Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-06-01
WATER SYSTEM
NOW A Menace
Sanitary Commission Sees
Health of City at Mercy
of Chance.

For short, sharp. terrible mortal
ity, the Nuuanu water system offers
the greatest possibilities of danger
that have seen in and around Homo
lulu"
In these words DR.. Donald II. Cur
RE, of the U. S. Marine Hospital ser
vice and the medical expert of the
Sanitary Commission summed up the
results of a visit TO the watershed
and dams made by the Commission
yesterday afternoon. The remark was
made as the party was on its home
ward way, after seeing series Of
dams without guards of any kinds
and a watershed inhabited by a num-
her of persons, with several huts
themselves in very insanitary con-
dition.
Chairman George X. Carter, fami-
liar with every foot of the ground as
well as with the history of the much
discussed water project, directed the
Commission on its tour yesterday. DR.
Currie ard Prof. Arthur Keller of the
College of Hawaii were the only 9TH
err members present. c. II. Hemen-
way and ]. l.. Young both being out
of the city.
See Whole System.
Chairman Carter drove his big
green automobile up to the top of tho
Pail and made the descent slowly,
stopping often to give the Commits
dams, the city light plant and the So
ries Of valleys and ridges that make
up the watershed.
The Commission all agreed on one
point without argument.-that the
city's water-supply should not be left
unguarded. II was pointed out by Dr..
Currie and concurred in by the 9th.
ers that human being suffering from
typhoid, might infect the whole water
system II allowed to enter the water
shed. There was no sign of guard
at the big head dam, although one OF
DR.. Currie's recommendation during
the late cholera outbreak was that
the water supply should be guarde 4
closely for at least sixty days after
the last case had been disposed of.
Open Road a Menace.
The Nuuanu road In its present
state is regarded as a real menace by
the commission. Much of this road
drains directly into one or another Of
the series of dams, and the Commits
sion discussed yesterday the advis-
ability of recommending that there be
cement cutters run down each side
of the road its full length.
The Commission at present sees
two possible ways of guarding Homo
lulu's water supply. One of them
would revolutionize the whole city
water system. II is to use the Nun.
anu dam not for storing water for
Honolulu's use. but merely as part OF
system to generate power that will
be used In pumping water for con-
sumption from artesian wells. In this
case, the reservoir would become the
source Of the power and the head"
Of the water dropping down the slope
would be used to pump the artesian
water and distribute II over in the
city.
Guard System Suggested.
Another plan is to build up an Or
ganized guard system around the
dams and watershed, including the
erection of wall around the dams
and the statloning of guards at vari-
Gus points. This Is done, say mem
bers OF the Commission. in most Anne
rican cities whose water supply is de.
rived from reservoirs or lakes liable
to he contaminated.
The first plan Is regarded as the
safer and surer way to protect the
health of the city, but members Of the
Commission are inclined to doubt its
feasibility for years to come, II at all