Little River may have new water source

Press, 14 May 1984, Page 4

Little River may have new water source

A possible new source for Little River’s domestic water supply has been found by the Wairewa County Council.

A spring on the eastern side of State highway 75 might be able to provide the bulk of water needed for the township, the council was told on Friday. The present water supply, taken from Police Creek on the western side of the highway, had an unacceptably high bacteria content and often flowed dirty from taps, especially after heavy rain.

The spring is on private land so the council would seek permission from the landowner before it investigated the source further. The Health Department would also have to check the quality of the water.

The county foreman, Mr D. Henderson, told the council he thought the spring was capable of producing 28,800 litres a day. The exact amount would not be known until precise measurements were made. Cr D. N. Cadman said on E resent water usage rates, ittle River needed 1500 litres/h for 12 hours each day. Large storage tanks linked to the spring would be able to provide enough water for normal domestic use. The supply could temporarily run dry if people used the water to irrigate their gardens, said the county chairman, Mr W. J. Thompson.

If the water met Health Department standards and the landowner agreed to let it be used as the town’s water supply, a meeting of residents would be called by the council to discuss the cost of installing the new system. A public meeting, held several years ago to discuss upgrading the water supply, attracted little interest. Those who did attend were reluctant to pay more for an improved system. If the spring were not suitable or not available, other springs and the possibility of sinking a well would be investigated, said Mr Thompson. If all other alternatives failed, the council would have to develop a method to purify the existing system. This would be costly, he said.

Rates A flat base levy might be introduced to this year’s rate demand. The council

decided to investigate the new rating method which was adopted by many local bodies last year.. Under the system either every house or rating demand would have a flat rate charged against it. A reduced general rate, depending on each property’s value, would then be charged on top of the flat rate.

The County Clerk, Mr W. F. Aydon, was asked by the council to study the effects of such a move. Councillors felt that low valued properties, which contributed little to county facilities, would be asked to pay more under the system. The suggestion arose after councillors decided to set aside $lOOO each year for a Little River Hall maintenance fund.

It was hoped the fund would be able to accumulate for several years before money was withdrawn for painting and other maintenance of the new hall.

Toilets The public toilets in the council’s offices will be upgraded upon the recommendation of the Health Department

The county health inspector, Mrs K. B. Brooks, said she inspected the toilets after receiving a complaint from a ratepayer. A strong “wet” smell was evident in the council rooms and kitchen. Mrs Brooks thought this came from a hole in the floor of the men’s toilet which drained under the bulling instead of into an exterior gully trap. She believed that the men’s toilet had been leaking for some time and said it should be repaired to stop it overflowing.

Mrs Brooks also recommended that a “smooth and impervious” floor be installed in' the men’s and women’s toilets, the floor drain in the men’s toilet either be piped or removed, and that cleanliness and maintenance be improved. Mr Aydon said the toilets

were “highly abused.” Someone had stabbed two large holes in a cistern. Councillors agreed that the work needed to be done and that once upgraded the toilets should be maintained at a higher standard. Lighting

The Ministry of Works and Development will be asked to provide street lighting, through the National Roads Board, for Cooptown. Cr Cadman said Cooptown was the second most populated area in the county and if a proposed subdivision in the area proceeded, more people would live there.

Traffic flows through the town had increased in volume and speed since the road had been upgraded. This added to the need for good street lighting, he said. The National Roads Board is responsible for all street lighting on State highways.

TV reception The Broadcasting Corporation will be asked when it plans to provide for the reception of both television channels over the whole of Banks Peninsula. Cr Cadman said the B.C.N.Z. had originally said the work would be done by 1984 but moved the date to 1986. A recent letter from the corporation gave no date but said Banks Peninsula “was not at the back of the queue.”

He was concerned that “self-help” measures by communities would fragment efforts to provide coverage for everybody.

Akaroa had recently raised enough money to install their own television transceiver. Moves were being made by residents in Little River to do the same. If most people on Banks Peninsula paid for their own transceivers the corporation would not worry about those that still could not get both channels, said Cr Cadman.