“Sew Aeeshallow Well was bulldozed nepr the Port Mess and found to be
PU
AMR et en
free of noticeable salt content and suitable for showers and laundry.
Approximately, 30,000 gallons per day was taken from this well and
after 4 months of dry weather it gradually increased in salt content.
This work was done by advance party.
To save this well for laundry purposes another well was dug
between the air strips and at first tested good enough to be used as
potable water.
Heavy drain on this well for showers caused it to
gradually turn brackish.
again.
The first heavy rain made the water good
The next heavy rain brought the salt content to 550 ppm.
It
is believed that this was due to using a large amount of sea water
to settle dust on the air strip.
The Port Mess well dropped to 120
ppm by 1 April 1948, after two heavy rains.
A permanent still bank of 6 Badger units of 3500 GPD capacity
were installed near the Headquarters area for the permanent garrison.
Storage for about 50,000 gallons is on the island.
The big problem of the atoll was the use of such a large number
of small stilis.
This gave a personnel parts and maintenance problem
of unbelievable proportions.
A few large stills, diesel driven would
have eliminated these problems.
Fuel was extremely poor, causing stalled engines and engines that
would not come up to the speed required to operate the automatic clutches
or drive the compressors.
|
The Cleaver-Brooks 3000 GPD proved the most complicated and gave
the greatest maintenance problem.
58
Section VIb
oe