Historical information

This mask set is part of the North East Region Water Authority collection in the Wodonga Historical Society.

Wodonga's drinking water and wastewater operations were originally managed by the Wodonga Waterworks Trust, which was established in 1897, after Wodonga became a separate shire in 1876. In 1923 a Wodonga Waterworks Trust referendum to provide funding for new infrastructure to supply more water of better quality to Wodonga was passed. This included building the Wodonga Water Tower and it was completed in 1924. It supplied water to Wodonga until 1959, when it was drained and decommissioned after the No 1 Basin on Huon Hill was completed in 1958.

In 1983 the Wodonga Waterworks Trust and the Wodonga Sewerage Authority became part of the Wodonga Council. And by 1989 a filtration plant at Huon Hill was completed, which provided filtered water of improved quality to Wodonga, in accordance with the World Health Organisation’s guidelines.
In 1994 the Kiewa Murray Region Water Authority took over the Wodonga Council’s water and wastewater operations, and then in 1999 the Kiewa Murray Region Water Authority combined with the Ovens Region Water Authority and became the North East Region Water Authority or NERWA. NERWA then became known as North East Water.
Siebe Gorman was a British manufacturer of industrial respirators that served the mining industry, the chemical industry, and the agricultural industry from 1938 until the 1980s. The "Puretha" line refers to the canister included, which was designed to tackle industrial hazards.

Physical description

Siebe Gorman "Puretha" Type C Kit with Vista Vision Facepiece. The facepiece consists of a formed plastic lens held on by a white retaining ring that stretches around the rubber facepiece and is connected by two thumbscrew lugs. The exhale assembly is covered by a steel mesh.The hose is a standard industrial hose. The canister is attached by a khaki webbing material. An instruction sheet is included. The kit is a small leather case with two front latches.

Inscriptions & markings

Safety instructions and chemical information on canister label.
On label: EVERYTHING FOR SAFETY EVERYWHERE
Date filled 28 DEC 1961 NO. 675