Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-07-27
WHITEHOUSE IS
At ISSUE With
EXPERT HARRISON
tccntinued from page one,

4
1
presently served from the Nuuanu
system and such water as could be
taken from the already medically con.
demned surface waters In Manoa and
Pauoa. that the district engineer would
have the citizens depend upon for
their present wants and growing
That Honolulu has escaped an cpl
demic due to water conditions Is due
solely to the eternal vigilenee OF its
board of health and the wary caution
the people OF Honolulu have acquired
BY experience in steering clear OF cpl
demic and sickness.
Two Grave Objections.
No one disputes that there are sur.
face waters flowing in Palolo, Manoa,
Pauoa, Kalihi and the Punaluu valleys.
The regular flow OF the first four NAM
ed valleys is, however, owned and
controlled by rice and taro growers
and kuleana holders who take water
from the streams alongside of which
they plant or divert the water on to
their lands. To condemn such water
would cost the city a prohibitive sum
OF money and at the same time take
hundreds, yes, believe thousands OF
acres or the most valuable agriculture
al lands away from the present own.
ers and holders and In many instances
not only rob the owner or holder Of a
livelihood, but would place the lands
In position where they would probab-
lay fallow for want OF irrigation. Such
q course would mean destructive, not
constructive. progress. /, for one, can
not believe that the best interests OF
Honolulu will be served by the con-
domination of the surface waters sur
rounding the city, even allowing that
an unpolluted supply OF potable water
might be obtained from such sources
without the additional expense OF I'll.
tration plants such as are employed
In all modern water systems where
surface water such as that which could
be obtained in Honolulu is employed;
and while on that subject, you will
probably remember that ever since
the building Of the big Nuuanu dam
there has been agitation on foot for
filtration plant for the water there
conserved, ard that It is only because
OF q lack of funds necessary to put in
such plant that we are drinking, and
at times might say, eating the Nu-
uanu water.
To quote the district engineer:
I'VE know that already the arte-
sian wells are drawn on for more than
the amount by which they are replen-
ished-that the artesian water level
is being reduced all the time.
Let us assume that what the district
engineer says we all know Is true. I'll
would then appear to me that It would
be a very impractical engineer who
would advocate further tapping of the
system for city supply; and
an extremely practical one who would
advocate obtaining a supply from
some other source.
ArtesIan supply Not Menaeed.
knowing the district engineer as
well as do and having considerable
respect for his opinion as q water ex-
pert Gas distinguished from an en-
gineer looking to the supplying Of
water for domestic or commercial pur-
poses) cannot understand why he
advocates pumping water from an mr.
tesian basin which. as he says, Is be-
Ing reduced all the time, when equally
as good or better water can be OBJ
tanned at much less cost to the city by
BORING into the mountains at point
which will not interfere with the
rights of others and to suppose that a
pin.hole In q range of mountains Of
ever 40 miles will injuriously affect
the artesian supply, requires q keen
strength OF Imagination or q mind
hat can see but one side of the shield
T. is admittedly true that there are
vast quantities OF underground water
iaily finding It's way into the sea at
Or about sea level. Unfortunately the
,rtesian system is not great porce-
ain bowl that retains all the water
hat seeps into It, but. on the contrary,
[ has The faculty OF allowing much
% seep ont.
Then as to the Punaluu waters: I'm
ess ] am very much mistaken, In or.
Ter to divert any considerable portion
Il the Punaluu water into the Waia.
,ole tunnel. Il would have to be pump
"a to an elevation sufficient to get
o the waiahole tunnel level. Under
he contract between the government
md the waiahoie Water Company no
.ity water can be carried through It
or 80 years. At the expiration OF
hat time 100000 gallons each "a
Iours can be carried and the total of
o 100000 gallons can be carried after
o years. Imagine waiting for 80
ears to obtain 100000 gallons from
'Inaluu which would require q ditch
nd tunnel Of approximately three
piles in order to get 1t in the vicinity
i the Waiahoie Water tunnel, the out.
ct of which Is above Pearl City, 90
hat It would require another pipeline
rom Pearl City TO Honolulu We want
pater for the present generation In
rider that there may be future gen
ration. We are entitled to water I'll
cred through thousands of feet OF
oil, volcanic ash, rock and the other
ngredients3 that help make up our
fountains: not to water that has the
of filth and offai through
,hfch n muSt rim for miles before