XN000022-1974-09-28 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1974

WARNING AGAINST OVER-STORAGE OF WATER

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ACCORDING TO REPORTS RECEIVED. MANY PEOPLE ARE OVER-REACTING TO THE PRESENT WATER RESTRICTIONS. THERE ARE INSTANCES OF HOUSEHOLDERS STORING LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER FOR DOMESTIC USE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT NORMAL SUPPLY IS AVAILABLE FROM 6 A.M. TO 10 P.M.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT TODAY THAT SUCH STORAGE MAY ONLY BECOME NECESSARY AT THE END OF OCTOBER, WHEN THE SUPPLY WILL BE RESTRICTED TO FOUR HOURS DAILY.

+AS LONG AS PEOPLE HAVE A SMALL SUPPLY OF DRINKING WATER, AND REMEMBER TO TAKE THEIR BATH OR CLEAN THEIR TEETH BEFORE 10 O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING IT SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY, AT THIS STAGE, TO FILL BUCKETS AND STORAGE PAILS,+ HE ADDED.

+APPARENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN CASES OF AMAMS FILLING BATHS AND BUCKETS OVERNIGHT, ONLY TO THROW IT OUT IN THE MORNING.+.

HE QUOTED THE CASE OF ONE UNFORTUNATE MAN WHO GOT HOME AT 7.30 IN THE EVENING, ATTEMPTED TO TAKE A SHOWER AND FOUND HE HAD NO WATER AT ALL.

ON INVESTIGATION HE DISCOVERED HIS NEIGHBOURS BUSY FILLING BATHS AND BASINS FOR OVER-NIGHT STORAGE AND THEREBY REDUCING WATER PRESSURE IN THE BUILDING TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT WATER WAS NOT REACHING HIS TAPS.

+MOST OF THIS WATER WILL BE UNUSED AND SO WILL BE THROWN OUT,+ THE SPOKESMAN COMMENTED, IT IS UP TO HOUSEHOLDERS TO INSTRUCT SERVANTS ON POINTS LIKE THIS.+

HE STRESSED THAT NEEDLESS AND WASTED STORAGE DEPLETED WATER RESERVES TO THE EXTENT THAT HOPED-FOR SAVINGS WERE APPRECIABLY OFFSET.

+IF THIS WASTAGE PERSISTS, IT COULD BECOME NECESSARY TO IMPOSE EVEN STRICTER MEASURES THAN WE ARE NOW CONTEMPLATING,+

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WATER SITUATION REPORT

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THE TOTAL WATER STORAGE IN ALL RESERVOIRS AS AT 9 A.M. TODAY CSATURDAY> STOOD AT 34,932 MILLION GALLONS, REPRESENTING 51.9 PER CENT OF THE FULL CAPACITY OF 67,300 MILLION GALLONS. AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR THERE WERE 65,845 FILLION GALLONS IN STORE.

THIS MORNING'S STORAGE AT PLOVER COVE WAS 26,883 MILLION GALLONS, COMPARED WITH 50,273 MILLION GALLONS ON THE SAME DAY LAST YEAR. PLOVER COVE'S PRESENT STORAGE REPRESENTS 53.2 PER CENT OF ITS FULL CAPACITY OF 50,500 MILLION GALLONS.

NO RAINFALL WAS RECORDED AT THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY DURING THE PAST 24 HOURS ENDING AT 9 A.M. TODAY. TOTAL RAINFALL RECORDED SO FAR THIS YEAR IS 1,372.7 MM (54.04 IN).

THE MEAN AVERAGE RAINFALL SINCE JANUARY 1 STANDS AT 1,973.5 MH (77.70 IN), REPRESENTING A SHORTFALL OF 30.5 PER CENT.

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