Kaslo Water System

KASLO’S WATER SYSTEM. – It Will Be One of the Best in British Columbia. – 1,500,000 GALLONS PER DAY!

            Engineer Cummings’ report on the proposed water system, submitted to the council last Saturday night, is a voluminous affair, and goes into the details of every possible scheme offered.  He gives a table showing the amount of water consumed daily in different towns and cities, from which it is deduced that, based on a probable population of 5,000 people, the water supply should be 125 gallons per capita, per day of 24 hours, or 625,000 gallons daily supply for the city.  He then takes up the various schemes offered, 4 in number, viz: 1^st, the Kaslo river gravity source, upon which he enlarges, it being in his judgment the best and most practical.  His plan is to take the water from the river, through a filtering plant, conduct it to a reservoir at a suitable point, and from there to the city.  This plan would cost less than $20,000, and is, he says, the best.  2^nd, the gravity supply from “Lardo Jack” creek, which he condemns as offering an insufficient supply., only about 150,200 gallons per day.  3^rd, the gravity supply from the creek upon which the city has filed a water right, condemned for same reason, supply only 197,590 gallons.  4^th, steam pumping plant – too expensive to operate.  Estimates of cost and maintenance are made on all the different plans.  He overcomes impurity in the river water by filtration.

            He recommends the placing of a reservoir in the vicinity of Seventh street and A avenue, which would have an elevation of 165 feet above Fifth street, 185 feet above Fourth street and 209 above Third street.  The buildings on the hill will be supplied with a line from the supply pipe above the reservoir.  He calculates that the reservoir supply pipe cut off, will supply four hose streams with 250 gallons per minute each, or 1,000 gallons per minute for five hours.  The plan provides for eight-inch mains on Front street and A avenue.  The working head at Third street will [have] 191 feet or 83 pounds to the inch, a pressure sufficient to throw a stream 145 feet horizontally or 110 feet vertically through 100 feet of 2 ½ inch hose with a 1 1/8 nozzle.  There will be nineteen hydrants equally distributed.  The reservoir will have a capacity of 300,000 gallons and the daily supply available will be 1,500,000 gallons.

            The council has gone thoroughly into the report, and though its recommendations have not yet been officially adopted, they probably will be tonight.  Mr. Cummings has been authorized to advertise for bids on material.