CARE NEEDED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 8, 11 January 1943, Page 4

CARE NEEDED

CITY WATER SUPPLY

RECORD PEAK ON FRIDAY

The record peak of 15,500,000 gallons in the consumption of city water was reached on Friday, the previous record being last summer, with just under 17,000,000 gallons.

The Mayor, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, said this morning that there was plenty of water, but it was most necessary that waste should be avoided. This applied particularly to the use of water, on lawns and gardens. This summer there had been an increased demand for industries, shipping and camps. In addition, the North Shore boroughs were now being supplied.

Mr. Allum pointed out that it was very difficult to get supplies of material for extensions, but the City Council had to anticipate future needs, and the time had come to consider putting in hand plans for the next stage of water development and further supplies.

Mr. Allum said a lot of work had been delayed in consequence of Avar requirements, and in the past year the city engineering department had been working long hours on civil defence construction.

The city waterworks engineer, Mr. A. D. Mead, said the North Shore consumption was now approximately 1,500,000 gallons daily. Last Fridav storage in the city reservoirs had to be drawn on. A fact contributing to the record consumption that day was the big fire at Parnell. Future Workers Since the Huia dam was completed in 1929, no additions have been made to lieadworks, while consumption has steadily increased. The Waitakere, Nihotupu and Huia impounddams have a total capacity of 1,570,000,000 gallons. The real difficulty at the moment is that the mains from the ranges to the city have a capacity limited to 17,000,000 gallons a day, and the filter plants can treat about the same capacity It is considered that probably the next stage in the development of supplies will be the building of a dam in the Lower Nihotupu Valley. It would tap a new and large catchment area, but the water would have to be pumped to the filters. It Avould also be possible to build a dam in the lower Huia Valley, but the water from there would have to be pumped to a higher level.

The Auckland City Council has already looked afield for potential supplies, and on the watersheds of the Mangatawhiri and Mangatangi streams, in the Hunua Ranges, large areas of country have been acquired. The running streams there carry a large amount of pure water, and suitable sites have been located for the erection of dams. The water would flow by gravitation to Auckland.