WATER AND DRAINAGE

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 88, 13 April 1923, Page 4

WATER AND DRAINAGE

SCHEME FOR ONSLOW AND j KARORI | , THE PROPOSALS EXPLAINED MEETING AT KHANDALLAH. Tile propbsals for the drainage 6f the Onslow and Karori districts, which are to be the subject of a special poll in conjunction with the elections on 26th April, wefe explained to a meeting of ratepayers at the Khandallah Town Hall laafc evening. The Mayor (Mr. B. A. Wright, M.P.) presided, and there -were on the platform Councillors J. M- Dale, W. J. Gaudin, W. H. Bennett, A. W. Parton, and B. G. H. Burn, Mr. J. O'Bhea (City Solicitor), and Mr. J. Morice (Chief Waterworks Engineer). The Mayor said there Was considerable anxiety as to the nature and cost of the proposals. He was' afraid the scheme would be father an expensive briej and he wished those present to understand that the object of the meeting was not to «ndeav6ur to persuade the ratepayers to support the proposal, but merely to show what they were to vote upon. Naturally, the population -would largely in* crease once the scheme was put into operation, and the value of properties would also be considerably enhanced. These two outstanding features should be Weighed by the property-holders when they came to vote upon the proposals. Mr. J. Morice explained with the assistance of a locality plan the details df the scheme. It was proposed to tap the new Orongorongo main on the Hutt road below Kaiwarra, and'store the water in a 400,000-gallon Teaervoir, which, would serve the district.. It would not be tie* cessar^f to pump the water, as it would reach the required level by gravitation from the Morton Dam. The district would be served by Bin, 6in, and 4in pipes. THE RATING PROPOSALS. The rating proposals were outlined by Mr. O'Shea. The loan for water, he said, would be £45,000, and that for drainage £50,000, making a tbtal of £95,000. No special rate would be struck till the financial year 1924-26; in practice it would: be struck for money raised for drainage from time to time. The loan might be raised in instalments, but the greater portion would be ex<pended within ths first twelve months. The charges for interest and sinking fund on the moneys raised for water supply would be met out of the ordinary water rates; as soon as water was supplied and water rates .were charged on the area. The ws^er rate would be the_ same as that chai'ged right throughout" the city, which for ordinary supply amounted to 2^d on the annual value. Extraordinary supply would be charged for at the same rates as for the rest of tho city. The price wo.uld be greater if water was pumped, Viz., Is per 1000 gallons, as against 9d per 1000 gallons, if it was not pumped. The rates for drainage alone would be 3 9-lCfd in the £, or a little less on the unimproved value. COST OF CONNECTIONS. On the qiiestibn of the cost of connecting premises with the main*, the Mayor stated that assuming that it amounted to £50, and the council was required to attend to it on the deferred payment ey*; teriij certain char+es wduld bo made for starUp duty, etc., raising the amouilt to about .£54. ..Ten years would bo al-. lowed in which to pay the money off, by instalments of one'tenth of the pi'ih' cipal «ach year. The estimated cost of fixing all plumbing arid drainage from froiit to rear t of a house) updh an aver^ atie length of drain of 80 feet, wouM b8 approximately-£4B 13s Id. If iiiore than 80' feet ti drain of Water pipe Was 1 required the extra cost would be 2s 6d per foot for a 4ih drain, 6* 3d pet foot for a Js:i pipe. Councillor J. M. Dale pointed out that ths outlying areas of the 1 city had amalgamated on dirteent footings so far as rating was concerned, and he expressed the opinion that the special rates would eventually have to be consolidated. So far as Khandallah was it would be advantageous if they could secure their water and dfainage, for they oould then press for the consolidation of the special rates. (Laughter.) The water scheme would provide an urgent requirement for firefightirig purpdses, a* it would mean that an adequate higß pressure system would be alwaya available for fhe-fight-Ihjj purposes.. ,~ THE DRAINAGE PROPOSALS. In reply to a questibn as to the drainage proposals, it was explained that the district would be connected up to a large septic tank. The main drain would run practically aloiig the route of. the railway, joining up with the existing Norths land mains near the Btream. which ran' down from Northland and Karori. The roiitei of the drainage had not aotuklly been surveyed. Mr. O'Shea stated in reply to another question that water for extraordinary purposes, such as watering gardens, would have to be measured by meter, but th* charge Would be made only for the amount cdnsUiiied over and above I the am&uht prescribed in connefition with ordinary supply, "that means," j he aald, "that yon can use a wateringcan as much as you like, but if y6u wish to Use a hose yau mu3t have a metef. Ydu will pay only for What is used in excess of the ordinary supply. The Mayor said that if the propbsals were apprtved, the Scheme would be practically ah established fact, and it should not take many months before the water and drainage wete provided. , Mr. Morice said that the main from Orongorongo would take about twelve months to lay, and the local reticulation work could be carried out simultaneously. It was hard to say whej* the work of laying the mains from Orongc rongo would vbe commenced ; next June would perhaps be the earliest.' A Voice: "In December?" Mr. Morice: "Oh, you can make it that if you like." (Laughter.) He further explained that it was hoped to proceed with the water and drainage work simultaneously. No difficulty was anticipated so far as the pressure was concerned. The Department would be ready to Btart on the scheme as soon as the money was raised and the council gave its authority. A ratepayer asked whether it was a fact that if the proposals were rejected the Public Health Act gave power for compulsory drainage. The Mayor agreed that that was so. but it had nothing to do with the City Council, as it came within the sphere of the Dominion Health Board. In conclusion, the Mayor expressed gratification that apparently the ratepayers were satisfied that the council was doing the best thing for them. He had expected some opposition. The couhoil would do everything in its power, if the scheme was approved, to push on with the .Work and provide the district with efficient water arid drainage service. (Applause.) Water aiid druii^ age werfc two essdnti&l* for any district, p.nrf population wdulcl folte'iV~»»4fhaps a. boom in land prtofc. .V%»

that occurred he hoped there would be no sals of pocket-handkerchief sections. In moving a hearty vote of thanks, Mr. Crump said that even if it cost double the money it would be warranted by th 6 increased health and the gfeat benefit to the district.