Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-08
MANILA'S WATER SUPPLY.
Mariquina River to Be Damned Forty
Miles From Luzon's Capital.
From the Manila Times.

FROM the Mania Times
Manila and it's outlying districts are
shortly to have a new and more extensive
water supply, which will insure greater
purity and an increase of quantity equal
to three times the present supply. Surveys
are now in progress and are being rapidly
pushed to completion. 1t is expected that a
full report will be made to the civil gov
eminent within the next ten days.
The surveying is under the charge of
Major Case, formerly of the 10th Infantry,
assisted by Capt II. II. Pitcairn of the
47th Volunteer Infantry. The necessity of
improving the water supply of the metropo-
lis has been evident ever since the recent
cholera epidemic. Since that time the mill
tary and constabulary have been active in
patrolling the Mariquina river from the in
take up to its source; also in guarding the
single pipe line from Ell Deposito to the city,
in order to checkmate the threats of many
desperate characters. The civil commits
sion. realizing the urgent need for a more
perfect system of supply, decided some
time ago to give the city what it needs and
also eliminate the hardship now imposed
upon the natives above the intake
These people have from time immemorial
looked upon the Mariquina river their
personal property, to use as they like. for
bathing themselves, washing their clothes,
wallowing their carabaos and draining
their sewerage
The new source of supply will be moved
up the river some forty miles and two
miles or more above Montalban. At the
proposed point of intake the country is UNI
inhabited near the banks of the river, and
the nearest population consists of a few
Igorrotes who live we'll up in the foothills
and mountains so that the danger of con-
tamination of the water is reduced to a
minimum
According to the plans of improvement
under contemplation, the present pumping
station will be of no further use, as the
source of supply will be elevated nearly
eighty feet higher than the present one
and the natural force of gravity will bring
the water to the reservoir at Ell Deposito
with three times its present pressure. A
new and modern receptacle will be built
on the site of the present Anticipated one
1t will be built above ground and will in
sure a fall of about forty feet to Manila.
This fall will be distributed throughout
the city and suburbs by at least six pipe
conductors of smaller diameter than the
present single one. This will insure Manila
against being totally cut off from a supply
of water. In addition to the above it Is es-
timated that the water will enter the city
with force sufficient to send stream
through a six-inch pipe well over a build
ing one hundred feet high. This will be a
great help to the fire department.
A large dam will be, constructed across
the river and will be built from the granite
which abounds in the Immediate neighbor-
hood This work will be comparatively
simnle as the stone needs but to be blast
ed ont into the stream from the high banks
on either side This dam will be of great
strength and will be reinforced by long
gradual downward slope to the southwark.