ELLERSLIE'S SEWERAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 185, 8 August 1927, Page 5

ELLERSLIE'S SEWERAGE.

MENACE TO HEALTH. LARGE AREA POLLUTED. ONE TREE HILL WATER SUPPLY. NO CHANCE OF BEING AFFECTED. Ellerslie"a septic tank is becoming a menace to the district in which it is situated. This condition has existed for some years, and has caused apprehension to the One Tree Hill Road Board's engineer, Mr. J. Dawson, and the members of the board, as well as ratepayers in the vicinity. Tlie tank overflows, and during winter months stormwater from the Ellerslie Town Board's district carries the polluted matter on to the sections and about the houses of residents iu the One Tree Hill area. t The tank is situated alongside the railwa3- line, about a-quarter of a mile from the Ellerslie station on the Great South Road side of the line. Passengers on passing trains hare complained of the smell, and the only thing done to stop it has been the application of lime. The lime has not had the slightest effect in abating the nuisance, which is going further alield. There are unmistakable signs of the polluted stormwater having been up as tar as three or four feet on the side of houses in the One Tree Hill Road Board's area. In addition to being a menace to public health, it has been contended by the Health Department that the overflow from the septic tank, together with the stormwater, has affected the One Tree Hill water supply. This aspect of the question is emphatically denied by the One Tree Hill Road Board authorities. History of the Project. "When the Government decided to erect workers' homes at Ellerslie, about a-quarter of a century ago, the Health Department put in the septic tank. The drainage from a large number of houses in the Ellerslie town district goes into it, and the effluent, under ordinary circumstances, passes into a volcanic cavity on the property, and is supposed to be absorbed. During heavy rain, however, large quantities of stormwater from the surrounding district on the Ellerslie side flood the lower levels, and cause the septic tank to overflow. This water finds its way to all sorts of places, and when it disappears leaves a thick coating of disagreeable and highly-smelling matter a≤ a deposit.

Menace Should be Removed. Discussing the question with a '"Star" representative this morning on the spot, Mr. ,T. Dawson, engineer to the One Tree Hill Road Board, pointed out that for an expenditure of approximately £4000, and a maintenance charge of about £40 per annum, the menace could be completely removed. He contended that it was the Health Department's duty to see that the work was carried out. It would mean the construction of a new septic tank and the institution of an automatic electrical pumping plant, the same as installed in the One Tree Hill Road Board's sewerage area. Then the whole scheme could be linked up with the Auckland and Suburban Drainagfe Board's main in the vicinity of the Harp of Erin corner. It was Mr. Dawson's opinion that a large area of the Ellerslie Town Board's sewerape could be connected up with the main sewer by means of gravitation. "If, instead of always giving us a blast about our water supply every time we complain about the Ellerslie septic tank nuisance, the Health Department would do something to the latter, then the public health of the community would not suffer." said Mr. Dawson. "There is not tho slightest possible chamje of the polluted overflow from the Ellerslie eeptic tank affecting our water." he continued. "Before the overflow could reach anywhere near our spring it would be tapped by several streams running at rijrht angles to it into the Manukau Harbour. I wish to say emphatically that our water is pure. We have installed a chlorinating plant, and a test is made by Mr. Oilman, pathologist at the Auckland Hospital, once a fortnight., and oftener if required. Some years ajro the Health Department maintained that our water was impure, simply because on one occasion there was an exceptionally high tide, in the Manukau, and it happened that our eprinjr was low. Some salt water eot in, and that was all the matter. Wβ went to the expense of erecting a concrete dam, and since that time there has been no further trouble."

One Tree Hill Water Pure. Mr. Dawson said it had been stated that experts had expressed the opinion that unless conditions were remedied the ratepayers of One Tree Hill would yet be drawing chlorinated water from their kitchen taps. "To anybody who knows anything about our water supply, that statement ia absurd," the engineer continued. "At one time I used to walk along the Manukau Harbour front from the Mangere Bridge to Otahuhu, and made a study of the number of streams entering the harbour between those points. It was interesting to discover what was taking place, and I think I know as much as anybody about the water supplies in the particular districts referred to. The public can take it from me that there is not the slightest chance of any pollution of the One Tree Hill Eoard's supply." he declared, "but," he added, "there ie a distinct menace to the public health of the whole community unless something, like I have suggested, is not done to the Ellerlsie Town Board's septic tank."