SUPPLY OF WATER

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 140, 10 December 1931, Page 10

SUPPLY OF WATER

EASTBOURNE'S SCHEME

PROPOSAL CRITICISED

LIMITED ROOM

The whole question of AVatcr Board liabilities for the provision of pipes and the supply of water to the eastern bays -was raised at a meeting of the City and Suburban Highways Board today, when the Eastbourne Borough Council asked for permission to lay a main along the foreshore road from Lowry Bay to Eastbourne. The City Engineer suggested that the Water Board's liability should bo definitely ascertained. The Highways Board decided not to coino to a decision till after the Water Board had met. The Water Board meeting followed, and it was decided that the matter should be deferred till the board had joint recommendations from the Hutt County and Eastbourne Borough Couucil, the two bodies -which are at present most vitally affected. The following letter was received by the Highways Board from the Eastbourne Borough Council: —"Arrangements have been made with the Lower Hutt Borough Council for that body to make available a suitable supply of water for Eastbourno, and, if necessary, the eastern bays in the Hutt County. It is the intention to lay 9in mains from Lowry Bay to Eastbourne on the landward side of the road between the bitumen and the water channel. The permission of the Highways Board is, therefore, sought to allow such works being carried out. In terms of the ninth schedule of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1920, the Hutt County Council has also been notified." ENGINEER'S REPORT. In a report on the proposal, the City Engineer (Mr. G. Hart) said that the request for permission to lay a main on the landward side of the road was of the highest importance, not only to the Highways Board, tut also to the Water Board. The roadway was narrow, 24ft wide, 18ft being bitumen. There remained on each side only about 3ft for the laying of services of any kind without interfering with a new aud expensively laid surface. The margin on the landward side of the road had, up to the present, been reserved as the prospective site upon which a water main would be laid if necessary to meet the requirements of the Wellington City and. Suburban Water Board to supply the Hutt County and Eastbourne Borough with water. The space on the waterfront side of the road from Seaview road as far as Point Howard was already occupied with one oil pipe line and a second was being installed. There ■was, therefore, no room for any more pipes on the seaward side of the road between Seaviow road and Point Howard. From Point Howard southwards there were no underground services on the saward side of the road. Therefore the seaward side between Point Howard and Eastbourne would appear to be available as a suitable site for the laying of a water pipe, which would not in any way interfere with the site for the laying of a prospective water main if the Water Board should require one. From Point Howard northward to Seaviow road the only position in which a water main could be laid in the present formation was on the landward side, and that was the only site which was available to the Water Board if it required to lay a water main at any time. Mr. Hart said he thought it was essential that before any assent was given by the Highways Board for the laying of a water pipe, the whole question of Water Board liabilities for the provision of pipes and the policy of Water Board requirements for the supply of those areas which were now making application for tho provision of a water main should be definitely ascertained. If it ever became necessary to widen tho foreshore road on the landward side it would be a very formidable expense, even for the purpose of accommodating the laying of a water main. He considered it quite outside practical consideration to contemplate the cutting of the asphaltie bitumen to enable trenches to be made for the accommodation of water mains. HUTT COUNTY'S VIEW. In explaining the position of the Hutt County (the authority controlling the road along which it is proposed the main should be laid), Mr. D. B. Hoggard said that the Hutt County had already intimated to the Eastbourne Borough Council that it had no objection to Eastbourne's water main going along the seaward side of the road. But it was essential that the landward side of the road should be reserved for the Hutt County's own service. It was quite out of the question for the county's water main to be on the seaward side, as that would mean a crossing at every intersection. Eastbourne was free to go on the seaward side. As far as his county was concerned, it would have to stand firm. The City Engineer: "The seaward side to Point Howard is filled up with pipes." Mr. Hoggard said that tho Eastbourne Borough Council's main would come down the road in. the middle of Lowry Bay, and would get on to the main road nearly a mile from Point Howard. .. EASTBOURNE'S CONTENTION. Mr. S. E. Fisher (Mayor of Eastbourne) expressed the opinion that the Water Board would probably never take & main along that road. The borough would be laying sufficiently large mains, and he contended that the point raised was a bogy. The borough's main would be there for that purpose, if it ever should come. Sewerage, he contended, could go beneath the water mains, and there would be no difficulty. There was great difficulty in laying mains on the seaward side- because the bitumen extended to within 18in of the concrete wall, and he contended that there was nothing to stop the borough from laying mains on the landward side. Tho main would start on tho road from Sir Francis Bell's boat shed and extend to Eastbourne. "It's a real bogey to say that any other mains will bo required," he said. Mr. T. Forsyth referred to arrangements that had been made with other parties, and said the AVatcr Board should be consulted befoo anything definite was done. "TO BLOCK EASTBOURNE." Mr. H. W. Shortt (Automobile Club) contended that the Hutt County Council had no intention of laying water or drainage to Day's Bay. Ho said he might be wrong, but ho characterised the move as an endeavour to block Eastbourne getting a water supply. Mr. Hoggard: "There is not the slightest difficulty in Eastbourne going along the seaward side of the road." If the main was laid on the landward side, a serious difficulty would be created as far as the Hutt County Council was concerned when it camo to supply water and lay sewerage. "AYe are not going to stand by and see the only available site taken by Eastbourne," he said. "Their object in going on tho landward side is to get a strangle-hold on the county. They have made a bargain under which the Lower Hutt Borough Council is not allowed to sell direct to the county. Mr. Fisher has made a 'scoop,' and he wants to tie us down further by taking the only available route."

Mr. Fisher: "Wo have offered, the

water to the Hutt County on the same terms "we are buying it from Lower Hutt." Mr. Hoggard: "And asking us to pay £5000 to the cost of a main which is going to cost about nine or ten thousand." The chairman (Mr. W. H. Bennett): "The board is really between the devil and the deep blue sea. Can't the parties come to an agreement?'' It was decided to defer action till the matter had been considered by the Water Board. WATER BOARD MEETING. The Water Board met inunediately after the Highways Board meeting had finished, Mr. H. A. Huggins presiding. Mr. Hoggard placed his former arguments beforo the meeting. The chairman said that the main thing the Water Board was concerned with was the capacity of the main. The other was a matter for the Hutt County and the Eastbourne Borough. Mr. Fisher said that the main was capable of supplying 10,000 people, and it was not expected that Eastbourne's poulation would be larger than that. The chairman said that the meeting was mainly concerned with the supply of water. Mr. Hoggard's contention seemed quite reasonable. He thought probably the main question must be left to be decided by the Eastbourne Borough and the Hutt County. He doubted whether the Act gave the board power to interfere with their arrangements. He refered to the necessity of seeing that tho mains should bo of such capacity as to satisfy the requirements of the Water Board in any united scheme that might come in ten or twenty years. "It's bound to come," he said. Mr. A. M'Curdy (Upper Hutt) raised tho question of water pressure, and said that an Bin main with a 901b pressure, with a ten million gallon reserve, was insufficient for 4000 people. After further discussion the board decided that tho matter should be deferred till such time as the board had joint recommendations from the Hutt County and Eastbourne Borough.