Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-02-18
Nuuanu Waters BAD

you that the stored waters of Nuuanu
are not fit for human consumption
unless they are filtered. There is
considerable tropical growth in the
valley-shrubs which grow quickly
and decay equally fast. This, while
not particularly dangerous, stains the
water and renders 1t disagreeable to
use 1t. In addition, the main road
of travel from Honolulu to Kaneohe
is along the valley and over the Pail.
The drainage from this road Of ne
eessity flows into the Nuuanu reser-
vOirs.
| These Islands stand as buffer,
in health as well as otherwise, be-
tween the Orient and the mainland.
Ninety por cent. of the travel from
! the Orient to the Islands visits the
! PAIL going over that road. One per-
son with typhoid or cholera could
contaminate the entire water supply
of the city.
This would be far different with
the right kind OF filtration plant.
Filtration is a success only to the
point of its perfect control A fail
ure means worse water than that now
entering the reservoir. The great
question now IL what to do"
Natural Filtration
Illustrating his remarks with lam
tern pictures showing the Nuuanu
dam In its various stages of construc-
tion. MIR. Campbell showed what has
already been done, and pointed out
the important part which the big
dam must play In the future of Homo
lulu's water supply. 1--WE occupy a
unique position here" he continued.
las we have a most excellent natural
filtration system. Why create an
artificial system which will cost
vast sum of money? Why not take
advantage of the natural supply of
pure waters that have passed through
Natures filters? The advantage Of
this system Is that not one more en-
ploye is needed than at present in
the pumps. And we will take the
contaminated waters of Nuuanu and
convert them into pure water. We
can have 100000 gallons of water
from Nuuanu. 1t is simply propo-
sition of converting that energy from
nasty water to pure water from 1000
feet underground"
Mr.. Campbell did not attempt to
give any accurate estimate of the
cost of the proposed plant, explain
ing that the figures would be given
to the Legislature by Governor Frear,
but he did make the statement that
the cost would not be one-half that
of filtration plant to filter $4,000
gallons of water per day. d.
Water Works 0utgrown
TO get the supply of waters to
the citizens Is the next question" the
speaker continued. The Honolulu
water works is a growth. In this II
is no different from that of nearly ev-
cry other municipality. The pipe sys-
ten of Honolulu consists of II miles
| VI al VI Dip's ~ HfNult INV
same kinds of pipe today we would
need TO use iine-tooth comb through
the markets OF the world. for IL con-
sists of cast iron, wrought iron, tin
pipe, and every other kind, much Of
which is no longer manufactured.
The pipe system is entirely too
small. We must reconstruct the en-
tire system of mains, get coordinat-
ed system of all the pumps In Homo
lulu. At present in the middle of the
day II is almost impossible to get wa
ter to the upper story of the Nc
Candless building or the Boston
block. This Is due to the small size
of the mains. But by reconstructlng
the main system We could put water
to the top of the tallest building that
will ever be constructed.
Meter System Best
You would be surprised to know
how little this entire system would
cost. by making the man who
wastes water pay for 1t We can make
the entire system self-supporting. 1t
amounts to this: water is commod-
ity. The minute man has TO pay
for what he wastes, he doesn't waste.
That means meter system. Cities
that have meter system show that
that system means less cost to he
consumer. A fiat rate must necessar-
ily be higher than meter rate. for
we must take into consideration that
with a fiat rate there are going to be
wastes"
Superintendent Campbell conclud-
ed his talk with the statement that
the insurance men have said that II
the proposed system is carried out, 1t
will materially reduce the premiums,
SO that in fifteen years the citizens
will have saved enough to pay for
the whole thing.
Mr., Campbell's remarks were
warmly applauded and he was given
a vote of thanks for his interesting