Community self-help

Press, 28 October 1981, Page 2

Community self-help

Westport reporter A big slip cut the water supply to Waimangaroa, about 17km north-east of Westport, at the week-end. However local residents banded together to replace a 180 m section of damaged pipeline in a grand show of community spirit. The Waimangaroa Volunteer Fire Brigade’s alarm summoned the brigade’s members on Sunday afternoon and 35 to 40 men shouldered the pipes and

carried them up the old Denniston Incline track to the settling ponds. It took nearly 2.5 hours to disband the old pipes, cut in the new line, and form another weir. While the men laid the pipeline, local women provided refreshments on the site and at a parking lot. Residents later said that the’ township’s co-operation had been a mammoth “oldfashioned” effort and that it had shown great spirit among the people.

Although the water was no longer a murky black colour yesterday some consumers were still experiencing problems with sediment build-up in their water tanks and cylinders. After running a bath on Saturday evening one woman said that a layer of sediment about 4cm deep had ’ remained in the bath. Although minor slips are common in the area local residents said that this was the first big slip in 30 years.