Dirty water cause of hepatitis case?

Press, 23 April 1980, Page 10

Dirty water cause of hepatitis case?

Contaminated water may have caused a recentcase of hepatitis in Southbridge, the Ellesmere County Council has been told.

After the meeting, . the County Clerk (Mr G. R. Singleton) said there was. a recent case of hepatitis in the area, but that there was no way %of telling what the source of infection was.

The problem in the Southbridge area arose because a hard clay pan under the soil made the disposal of effluent from septic tanks difficult. In the past, people had disposed of the effluent by digging bores, but the Canterbury Catchment Board said that the discharge could contaminate drinking water. Mr Singleton said it was impossible to assess if water was contaminated by the discharge. But the Catchment Board declined to grant applications for water rights because of the problem, he said. The council ' had a choice of putting in a water supply or a sewerage system. A sewerage system was the best solution because sewage caused the problem. Such a system would cost between $500,000 and $600,000 for the township. It could cost each house-

hold an estimated $3OO each year. Mr Singleton was not sure of the costs of putting a water supply system in the town. The council decided to call a public meeting of Southbridge residents to see what they wanted. A time for the meeting has not yet been arranged. Councillors also expressed concern that the council could be held Hable for issuing building permits for houses; which would not get a water right. ■ ■ - . . . • Mr Singleton, said the council would probably make people apply for a water right before, issuing a building.permit, ; Noxious plants The County chairman (Mr W. E. Walker) said that Rolleston residents were angry about the number of noxious plants on Lands and Survey Department property. Mr Singleton said the problem developed when the county was without a noxious plants inspector, for 18 months. - A new inspector had been appointed and most .o w n e r-occupiers had cleaned their properties of broom and gorse, which was the main problem. But big areas of the plants were left on blocks of land owned by the de-

partment. Some areas of the "weeds covered up to two and a half and four hectares.

People in the Rolleston area were angry that they had had to clear their land when blocks of Crown land next door were heavily infested with noxious plants. Mr. Singleton said it was difficult for the department because much of its land was leased, and leasees were not so keen to eradicate weeds. The council would take its usual steps of writing to the department, giving notice about the weed problem. If nothing was done within the legal time limit, the council would begin legal proceedings against the department, he said. Traffic ban

The council decided to ban Waterholes Road to heavy traffic after hearing that it was being damaged. Shands Road, which runs parallel to Waterholes Road, was improved for heavy traffic four years ago. Mr Singleton said that transport users did not use it because Waterholes Road was slightly shorter.

The County Engineer (Mr R. J. Anderson) told the meeting that it would cost $85,000 to improve

Waterholes Road for heavy traffic.

An alternative was to reverse existing traffic controls at the intersection of Waterholes Road, Springston Road, Rolleston Road and Boundary Roads; Mr Singleton said this would be too dangerous. The council decided to declare Waterholes Road a class II road, which restricts the axle loads permitted. Lincoln water A proposal for a water scheme at Lincoln, which was dropped after a referendum several years ago, may be revived. Cr L. W. J. Woods told the council in March that he wanted to see a loan raised for the scheme, which would cost $380,000. Mr Singleton said that the council had called for a roll of electors in the Lincoln area. People could only register objections to the proposal if they were on the roll, which would be open for three weeks. Sports centre A sport and recreation centre may be built at Rolleston. Mr Wqlker said the council had applied to the Local Authorities Community Facilities Fund for a $50,000 grant for the centre. The proposed building, which would house a squash court, hall, lounge, scout and guide room, and toilets, would cost $lOO,OOO. The grant asked for was bigger than normally allowed, but Mr Walker said the project was worthy of the extra support.