ARAPUNI LEAK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 185, 6 August 1932, Page 10

ARAPUNI LEAK.

POSITION UNCHANGED. REPAIRS STILL IN PROGRESS. HELP FROM KING'S WHARF. ASSISTANCE DURING PEAK PERIOD The situation at Arapuni is practically unchanged. Remedial measurer; to combat the subsidence at the head of the Hornell lining in the headrace are being energetically pushed forward, and the search for tile seat of the leakage in the unlined portion near the cut-off wall is being relentlessly pursued. To assist the station during the peak supply period last night, the steam plant at King's wharf carried a load of about 0500 k.w., being in operation for about four hours, and it is expected that similar co-operation will be required this evening. The authorities are satisfied with the position, and still consider that it will not be necessary to dewater the headrace. Standing by with steam up since Thursday afternoon, the King's wharf station received the call at 4.30 p.m. yesterday and within a few minutes the plant was running, in conjunction with Horahora, the Arapuni deficiency being met until after the overlap of the day and night loads. Mr. R. H. Bartley, general manager of the Auckland Power Board, stated this morning that the board had been asked to be in readiness to supply the same amount of power during the peak period to-night. Although back at headquarters in Wellington, Mr. F. W. Furkert, Engineer-in-Chief to the Public Works Department, is being kept constantly posted with developments by long-distance telephone. Mr. Furkert informed "The Star" to-day that as far as he knew there had been no fresh developments since his flying visit to the works. The level of the water in the headrace was down 10ft below normal, and at that level it would remain. It was undesirable to have a. heavy flow in the headrace because it stirred up the mud and hampered investigations. The search for the leakage was being continued on a three-shift basisi Four or five bores had now been sunk. The work was not easy, as was exemplified yesterday when an andesite boulder was struck. The main shaft was now down to the bottom of the cut-off wall, but water had not yet been encountei ed. The boring would now proceed in a horizontal direction in an endeavour to pick up the water. Mr. Furkert estimated that it would take less than a week to construct the coffer dam and place it into position over the hole in the tiled portion.