On the Botany Watershed. 87 



as its own, iu its entirety, excepting with regard to the size and 

 position of one reservoir. The Water Commission recommended 

 an open reservoir to be made within the city, with a capacity of 

 29,000,000, instead of the open reservoir I projected on the 

 Cemetery Eeserve, with a capacity of 600,000,000. Open 

 reservoirs within towns are highly objectionable, and are known 

 to disseminate disease throughout the town in which they lie, by 

 the impurities of the atmosphere which they absorb at night 

 with the dew-fall, and distribute throughout the town in the 

 water. Eor this reason they are forbidden at home by special 

 enactment, and should not be tolerated here ; and for this 

 reason I cannot coincide with the Water Commission in its 

 choice of a site for this reservoir, nor can I in its limited 

 contents. The two storage reservoirs which I have suggested 

 near the town will be necessary to any scheme which may be 

 followed, either now or hereafter, so as to ensure a supply to 

 the town and suburbs in the event of any stoppage or inter- 

 ruption to the works at Botany, or wherever they may be. 

 The Water Commission, in recommending their site at Strawberry 

 HUls loithin the town, says, " It is obvious that the most 

 advisable expenditure would be on some work which, while 

 supplying our own immediate wants, could be utilised in any 

 alternative scheme that might ultimately be adopted." Then it 

 says, " The reservoir at Strawberry Hills would answer the 

 purpose well, and should it is considered, be at once put in 

 hand, so as to permit of its being made available as soon as 

 possible." Now, I think it would not be at all advisable to put 

 this reservoir in hand, as recommended by the Water Com- 

 mission, because it is not practicable to supply it with water 

 according to the scheme of the Water Commission. Their 

 reservoir at Strawberry Hills is actually placed at a greater 

 elevation than the reservoir at Norwood, near Petersham, from 

 which they propose to supply it. The Water Commission says, 

 " It is with considerable reluctance an unfavourable opinion is 

 expressed of the Cemetery Reservoir." 1st, On account of 

 what is termed the difficulties of construction, and also because 

 the upper ten feet of water only would gravitate to Crown-street. 

 This is attributable to their neglecting to ask how I proposed to 

 construct the reservoir, and how I meant to work it — and so it 

 is condemned in a manner which it does not deserve. 



I would here record that the water commenced running to waste 

 over the weirs at Botany on the 10th of March last, and has 

 continued without ceasing to the present time — with the 

 exception of one day in the month of July, when a cry was 

 raised that the water was running into the sea to waste, while 

 the dams were not half full ; the sluices were then shut, and 



