Wilson, Superintend-
| emit of the City Water Works, visited the
| Nuuanu valley reservoir yesterday. This is
the present source of water supply for Homo
| lulu. On approaching the reservoir our re-
porter was surprised to see that it was full
to OVERLOOKING, and that the s-inch supply
! pipe was pouring full-sized stream into it.
| Upon inquiry he learned a very important
fact, namely, that by very simple expedi-
ent Mr. Wilson had practically doubled the
supply of water to this reservoir, and, as far
as the Nuuanu valley system is concerned,
/ had removed all danger Of the citys being
without a sufficient quantity of water.
This has been accomplished by utilizing
the never failing supply Of water in Kapena
| pool itself. To make clear how this has
been done, brief description of the old and
| new plan followed may be necessary.
The Nuuanu valley distributing reservoir
| is about Sc feet long 80 feet wide, and an
average of 10 feet inches in depth. This
gives capacity of say 1880 cubic feet, or
$50, $50 gallons.
About 1000 feet farther up the valley, on
whose side this reservoir is located, is the
basin OF water in the bed of the stream
known as Kapena pool, into which tumbles
the Kapena falls. On the bank, about 80
feet perpendicularly above the pool, out Of
the reach of freshets, is a small cistern that
receives the water of the stream, led to it
by canal dug along the bank and entering
the main stream some distance further up
the valley. From this cistern a five-inch
pipe leads down the valley to the distribut-
ing reservoir. Along the bank of the stream
above this main are four large springs, which
have been inclosed at different times. and
their water led by fve-inch pipes into an
eight-inch main to the reservoir. The com
bine1 flow from these sources is what has
for many years supplied Honolulu with
more or less water.
Mr.. Wilson had been studying the Kapena
pool itself for some time past, and ascer-
tanned the following facts: The pool has an
average width of 100 feet one way by 80 feet
another when the water is at the lowest |
point it has ever been known to reach-i. e.,
% feet in the middle. The water is always |
very cold, even when it has not received any |
fresh supply from above for some time, and |
tn0iO 10 never duy VI tue aquatic pIdutoJ 1
called Hnlu, found in the pool, as it Goes in |
all stagnant fresh water. Hence, Mr.. Wilson |
argued that there must be powerful springs |
in the bottom of the pool that would fur |
nish large and constant supply of water to |
the reservoir if it could be utilized.
This he has accomplished by continuing |
the oight-inch main in to the pool to near it's
bottom. Gates were then placed in all the |
fve-inch pipes, and branch fitted to the
pipe leading from the small cistern men
toned. Other sgates we're placed in the
eight-inch main near where it bends into the
pool, and everything being in readiness the
main was filed from the cistern, it's gates
opened, and the water drawn on the syphon
principle from Kapena pool into the reser-
voir. This had been empted the day be-
fore, and in four and one-quarter hours it
was filled to overlooking, though the ordi-
nary supply of the city was being drawn off
all the time.
This new and increased supply of water is
now being discharged into the reservoir,
should not continue indefinitely. Mr.. Will
son is virtually drawing on a constant sup
ply of over half million gallons of water
to feed a reservoir that cannot take off |
more than half that amount at any time.
He is to be congratulated upon his success,
and the people of Honolulu upon the in
creased water supply obtained through his
sense.