PETONE'S WATER

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 121, 28 November 1928, Page 6

PETONE'S WATER

THE £61,000 LOAN '■ NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT The domestic .water supply in Pctono which for some time Ims been the subject of complaint owing to lack ol: pressure, has recently become- rather worse in this respect, and residents in different parts of tho borough aro finding difficulty in obtaining an adequato supply of water for their household needs. The Mayor (Mr. D. M'Kenzio) has issued an appeal to the citizens asking them-to use the greatest care in conserving water by preventing wastage and by economising. Tho Borough Council has prohibited garden hosing and proceedings will be. taken' against those so doing. That the provision- of an adequate •water supply was of pressing urgency was perceived by the present council when, in tlie earlier part of this.year, it decided to carry out, subject t0 ; the approval of tho ratepayers, a £01,000 scheme for water reticulation iv the borough. As a preliminary step application was mado for tho sanction of the Local Government Loans Board and recently a reply.was received suggesting that tho Pctono Council should confer with the Wellington City and Suburban Water Supply Board with rogard to tho possibility of obtaining a supply from tho Water Board. The Loans Board thought that tho new mains for Petone could bo smaller than those proposed by tho council, as tho high-prcssuro supply from the Water . Board from tho upper reaches of the Hutt Valley would provido an adequato domestic supply with smaller mains and pipes. The Pctono Borough Council, - however, while agreeing that the Water Board's high-pressure supply would permit of smaller mains, is of the opinion that the improvement of. the' water supply in the borough is a matter which: needs immediate attention. The corrosion in the mains and pipes at present necessitates tho replacement of practically the whole system, and while this is being 'done tho council thinks that larger-mains should bo installed! so as ,to increase tho pressure at onco, using tho present source of supply without having to wait" until the Water Board's schemes are brought'to. fruition. It is pointed out that the saving effected by the replacing of tlie present mains with mains smaller than proposed (though larger than at present) might easily be moro than lost if a iiro of any magnitude broke out before tho Water Board is ready to' supply its water. For until'tho high-pressure supply is forthcoming . frorii tho board any smaller mains than those proposed by the council would not materially improve tho position. To effect an immediate improvement from the present source of supply large mains are necessary. Upon these lines the Petone Borough Council has written to the Water Board asking when tho board would bo able., to supply the water, the quantity, and pressure to-- bo- provided,, at what point in tho borough it would be deliverer! arid at what' Cost per thousand gallons. These questions will como before tho Water Board at its meowing early next month. The Mayor has been in consultation with the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. G. A. Troup) and with Public Works Enginers, and the council's own consulting engineers,'but .until the reply is received from tho Water Board, after which 'negotiations can bo ' re-openod with the Loans Board, the Petone Borough Council can do nothing.