AXTOFAGASTA RAILWAY WATERWORKS. 131 



of waterless houses obtain their supply from water sellers who 

 can buy at public water posts maintained by the Eailwaj^ Com- 

 pany in various parts of the town, and who hawk the water in 

 wooden tank carts. Water accounts are rendered monthly, and 

 are, as a rule, collected from the tenant of the house supplied, 

 but the owner of the property' is held responsible for payment. 



A complete meter repairing workshop with small machine 

 tools driven by electric power is maintained, by the department 

 in Antofagasta, where about 50 meters per month are changed, 

 tested and repaired. 



A system of Deacon waste water detection meters has been 

 installed and systematic testing and inspection is carried out 

 with the object of reducing loss to a minimum. 



The water entering the service reservoirs, and also the deli- 

 verv from them to the town is measured by Venturi meters, 

 and it is possible to obtain definite information as to the water 

 unaccounted for over the system, the amount varying between 

 5 per cent, and 9 per cent. 



An electric indicating and registration cabinet has been placed 

 in the head office in Antofagasta, and to this the inlet and outlet 

 Venturi meters and the water level transmitters on the six reserve 

 tanks are connected. Transmission is effected by means of single 

 line telegraph wire, the transmitters working through a split 

 battery, the recorders in the cabinet being operated by means 

 of polarised relays. The levels of the water in the tanks at any 

 ixioment are indicated on the circular dials in the cabinet, whilst 

 the drum below carries a weekly diagram showing the fluctuations 

 in each tank. The Venturi meter transmitters also actuate a dial 

 face, which synchronises with the meter in the valve house, and, 

 in addition, records on a diagram the rate of flow. The line traced 

 on the diagrtim at the meter is actually the crest of the shaded 

 portion recorded on the diagram in the office cabinet. 



The author fears there is little to be learned irom the fore- 

 going brief description of a somewhat unusual waterworks under- 

 taking, but hopes that it may be of interest to the Members of the 

 Association. 



