The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1920-09-24
INADEQUATE FLOW
OF WATER MENACE
Pressure in Upper Wailuku So Weak
That Effective Fire Fighting Would
Be Impossible Until SOme One
Turned Down Gauge.

Since Monday, September 19, when
the new pipe line to Kahului was
opened Wailuku has been left with
an inadequate water supply during
the hours of heavy consumption.
There has been an insufficient How
for domestic purposes in the upper
part of town but the more serious si-
tuation is that in case of fire 1t
would be necessary to find some one
to turn off the gauge and check the
flow 20 Kahului before force could
be secured in Wailuku 70 get stream
powerful enough to reach the roof Of
a two-story building. The condition
is regarded as distinct menace TO
property interests. And there is no
prospect Of securing any immediate
relief.
Pilika MuItiplies
For the past ten days many and bit
ter have been the complaints of resi-
dents of upper sections of Wailuku
One has to make an engagement with
ones bath tub half day ahead
shower baths are transformed into
trickle baths, dishes stand in the pan
and waited to be washed and house
wives sought to express their senti-
ments in ladylike language. The
language of mere man was anything
but ladylike. So much foYuthe incon-
yenience. But, fortunately, there has
>een no serious outbreak of fire.
When a. 6 .ock in the afternoon
water will + flow from q faucet in
he News osing room, when there
q eager Tickle of water on the
-cond floor and no flow on the third
.Nc I,,l-, IAfA nd tho
second floor of the Maui and Grand
Hotels, from early morning until into
he evening, when Vineyard street
:esidents have to squeeze faucets to
get few drops and High street res
idents are similarly affected by
drought it requires no vivid imagina-
ton to see what would happen to a
building which took fire.
Garcia Explains
Antoine Garcia, superintendent of
the Wailuku Water Works, said he
was trying to adjust the gauge so as
to give Wailuku sufficient force Of
water without cutting off the Kahului
supply. This he found difficult but
believed he could gradually improve
last weeks condition to some extent
"The difficulty started with the
opening Of the new inch main to
Kahului on Monday of last week." said
Garcia. THE Wailuku main is 20
years old and opens into the new,
clear six inch main that leads to Ka-
hului. The latter has . steep fall and
is, of course, more open than the old.
The result is it acts almost like a
suction Or syphon and consequently
the water does not flow into the side
nj oil nc
used to. / think it will not be posi-
BILE to give Wailuku really good SER
vice until new main is put in from
the source of supply to the Kahului
Imain line. There IS sufficient supply
Abut the pipe flow is too small"
County Engineer Low said that he
had heard complaints. The old pipe,
he said, was probably considerably
tubercled which reduced its delivery
capacity. He agreed that new main
was needed but hoped Garcia would
meantime succeed in getting a more
satisfactory adjustment of the gauge.
He thought there had been money ap-
propriated by the last legislature for
Improvement of the water works but
that it was not avail2ble because of
inability to feat the bonds.
Funds Not Available
County Attorney Bevins said there
was no county fund available at this
time to defray the expense of new
pipe line. In the loan fund there was
about $4,000 for water works i'm
provements but there was no way to
secure it without sale of the bonds.
The budget of the county had been
prepared long ago when it was be-
lieved loan fund money would be avail
able for other improvements, such as
the water works and the lao Valley
road. To take money for the water
= works would be to prevent other work
' the board of supervisors had provided
for. That cannot well be done.
Monday some improvement was
noted in the supply. Tuesday condi-
tions were as bad as last week and
Wednesday no better. Hair tonic was
used as a liquid by one man to wash
his face and another used okolehao to
dip his tooth brush in, House wives
were desperate.