RIMUTAKA DEVIATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 38, 8 November 1919, Page 3

RIMUTAKA DEVIATION

THE CITY WATER SUPPLY

(By Coleman Phillips.)

11. There aro only three practical sources of high-pressure water supply for tho city in present view, viz.: (1) The Wainui dams j (2) tuunolling through to the Onpngorongo and the Wuirongamai Streams; (3) the Pakauratahi or llutt River supply. As to tho Wainui, "One Who was on the Survey" says: "Let it como from AYuinui. It is about all the valley is lit for; and if the dam burst a few times jt coujd not do much harm." But tho Wainui has always proved very short, commons for the city; and tho Amount of ils head flow (even' when dammed)' i s not sufficient for the city's wants. Wo may even, this coining summer, have such a drought, as will mako lis all sit up, and the Wainui shrink vastly. Tunnelling through- to tho Orongorongo will bring in new water, and the present pipe service can bo economically retained. I do not think this tunnel will cost more than the dam. It will be far safer for tho city than tho dam, and it can he more quickly constructed. Then, when further new water is wanted, as population increases, n further tunnel can be put in to strike the grait bend in the Wairongamai and take that wntcr. Mr. 0). G. A. Cooper, our very worthy S.M., who knows tho Orongorongo country well, does not think that stream equals the "Wainui in volume. That may bo so, but I would point out, that it would be far safer for the city to put in a single good dam at the urungoiongo, than a third one at the Wainui. A dam also would be required at tho Wairongamai. Tho Wairarapa Lake supply need not be considered, as that may not be required for a hundred years to come. But It wish to point out that at Mr. Matthews 's homestead, the lake is considered to be .Wit. above sea level, and by using a Jaekinan pump (similar to the one opened by the King at Cliingford a lew years ago for the London supply), the lako water might be tunnelled through to Day's Bay, and there pumped up to a sufficiently high level to add to the city's high-pressure supply. I only make this suggestion as a dernier resort. In the event of a great drought striking Wellington province, as it may do, at iiuy time, it would surely bo a" comfort to the city to know that it has a natural Tcservoir of 19,000 acres of water, so close to the city to draw upon. I hope Mr. Morton, when ho comes 'back, will take tho lake le\el at Mr. Mntthewsr's, and see what fall can be obtained through to Day's Hay. If he comes over lo this sVIe of the hill, I shall have much pleaBiire in accompanying him down and chewing him the lake country.

During the last twenty years T have only made these various suggestions for obtaining an abundant high-pressure wupp!y from the north-eastern wator sheds for what they wore worth. Tho City Council has accepted one only, viz., the supply from the Orongorongo, which Mr. Luke is now inclined to abandon in favour of Mr. Morton's third dam in tho Wainui. But the Mayor, luckily, is somewhat doubtful which plan to adopt—tho third Wainui dam or the Orongorongo supply. Tf the city is to depend upon the northeastern supply (and I respectfully contend that the Orongorongo supply must lie brought in later on, even if the third Wainui dam is built), then it is absolutely important, for the city's highest interests, that a railway or traffic tunnel be constructed through the hill to conti'pl_ these future water services. A 3 miles HO chain tunnel at Wainui is not a very great work for the Public Works Department to undertake, in comparison Willi tho one at Orari Tunnel. And Unit outfit might very advantageously .bo moved up to Wellington, us the Orari gets finished. There remains the supply to be drawn livi:i tliv I'akaiirumlii or Hutt River, directly to the north of tho city. This Kiipplywiil 'necessitato the construction of a dam, and laying some 20 to 22 miles of costly main service piping, as against fibout three mile's to link up the Orongolongo' and Wa.roiigaiuai to tho present Wauini reservoir (two miles to tho Orongorongo and about one milo to tho Waiiciquniai). On tho question of economy alone, it is evident, to the simplest mind, that the north-eastern supply is far nnd away superior to that from tho l-akauratahi.

