122
24. Drainage Works.-The storm water drains throughout the City have received_constant attention and on the whole they have been maintained in an efficient state of repair and as free from deposit as can reasonably be expected so long as the combined system of sewerage exists. As the new sewerage works progressed in the several districts, improved gullies have been fixed for the purpose of intercepting road detritus which formerly found its way into the sewers causing considerable accumulat- ing in them.
The interception of this detritus and the systematic cleaning of the gullies is a matter of no small importance in the economical and efficient maintenance of these storm water drains.
The cost of removing material from the gullies is much less than that involved in its removal from the drains.
25. The Peak and Kowloon Sewers-have worked satisfactorily and have been maintained in a sound and sanitary condition. The establishment of a constant system of water supply to the Peak District has doubtless had a marked influence for good in facilitating the removal of house refuse by the water-carriage system and enabling a more constant system of flushing the sewers to be main- tained.
The total expenditure on the maintenance of sewers and storm water drains throughout the Colony during the past year was $1,110.44 as compared with $1,251.82 during the previous year; this expenditure does not include establishment charges.
NEW WORKS.
26. New Water Mains and Distributary System of the City of Victoria Water Works. Considerable progress has been made with the main laying as will be seen from the attached Table C. 9.45 miles of new mains in various parts of the City have been laid and 6.97 miles of old mains have been inspected fitted with valves and hydrants so as to fit them for the services required under the new system.
Four hundred and four Fire Hydrants have been fixed.
27. A Motor house has been constructed over the Motor in Garden Road and accommodation in this building has been provided for one of the overseers in charge of the water works.
28. Fountains have been fixed in various parts of the City rendering water easily accessible to the tenants of property who have not got water laid on into their houses.
29. During the latter part of the year water has been regularly pumped up to the reservoir south of Inland Lot No. 715 and to that south of Pokfoolum Filter Beds thus rendering a constant service of filtered water at high pressure available in all parts of the district situated between the Pokfoolum Conduit and Caine Road.
30. The fixing of an Hydraulic Motor near Arbuthnot Road is in progress. When this is completed the pumping at the Bonham Road Station will be considerably relieved and in the event of necessity arising this Motor will be able to do temporarily the duty now performed by the Motor in the Garden Road.
31. A sum of $71,000 was voted in the year's Estimates for these works and the total expenditure has been $60,533.26.
With the exception of 1.3 miles of piping still required in the Glenealy Ravine, Kennedytown, Bonham Strand, Hillier and Jervois Streets, where owing to the extensive nature of the drainage works now being carried out, it has been found advisable to postpone the laying of the new water pipes for the present, the whole of the scheme so far as its completion at present is necessary has been com- pleted and filtered water distributed to all parts of the City.
32. The old mains where not required.for the new system or where found defective have been removed. The sound pipes have been cleaned, tarred and placed into store and the unserviceable ones sold. The cost of this work has been $2,650.88, and the amount realized including the value of those placed in store $3,856.57, shewing a credit balance of $1,205.69, which has been carried to the Water Account.
33. The total length of water mains existing in the City is 29.16 miles, the number of Fire Hydrants 404, the number of Valves 231, and the number of Public Fountains 102.
34. House Services.-The demands made on this department to lay on water to private tenements and in many instances to re-model old services or construct new ones within private premises have been very large.
During the past year 1,976 houses have been connected with the water mains and of these the entire service throughout the premises has been executed by this department in 350 instances, at the cost of the applicant.
The total length of piping that has been laid during the past year is 14 miles varying from 1" to 1". The expenditure under this heading has been $10,646.36.
The total number of houses now connected with the new mains is 2,575.