PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 49 



inadequate during dry summers. However, a scheme which 

 will give the district a plentiful supply of soft water has 

 recently been commenced; the data as to mains etc., are 

 contained in Table VIII. 



The Broken Hill Water Works were constructed by a 

 private company, who in 1893 commenced to supply water 

 obtained from a reservoir formed by an earthen dam in 

 Stephens Greek, about ten miles from the town, from where 

 it was pumped to a service reservoir in Broken Hill. The 

 district has a small annual rainfall and is subject to heavy 

 storms, the result being that the water conserved becomes 

 turbid; to overcome this the company, in 1897, installed a 

 rapid filtration plant, the result being that the supply was 

 rendered satisfactory. 



The evaporation from the surface of the large reservoir 

 formed by the dam in Stephens Greek is very great. During 

 the fifteen years ending 1907, the total supply sold amounted 

 to about 2,300 million gallons, and the evaporation from 

 the surface to about 17,750 million gallons, nearly eight 

 times the quantity utilised. 



A second works for the supply of Broken Hill has been 

 constructed by the Government, a concrete dam having 

 been built across Umberumberka Greek near Silverton, 

 nineteen miles from Broken Hill, from there the water 

 is pumped to the town; this was completed in 1915 at a 

 cost of £462,511. On the completion of this work the 

 Government took over the works of the Stephens Greek 

 Company, and now supply the town and mines from both 

 sources. 



Sewerage and Drainage Works. 



The introduction of the biological system of treating 

 sewage, placed sewage works within the reach of many of 

 the country municipalities, and fifteen towns which had a 

 water supply, have been sewered by the Government on 



D— May 2, 19i7. 



