This method, although at first sight may appear clumsy, is an exceedingly good one upon sanitary grounds. It not only lays the dust, but it washes the surface of the streets, and it most effectually scours out the gutters and at the same time flushes the sewers, which at the season that watering is necessary is also of great importance to any town. By this process a delightful freshness is given to the air, and the appearance of the cool and limpid water rushing along on each side of the street acts favorably upon the inhabitants. The great objections to this system are the enormous quantity of water that is used in the process, and the difficulty of doing the work after the traffic of the day has commenced. Somewhat of a modification of this process is what is known as "Brown's System of Street Watering," which may be described as follows:—A lead pipe is laid in the footpath at the back of the kerb on each side of the street to be watered, small gratings or shields being fixed in the pipe at intervals of twelve inches, and the remaining space filled with asphalte; small holes are then bored in the pipe through the openings in the shields. The pipe is connected with the water main in the street, and is provided with the necessary stopcocks, &c.
On the water being turned on, fine jets are thrown in different directions upon the surface of the street.
The width of roadway that can be watered by this process depends upon the pressure of the water, but it may be fairly assumed that in most towns streets of fifty feet width could be effectually watered in a few minutes by a pipe on each side of the street.
This process has not gained much favour hitherto, principally on account of the large first cost involved, which would amount to upwards of £800 per mile of street, but the expense afterwards should not much exceed the wages of one man at about 3s. 6d. per day to manipulate the necessary work, and the interest on the outlay and depreciation of the pipes, &c.
The other objections to this system are:—
(1.) The liability of the pipes and perforations to get out of order, especially when allowed to lie idle for so many months in each year.
(2.) The unpleasantness to pedestrians which must be caused whilst the watering is proceeding.
(3.) The inconvenience to the traffic during the process.
(4.) The effect upon the water by high winds, when in all probability it would be blown back across the foot pavements.