CITY WATER SUPPLY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 79, 2 April 1912, Page 2

CITY WATER SUPPLY.

GREAT DRAIN 0U THE RESERVOIRS. URGENT NEED FOR WAINUI MAIN DUPLICATION. A somewhat serious position ir regard to the city water supply was revealed by a report from tho City Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton) yesterday afternoon to the Finance Committee of the City Council. The report was as follows: " Owing to the inability of the existing 24-inch main <U> bring "in a sufficient quantity of water from Wainui-o-inata and, at the same time, to maintain a pressure in the maine sufficient to reach tho houses on the higher levels of that area of the city served by the gravatation system, a very largo quantity of water has to be da-awn from the Karori reservoirs, with the result that the new reservoir at Karori is now practically empty and tho water in the old reservoir is about 12ft below the overflow level. I draw attention to this in oider that it may be easily understood how extremely urgent • the duplication of the 'main from Wainui-o-mata really h>, wl that until such work' is completed agreat risk of failure of the city- supply exists. A serious break in thi» Wainui-o-mata main would throw tho whole {work on the Karori reservoirs, which, with the stream now .running, would soon be depleted. On this account every 'effort will be made to complete the duplication by abouL the end of the year, including the Bell-road reservoir, but it is just as well that the true state of affair* should be properly understood." The work of duplicating the main is proceeding as rapidly as possible. One gang id bringing tho main through from Thorndon and another is pushing out towards Petone. The Korokoro Stream will be crossed by a specially-designed bridge. A start will ,be made shortly to clear a track to the tunnel under" the ridge separating the Wairitii Valley and the Hutt Valley. This will be for convenience of transporting pipes up to the further .end 1 , cf the duplication work, from which it Is intended also to work — inwards towards Petone. A pipe bridge will also be required over the Waiwetu Stream, but there is, of course, one already over the. Hutt River— a reinforced concrete structure, which has been standing in position for the last two years. ,Good progress is also being made with the receiving reservoir at Bell-road, Brooklyn. Here the concrete walls are being coniipleted. " The cast iron columns for supporting the roof are being cast by Messrs. W. Cable and Son, of Kaiwarra. The pipes are all ready for laying in different depots along the line, where they have not already been .laid.