Crops damaged by water being cut off — growers

Press, 2 March 1984, Page 5

Crops damaged by water being cut off — growers

Horotane Valley growers asserted that crops valued at thousands of dollars were damaged when the water supply was cut off for a day, the Heathcote County Council works and reserves committee heard last evening. The interruption occurred on February 14 and lasted for about 6% hours while a break in the main from Lyttelton reservoir to Butts Valley Road was repaired. Residents who had tomato crops and flower cuttings damaged were “most perturbed,” said Cr P. C. McGrail. “It is not just a matter of people not getting a cup of tea, it is i their living.” He asked that the council avoid interrujJting the water supply, particularly on very hot days. When a break occurred a big group of workers should be used to fix it and contractors from outside the council staff should be used if necessary. If a break in supply was expected possibly radio broadcasts could warn growers to water plants before the supply was cut. The Comity Engineer, Mr D. J. May, said that the council could not always

guarantee a continuous water supply. Getting contractors quickly posed big problems and he doubted that the February 14 break could have been repaired any quicker than it was. Houses in Macmillan Avenue also had their water supply cut off for one or two hours on two consecutive Saturdays, Cr 0. T. Alpers said. Mr May said there was a need to replace some water mains. The problem had been occurring for many years but people had not told the council. Water Heathcote water examined by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research showed a “substantial quantity” of manganese, a D.S.I.R. report said. Mr May said the blackbrown deposit was not toxic and the water supply was regularly checked by Lyttelton reservoir staff. Sports field The sports field at Heathcote Valley Domain will be improved. The committee agreed that the work should begin next spring. It will include top dressing with soil on some sections of the field, spraying of weeds, and sow-

ing grass. Water reticulation on the field will also be improved. The reserves foreman recommended that there be no more hangis on the field. The committee will-ask the Heathcote Valley Community Centre to recommend a permanent site for hangis. Dump’s future The Ferrymead Trust is concerned about the fate of the Heathcote County dump in Truscotts Road. In a letter to the committee it expressed concern that the dump might be used as sports grounds. While it was aware that such facilities were needed it had always thought that the property would first be offered to the trust. Security was a big concern for the trust, and it hoped that the section of Truscotts Road into the dump could be closed permanently. If the dump land were used as a sports ground, more young people would be using the road and as it crossed both train and railway tracks the possibility of accidents would increase, the trust said. The committee agreed to consider the trust’s interests when it determined the future of the dump site.

Walkway draft A draft plan for a walkway linking Bowenvale Avenue and Victoria Park will be devised by the council with assistance from the Lands and Survey Department, the Forest Service, the Riccarton Bush Trustees, and other interested parties. The Selwyn Plantation Board will be asked to advise on the immediate needs of the tree plantation in Bowenvale Valley, recently bought by the council. Reserves staff A temporary worker employed by the council on a Project Employment Programme scheme will be offered permanent work on the reserves staff. Cr Taylor said the reserves department, which has five staff, “urgently needed” at least one extra person and preferably two. A retired stonemason will be employed by the council temporarily, to train permanent staff and P.E.P. workers to build stone walls. Building permits Nineteen building permits totalling $321,935 were issued in Heathcote County in January, including five permits for new dwellings.