bli.l, I would ask the City Engineer to _ give us an estimate of the cost of bringing in a supply from the Pakuuratuli , a.-i there is a growing population all down the Hutt Valley to be considered. And it may happen that this supply will yet have to 'bo impounded, as well as all the Wainui, Orongorongo, aud Wnirongamai streams can give us. I. would point out to Mr. Luke and Mr. MaxwoU (in support of the Wainui deviation) that the old plan of construct- ,\ < "ili-cliiiiring i-i-i-iv.iy lines is being rapidly abandoned (so a friend tells .mo who has been travelling very considerably lately) in England.. Europe, and America in favour of making them upon tho flat, and then tunnelling any hill, go as to reduce the waste in haulage. The St. Gothnrd'.-; line, per ex gra, crawls like n snake over ihe hills most oi the way into Itqlv; but the latter olans all tunnels straight through them; the length of tho tunnel being now a minor nwcter. To allow Wellington an express service out of the city to the Wairarapa, fairly on the level,"it would be far preferable to adopt- that plan, than to climb over the hills to Tauherenikau or Pigeon Bush. For water supply it is "tunnel or oam"; for rail service it is ''tunnel or crawl." Wellington lies at the bottom of a great basin. Should its people climb over the sides or tunnel through them? Similarly, I would strongly urge the city to tunnel out, as much as possible, to the Manawatu, rather than climb over the hills to the north-west to reach that coast. The question of expense naturally arises. All I can speak of is the dilferenoe in estimated cost between Hie Tnuhcrcniknu and the AVainui deviations, viz.: .£IOO.OOO more for the latter. But surelv .2100.000 should not stand in the wav of conferring mi great a benefit upon the city.

T wish to impress upon the Mayor and Mr. Morton, that it is a great, help for anv citr for the resident.? to have gani- ■ ons anil Hovers: but. the proposed third dam at the Wainui stops this desideration. No one. will continue gardening if once stopped in a hot summer by the ccuncil forbidding the use_ of the. hose. There should bo n bountiful, or even lavish supply (not n shortage) of water, all over the city. I contend that this can bo obtained by linking up the Orongorongo and Wfiirongntiiui Stream; to the Wainui. rather than construct the third Wainui dam. ; Furthermore, under the third dam proposal, will not the higher city levels be, at times, as short of water as the gardens' Whereas, under ihe tunnelling out plan for new water, there will always be an abundant supply for the city to pump to the higher level:-. J)o not "let us "spoil thp shin for a ha'porth of tar" in the matter of water supply. A great cihri'duires fill) and plenty of water; for house building will gfi whenever the water can be. taken. ' Wellington has none too much building space as it is. The Wainui tuhnois will give Wellington nu enormous building suburb on the Wairarapa side With respect to the section from the lOth mile peg (the first Wainui reservoir), and the entrance to the long limnel (2i miles in length), I ask that the 6ervii.es of an eminent French or Italian engineer, used to alpine tunnelling should be obtained, and u committee formed consisting of Messrs. It W.. Holmes, Morton ithe City Engineer), W. Ferguson (late of the Harbour Board)', and Laing-Meason, to meet that engineer, and solve any difficulties in the line. Tlie said engineer also to suggest Ihe best plan for esmstrucliiig a motor road round the Muki Milk:, >.u as to connect Mr, .Riihliford's homestead at Orougoiiiiigo, and Mr. Matthew's homestead at the Western Lake, in order Hut Wairurapa may have ;i :.'iaid motor io-d into t:iwa, and (hat Wellington may have a nrw lung for Hie city. I. should like peruiiMinn for the M'.'.yor and myself to attend the meetings of Dud roin'miltre, in order la place our respective vie'vii before it. Should it then be decided that the railway deviation would be injurious to the Wainui water rrrviee. as M:\ Luke contends (although I ('/> I'.ot think if. will be), rather than alwndon (in tho Kfroat interests of the city) that deviation

for any other, I would suggest that tho whole north-eastern water supply services ut the Waimii and outwards be reconsidered, and a.dam erected at the Fakauratnhi, or in tho llutt Elver, and a now main put in right down the llutt Valley for tho city supply. The rail doviation could then cut as it pleases right through the first rvervoir, which surolv Sir. Lnko eouhl abandon, now that he has other dams in view higher up the stream, What I want the Mayor to do is to abandon his opposition to the Waimii rail deviation, because Wellington will not know itself when once it is made. In about three-quarters of an hour ran journey thoy will open their eyes upon a new land, utterly different to the city or tho Hutt Valley, and their only exclamation will l>e: "Why wasn't this line made BO years ago?" At. the same time Bio deviation will confor a vast benefit upon every Wairarapa township and directly lead to the economic subdivision of the great east coast runs which the Tauherenikau deviation cannot possibly do.