DOMESTIC WATER SUPPLY OF BRISBANE. WITH 



SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE PRESENCE 



OF ZINC IN TANK WATERS 



By J. BROWTNLIE HENDERSON, F I.C., F.C.S. 



Government Analyst. 



[Read before the Roijal Societij of Queensland, 13th Sept., 1902.) 



In considering the question of our domestic water supply, 

 I intend after giving merely a short general view of the subject 

 to deal as fully as I can with one particular item — the presence 

 of zinc in tank waters. 



As by far the most important use of water in the household 

 is for drinking, I intend to confine my remarks mostly to that 

 phase of the subject. 



The domestic water supply of Brisbane is drawn practically 

 from three sources : {a) the Brisbane River water from Mt. 

 Crosby, (h) the waters from Gold Creek and Enoggera Re- 

 servoirs, which are for all practical purposes identical, and {c) 

 rain water collected from galvanised iron roofs and stored in 

 galvanised iron tanks. 



I have already commented on the Mt. Crosby and Enoggera 

 waters in a report to the Brisbane Board of Waterworks, and a 

 full copy of the report appeared at the time in the Brisbane 

 Courier. Perhaps you might care to have your memories 

 refreshed shortly as to the general properties of these two waters. 



The Brisbane River water is hard, varying from 9deg. 

 to 18deg., and is therefore not suitable for washing. For 

 drinking purposes, the hardness of the water, caused by the 



