Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1948-07-30
Tabor City Is Facing
Severe Water SHORTAGE

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furnish the water necessary for
normal consumption in Tabor
City-some 100000 gallons
daily.
On especially hot days, when
a lot of water was being used
this summer, the pumps were
unable to keep up with the de-
mand.
Last Thursday, July %, the
pumps were turned on at 3 am.
because the water in the tank
was low.
At S p.m.-after the pumps
had run continuously since 3
a.m.-there was a foot less
water in the storage tank than
there had been to start win.
This when there was only
normal consumption.
There was no fire. The fire
truck can pump 500 gallons
of water a minute or almost
half the capacity Of the U.s..
600 gallon water tank in an
hours time.
There was no potato wash.
ing. The two local potato
houses. during the season. use
a total of approximately s..
600 gallons Of water daily
washing potatoes.
Two more potato houses will
be in operation this fall. More
water needed.
The potato washing season
extends from the last of Oc-
tober to May.
The present pumps and wells
are in pitiful shape.
The newest well is IL years
old and produces only 40 gal
Ions of water a minute.
The oldest is 20 years old. II
is gradually pumping less and
less something under 60 gal
Ions a minute-and has been
pumping sand for more than a
Iyear-a sure indication that the
we'll may give away at any
time.
The North Carolina State
Board of Health has considef.
ed the towns water supply
in a state of emergency since
May. ls47-more than q year.
That statement was contained
| in letter of that date from
Sanitary Engineer w. S: Nc
Kimmon of the Board of Health
to the town.
The Tribune printed that let
ter in full February Is of this
year.
McKimmon said in part:
my investigation of the pres
ent two wells brought that the
wells originally tested at 60 and
40 gallons respectively. This
capacity has tendency to de-
crease over a period of time
which means that the two wells
in all probability fail to test
within several gallons OF the Or
iginal capacities.
1.-THE town of Tabor City
probably has near $500 people
at the present time and is con.
tinuing to grow. The present
water supply even at full cap
acity is inadequate to take care
of the town in all emergencies
and if the town was completely
watered and severed would not
furnish enough water in any
event.
In conjunction with the
above, the present 6o.go!lou
/ well is pumping sand indicat.
ing that the screen has deter.
iorated to such IN extent that
is beginning to give away in
places allowing the sand to
pass through.
When a screen gets in this con-
dition, it is liable to give away
overnight which would make
the we'll useless to the town
until a new screen could be in.
stalled.
IF this should happen it
would mean that the town would
have to depend on the 40 g.p.m.
we'll for its entire water sup
ply which would place it in a
very precarious condition. Due
| to the above conditions, this de-
partment considers the town in
a state of emergency as to its
water supply and urges that i'm
mediate steps be taken to rem
edy the situation.
1T is recommended that the
town Immediately install a new
well and when this well is put
into operation that the town in
stall a new screen on the pres
emf 60 g.p.m. we'll"