The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-02-17
NUUANU WATER
UNFIT FOR USE
Continued from Page one,1

consumption of approximately f4.S0n.-
600 gallons per day, which is. in pro,
portion, larger than the consumption Of
any city in the United States or E.u-
rene. The supply in Honolulu is lin.
tied, to a certain degree, when the
water used for domestic and irrigation
purposes is taken into consideration.
Now, the main point of this all is that
We must do something 10 increase the
supply here and improve the quality
of the water.
Any physician in the city vii tell
you. and many of them have a'leady
stated, that the stored water in Nuu-
anu Valley IS not fit fos human con-
sumption. There is considerable trop-
zeal growth in the valley, shrubs which
grow quickly and decay equally as
quickly; there IS the dust and dirt ae-
cumnlating from the roadway, tho
| drainage, of necessity, flows into the
waters of Nuuanu dam-and this all
contributes to the contaminated eondi-
| ton of the water. Ninety per cent of
| the tourists who visit Honolulu go to
Nuuanu Pail, and up along that road
| leading by the dam. One person with
| fever or cholera could put the cen
| tagicn into the water and ii eenld
| spread all over the CITY, low differ
ent it would be with the right kind cf
| filtration plant Filtration is correct
only to the point of its perfect con-
| troll. A failure along this line means
more harm to the community than the
effect of the raw wafer coming aswn
These problems have been presented
to me, and the great question now re-
naming is what to do.
Mr.. Campbell then showed about
twenty lantern slides, depicting Nuu-
anu dam, and he explained each one
as it was thrown on the curtain. He
stated, however before the pictures
were shown that, if the water were sold
to the citizens at the rate of three
cents per kiloliter, it would yield reve-
nue. of $4,000 per day. The photographs
which Campbell had thrown on the cur
| tain showed the main features of the
construction work done on the dam,
displaying the value of the system in
use in the famous rock fill.
E'These pictures said Campbell.
show what an important part Nuuanu
dam has in the ultimate future Of the
water supply of Honolulu! We occupy a
unique position here. as we have an ex-
cellent natural filtration system. Why
create an artificial system, which will
cost a vast amount of money TO keep
| in order. when we have an inexhausti.
bic supply of water which can be pass
/ ed through nature filters''
Campbell then pointed out that 1t
would be simple proposition of con-
verting the energy derived from the
| force derived at Nuuanu dam into arte-
sian channels He did not give esti-
mates of cost, merely stating that pure
water and a proper distributing sys-
tenn would be found to cost less in the
end, if the right method were employ
ed, than the system now in use. Camp
bell emphasized the statement that, if
the revenue of the department were
given to him to carry out the work, it
would of itself pay for the bonded issue
within twenty years. He later cut this
estimate down to fifteen years when he
stated that the insurance companies had
assured him that the premiums on prop
erty would be greatly reduced if the
system which he proposes is carried into
effect Campbell stated that the Water
| Department had turned fully $4,000
into the Territorial Treasury within the
last two years If this could be utilized
on a reconstruction of the department,
putting in a more adequate, larger pip.
ing system, he stated that it would pay
for itself in a short time.
With regard to the water granted free
to public parks and public buildings,
| Campbell said that, if meter system
were introduced, as he advises, the Ter
ritorv would be charged with the water
thus received, instead of getting it
gratis, as at present. He made point
of the fact that water is commodity,
the same as butter, bread or eggs, and,
that the minute a man had to pay for
every bit of waste water consumed on
his premises-he would remember not
to waste Summing this up among the
population of Honolulu, it would mean
a wonderful saving to the community.
At the end of Superintendent Camp
bell s address, a vote of thanks for his
instructive remarks was passed by all
those present, to whom the most % his
information appeared as a revelation
Ed. Towse then suggested that Lloyd
ChiIds. who is arranging Hawaii s ex-
hibit for the Seattle fair. speak to
the gathering in the absence of W. j..
bigger. of Seattle. who was unable To
he present. ChiIds made mention Of
the positive need of an additional APP
propriation of $4,000 from the Terri
torial Legislature for the exhibit of the
Hawaiian Islands at the fair, stating
; the Territory would receive mora
boosts. more promotion, and more ad-
vantage from this sort of advertising
than from anything else.
That the looks Of the city had been
greatly improved through the commend
able work of the local press before
fleet time was a part of the report Of
Zeno K. Meyers. He stated that fright
at the present time splendid results
could he had if the papers would again
run local notices urging the residents
from time to time to clean up their
property and the sidewalks. The re-
port of Mr. Meyers strongly URGED that
the legislative committee of the Civic
Federation look carefully into the law
affecting bilIboards, and. if possible.
frame some law that could be passed
at this session. According to the re-
port. the billboard matter is one of
the most important which the Fedora
ton has to face in the near future.
vote of thanks was extended to