This photograph shows a group of Palmerston North personalities at the opening of the Turitea Dam. Back row, from left: H Palmer, Unknown, A E CLausen, E R B Holben, J A Nash (Mayor), W Stubbs, Unknown, H Haydon, E J Armstrong. Front row: W H Collingwood, H Canton, S Jickell, W Barnard (fire chief). In July 1888, the Palmerston North Borough Council accepted a scheme to bring water into the city at a cost of £18,350. The contractors were Coates and Metcalf of Hamilton. The dam was situated 7 miles east of Palmerston North and the water was piped first to a reservoir on Tiritea Hill and then to the city over the Fitzherbert Bridge. A second dam was built in 1906-1907 and re-opened after being raised in height on 17 February 1913.