SUPPLY OF WATER TO THE CITY OF BRISBANE, 
Br A. C. GREGORY, Esquiee, C.M.G., P.Q.P.S. 
(Read before the Queensland Philosophical Society , Brisbane. 
8th August , 1878.^ 
One of the most important questions affecting the City of 
Brisbane is how to provide a sufficient supply of good water. 
The Enoggera Waterworks were completed in 1866, but the 
distribution was at first confined to only a small proportion of 
the city, and the quantity of water delivered was comparatively 
small. The gradual extension of the distributing pipes resulted 
in an equivalent increase in consumption, and in 1871 it accu- 
mulated to 300,000 gallons per diem, or nearly the full quantity 
the 8-inch main was capable of conveying from the Storage 
Eeservoir, and a second main of 12 inches diameter was laid, 
and for nearly two years the delivery of water to the city has 
been about 1,000,000 gallons per diem ; but while the distribution 
has only extended to districts comprising 2,500 tenements, with 
an estimated population of 16,000, the consumption has greatly 
exceeded the available rainfall, and therefore cannot be long 
maintained under existing conditions. 
During the twenty-two months which have elapsed since 
the present rate of supply to the city has been in operation 
there has been no overflow of the bywash of the Storage Eeser- 
voir, which was quite full at the beginning of the period, but 
was some four feet below at the end. 
Thus the expenditure of water during the twenty-two 
months has been 200,000,000 gallons in excess of the natural 
supply, being at the rate of 300,000 gallons per diem over 
the capabilities of the Eeservoir, with a rainfall of 36 inches per 
annum. 
The area of the catchwater or watershed of the Enoggera 
Eeservoir is 5,000 acres ; the rainfall of the last two years has 
been 36 inches per annum, equal to 10,000,000 gallons per diem ; 
while the quantity available for delivery to the city has only 
been 700,000 gallons per diem, or only one-fifteenth of the 
rainfall. 
The distribution of the million gallons per diem supplied to 
the city is about 300,000 gallons to the lower division, with 
5,000 persons, and part of South Brisbane, with an estimated 
population of 1,000, or a total of 6,000 persons, or 50 gallons 
