HAMILTON'S WATER.

Auckland Star, Issue 38, 14 February 1929, Page 9

HAMILTON'S WATER.

PROPOSED LOAN OF £40,670.

IMPROVEMENT BADLY NEEDED,

(By Telegraph.—Speci.il to " Star.") HAMILTON, this day. A bigger reservoir capacity, more elficient purification, and better reticulation are improvements claimed to be necessary to the water supply of Hamilton, and the borough council will place before the ratepayers shortly a proposal to borrow £40,(>70. The Loans Board has given its sanction. Several lengthy reports on the waterworks were made by the borough engineer, Mr. R. Worley* who stated that the town's consumption had been increasing very rapidly during the last few years.

A total of 580,000 gallons was the capacity of the reservoir, and tho average quantity in storage was usually about 450,000 gallons. The result was that many of the mains were too small, giving poor service. The pressure generally was poor and in one area residents had to retain their roof tanks and (ill these by night when the consumption was light. Filtration. "The filtration plant is already 00 per cent, overloaded, so that the water is not being properly clarified," continued the engineer's report. "The river is now heavily silt-laden, due to the operations of tho Public Works Department at Arapuni, and additional chemical treatment has become a necessity. This is at present inadequately carried out by a rough and ready and expensive method, involving the use of three times the normal dose of cliemicaL"

On account of the poor pressure, the fire brigade was hampered in its work, the report went on. "It will be readily seen," reported the engineer, "that the general supply of water ia far from satisfactory. The huge Waikato River rutin through the centre of the town and its waters are extremely amenable to purification. Hamilton, of all places, should possess an abundant supply of good, pure water." After careful investigation of the engineer's reports, the Hamilton Borough Council has come to the conclusion that the provision of an adequate supply of good pure water is one of its main responsibilities, and that the soundest business proposition is to go in for a loan that will make a proper job of the whole waterworks.

Proposals Detailed. The proposals for improvements embrace a" modern pumping station equipped with three 1,000.000 gallons a day units. Provision will be left for the installation of further units as required in later years. If the scheme was carried out there would be a pumping capacity of 2,000,000 gallons a day. The installation of a chemical treatment plant to assist the removal of material in suspension prior to the water being pumped would cost £2250. The installation of an additional bank of pressure filters for the completion of the purification process was estimated at £2750. Laying new feeder mains in certain parts of the town was put down at £0170. It was thought that £25.000 would be the cost of building a large elevated service reservoir to hold over 1,500,000 gallons. A feature of the proposed scheme was that the present water rates and charges would not lie raised in any way whatever. It would be seen that the proposed loan of £40,670 was a sound engineering and business proposition. It was one that would place the waterworks on a first-class basis, and at the same time effect a saving to the ratepayers. The proposal had been subject to an exhaustive investigation by the Loans Board, and had the well-considered endorsement of that body.