LOWER HUTT WATERWORKS"

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 144, 19 June 1909, Page 9

LOWER HUTT WATERWORKS"

A SUCCESSFUL YEAR'S OPERATIONS. In an interview with the Borough Engineer (Air. Rix-Trott), a Post leporter was given aiu interesting account of the opeLddons of the Lower Hutt waterworks during the first twelve months of existence, completed a month or two ago. 'ihe main feature of the works, according to the engineer, is the economical way m which they are run. Including wondng expenses, maintenance ot engines, and mains, etc., and the powerhouse engineer's salary, the cost amounted to oniy £341 11s Bd. Such a small expenditure was largely brought about by careful supervision in the first place, and the fact that the gas-producer plant cost so very little to run, indeed some 49 pounds of coke (and a little" cold water) per hour is all that is required to produce oumcient gtis to manipulate the huge pumping engines with a capacity of 1,000,000 gallons p b i day. During the year the consumption was equal to 20,000,000 gallons. Including interest charges on the waterworks, loans, and working expenses, J the cost per 1000 gallons to produce, was but tenpence (approximately speaking). 'I'hpJikaj, mainlyj to the engineer vi charge' of the powerhouse (Mr. H. Ingram), the two 75 horsepower engines (Feiiding arid Platt's) nave run without a hitch since the day of their installation. Mr. Ingram, as the results show, bestows infinite attention on his engmts. Ab regards reticulation, the number of connections 'which continue to icrease each week, now total 450. In more ways than one does' the water Supply serve the borough ; by the aid of its pressure, which in case 'of emergency is capable of being pumped up as high as 3U)lb to the square inch, or even sufficient to burst the mains, several houses which otherwise would have become total losses owing to outbreaks of fire, were put out while the flames were in an incipient stage. Mr. Rix-'lrott may well be proud of the waterworks in his charge, seeing that so far only one or two leaks have occurred in the whole of the 23 miles of mains with which the borough is reticulated. "Ihose gentlemen, remarked Mr Rix-Trott, "who at one' time imagined a leak to exist in the reservoir, must still bo looking for it, as no such thing of that nature has even given any suspicion of occurring." < According to Mr. Rix Trott, if the borough ever desired, it could sell the water at a handsome profit. Allowing 25 gallons per head, the supply as it stood was capable of meeting the requirements of a population of 40,000. Under ordinary circumstances, the pressure for domestic purposes does not exceed 501b. Although it is easily possible, the engineer was not of the opinion that it would be desirable to increase this limit. Undoubtedly, he pointed out, \in towns where the pressure ran up to 100 to 1501b, millions of gallons of water were lost annually owing to the excessive strain on the fittings (taps, etc.). Among the advantages, it is claimed that, as it is an artesian supply, the water is always free s from contamination, its quality being equal to any in New Zealand. Questioned as to whether there was a possibility of the supply slackening off, after a continual drain upon its resources for a, number of years, the engineer shook/his head, and smiled. Ab long as the mountains and hills remained and the river continued to flow, there was no fear, he said, of the supply giving out. In support of this contention, he instanced how, at Alicetown, the Wellington Meat Export Company's artesian wells, from which water had been pumped out at the rate of a million gallons daily for some years past, showed no signs of abating. Taking all things into consideration, the success of the year's operations reflects no little credit on Mr. Rix-Trott. He has now been supervisor in the Hutt Borough for some four years, and during that time, at the direction of the council, he has carried out several important undertakings, which have stood the test of time. At the present I moment the sewerage scheme is engagi ing his attention.