35 3R7 3. The present system is extremely unpopular amongst all the inhabitants of Cairo, from the highest classes to the lowest, and the experience of over five years has ill no way reconciled them to the change.

4. At Alexandria, Avhere the supply is taken from Nile water in a far more polluted condition than is the case at Cairo, the S3’stem of filtration which is to be introduced into the latter city has been in operation for some years with excellent results.

The chief point in the scheme approved by the Government which has attracted unfavourable comment from local critics is the decision to place the intake, from which the water will be drawn, in the iieighbourhood of the water company’s installation down-stream of the town, and it has been assumed that this course has been adopted for financial reasons, in order to avoid the expense of establishing the intake up-stream. It hardly seems necessary to state that this decision, v Inch so obviously lends itself to superficial criticism on the part of the man in the street, was the outcome of very careful reflection, and was only arrived at after a thorough examination of the quality of the water both above and below the town had conclusively proved that there was no appreciable difference between the two. This result is not surprising when the various factors in the case are taken Into account, namely, the absence of drainage, whether domestic or from manufactures, the scanty rainfall, and, above all, the great volume of water in the river. In fact it may be said that the norinal composition of Nile water, provided it he taken at a sufficient distance from the bank, compares everywhere most favourabl}’- with the average river supply in Europe. Under these circumstances, it has been thought preferable to leave the intake in the immediate neighbourhood of the water-works but some 100 metres out in the stream, where it can be efficiently watched, rather than to place it at some distant spot, where supervision would be difficult and uncertain. The suggestion that considerations of economy have unduly influenced the Government is, I venture to think, sufficiently disproved by the fact that the cost involved b}' the alteration of the water supply has been very considerabl}’’ increased owing to the system of filtration which has been adopted. The sanitary authorities urged strongly that there was no other system which had been shown by past experience to be capable of meeting all the requirements of the case, under the climatic and other special conditions of this country, and in deference to their views a system was finally approved which, whatever its merits, had certainly the disadvantage of being much more expensive than several others which were put forward.

39. Cairo Drainage.

During the year progress has been made with the scheme approved in 1908 for the drainage of Cairo, and two important contracts have been given, one to an English firm for the surface water drainage of Cairo, the sewerage of Zeitoun and suburbs, the construction of the main collector, and the construction of purification works at Khanka, 15 miles north of Cairo ; and the other to a French firm for the construction of the rising main from the main pumping station to the purification works. In the case of both these undertakings work has already begun. Aarious smaller contracts have been given to local firms, and one in particular for the manufacture of the special bricks required by the scheme, will materially assist a local industry. Early in 1910 it is proposed to put up for adjudication the contracts for the main pumping machinery and the compressed air system.

As many foolish and unfounded rumours have been in circulation regarding the eflocts upon the public health of the execution of the drainage scheme it may be well to mention that no excavation work will be undertaken within the city during the winter season, and in any case there will be no danger to health even when this work is ill progress. The sewers will be laid near the surface, in order that the subsoil may not be disturbed to any great depth, and the trenches will be of no great size, and will only remain open for a few hours; all earth will be disinfected directly it is brought to the surface, the pipes will be immediately laid and the trench refilled. There is therefore not the slightest ground for anxiety as to the health of the city being prejudicially affected during the carrying out of the scheme, which, when completed, will fulfil all modern sanitary requirements and will enable Cairo to raidc with the healthiest cities of the world.

It is hoped that before the commencement of the winter season of 1910-1911 the surface water system for dealing with the lainfall in Cairo will be practically finished, and that there will then be no further flooding of the streets during wet weather, House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online. Copyright (c) 2006 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.