Page 3 - City of Cessnock Water Supply and Sewerage Service Utility

2

between Tomago and Newcastle. During this same drought period, some water was
carted in cask on vehicles hauled by bullock teams from waterholes in the bush.

The "Newcastle Herald" newspaper in its issue dated 7th February, 1866.
Reports that the request of Maitland Municipal Council, an investigation was made
by Mr. Bell, City Engineer of the Sydney Municipal Council, as to a Maitland
Water Supply. Mr. Bell estimated that a suitable water works for Maitland would
cost £12,000.0.0 ($24,000.00). He advised that such works could expect an
annual revenue from water sales of £2,052.0.0 ($4,104.00) and its annual expenses
to be £1,427.0.0 ($2,854.00) to give a profit of £625.0.0 ($1,250.00). Mr. Bell
recommended that Maitland Council should press for an act of Parliment, to give
continuity of land tenure, consolidation of share asset value, etc., plus the
stamp of Government approval. The question, if it was put to Parliment, appears
to have been shelved.

A drought in 1875 caused a public outcry from the residents of
Newcastle and from the numerous local mining villages, on the critical and
insufficient water supply. Mr. G.A. Llyod, Newcastle's Representative in the
State Legislative Assembly demanded the provision of a permanent water supply.
Mr. C. William Clark, an English Hydraulic Engineer, was commissioned to
investigate on behalf of the Government. One aspect he examined was the
impounding of water in a shallow lagoon at Richmond Vale; but this was discarded
because of the possible presence of underlying coal. Finally he selected the
Hunter River at Scobie's Garden and Vineyard at Oakhampton as the most likely
and suitable site. Walcha Lagoon formed an admirable natural storage reservoir.

The "Newcastle Morning Herald" newspaper in the issue on 19th January,
1878 records that on that on that date, a quite large deputation had waited on the
Colonial Secretary, the Honorable Mr. Fitzpatrick to urge the Government to
immdeiately carry out Mr. C. William Clark's recommendations. The deputation
had included the Mayor and one Alderman from each of the· following Muncicpalities
West Maitland, Morpeth, East Maitland, Waratah, Hamilton, Wickham, Newcastle,
Wallsend and Plattsburg. Dr. Bowker, Member of Parliment, in introducing the
Deputation, complimented them on having made two previous trips to Sydney on this
important question of water supply: Following his words of welcome, Dr. Bowker
made an impassioned appeai to this Colonial Secretary, which included these terms:-

"Neglect of this necessary provision for a day or an hour, was fraught
with death to some of the population there, for cases of fever, in
consequence of people's being obliged to drink surface water were
frequent."