Pipeline problem

Water Off Again

In New Caledonia

From Gerald Rousseau In

Noumea In Noumea (pop. 50,000) ii mid-January, with the annua water shortage in full swing, n» one had been reported as havin. to bathe in champagne but ther were plenty of stories abou

people having to buy miners

water for this purpose.

Caledonian humorists are als delighting in the tale, claimed to t authentic, of a metropolitan Frenc lady having gone to the Director ( the Water Board to complain ths she had been unable to take h( six-monthly bath.

Since early December the wat< has been cut off in Noumea evei afternoon from 1 p.m. till 6 p.n and every night between 9 p.m. an 5 a.m.

Pipeline problem

According to Mr. Jean-Yves ( Gaillande, Director of the Municip Water Board, the reason for tl shortage is not lack of water in tl Dumbea Dam but the inadequa< of pipelines bringing supplies Noumea.

Mr. de Gaillande states that tl Noumea reservoirs containing 25,0( cubic metres of water (approx. 5 million gallons) are emptied in hours and cannot be refilled fs enough.

The Mayor of Noumea has ji called tenders to construct a thi pipeline to Noumea with the hope work beginning by the end of tl year. It is expected that the million project will take 18 mont to complete.

In the meantime Mr. de Gaillan points out that in this French Ter tory one is free to use the water one wishes—if there is any water.

In New Caledonia there are legal restrictions on the use of the only law on the matter forbi the use of garden sprinklers, I this is not enforced.

Meanwhile, hotels, private famil and downtown business houses £ installing water tanks to overcoi the recurring shortages.