78 kei'out — 1877. 



The water has undergone a great many variations in composition since 

 1850, and has now returned to almost the same composition as it had then. 

 After the deep bores were sunk, the hardness was not much more than half 

 as great as it was in 1850, owing to the fact that there are extensive alkali- 

 waste deposits, which yield a large quantity of lime-salts to the water of the 

 upper strata. By continual pumping since the existing bores were sunk, tho 

 hardness has gradually risen until it is now slightly higher than it was in 

 1850. The deeper water is still less hard than the upper water. The fol- 

 lowing are reasons for believing that no appreciable quantity of sea-water 

 reaches the well: — If sea-water entered the well one would expect more 

 chloride of sodium and magnesium salts when tho well is hard pumped and 

 when there is a less strong flow of underground water from the interior 

 towards the sea, that is in dry weather. But 



1. The proportion of chloride of sodium is almost exactly the same now 

 as in 1850. 



2. Tho proportion of chloride of sodium does not vary beyond very narrow 

 limits, and is very nearly the same in Bootle well as in wells further inland, 

 such as Dudlow-Lane, Windsor, and Green-Lane wells. 



3. In October 1875, when the hardness was reduced by the simultaneous 

 stoppage of the pumping and fall of heavy rains, the proportion of magnesium 

 salts was not altered, the change in the hardness having been due almost 

 entirely to an alteration in the proportion of lime salts. 



No. 6, Windsor well, 2 feet from the bottom lodgment. January 29, 1850. 



Chlorine 2-964 



Sodium 1-921 



Magnesia 5-055 



Lime 7-250 



Sulphuric acid -414 



Silica 1-714 



Carbonic acid 11-185 



Organic matter, traces of potash, water 



of crystallization, and loss 2-829 



33-332 

 Hardness 25°-6 



This water has undergone several changes, having deteriorated as the 

 population around it increased ; but since the sewering of the district and 

 the paving of the streets were completed it has very much improved and the 

 composition is now almost the same as it was in 1850. The hardness appears 

 to be less now than it was then ; but this may be due to a difference in the 

 test-solution employed, as two experimenters seldom get precisely the same 

 figures for hardness. The same standard soap-solution has been used for 

 several years, and the hardness is found to be slowly increasing. It is less in 

 the deep water than in the upper water. 



No. 11, Green-Lane Well, 50 feet from bottom of well. January 30, 1850. 



Chlorine 2306 



Sodium (in combination with chlorine) .... 1-495 

 Soda (as sodium sulphate) 1-391 



