KAIKORAI VALLEY DRAINAGE

Evening Star, Issue 21825, 14 September 1934, Page 3

KAIKORAI VALLEY DRAINAGE

COMPLETE SCHEME URGENT BOARS OF HEALTH REPORT IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.! WELLINGTON, September 13. After a full investigation of the apilieation to the Board of Health from the Green Island Borough Council for a requisition■ for the installation of a drainage scheme at a cost of £40,000 a committee of the board has returned a favourable report. The report was approved by the board yesterday, and the Borough Council is at liberty to go ahead with the work with one minor modification—-the outfall is to be carried 50ft below low-water mark, 'the committee consisted of Sir Lindn Ferguson, Mr F. W. Maclean, and Dr M. H. Watt. The conclusions of tbe committee were as follow:—■

1. A complete drainage scheme lor the whole of the Kaikorai Valley, to include both domestic and industrial drainage, is urgently required. 2. The condition of Kaikorai Stream is in a high degree insanitary and largely deserves the reference in Mr Short’s report in 1908 as “ a public scandal and disgrace,” and that it was “ high time something was done to purify it.” 3. In the upper part of the valley household drainage is provided for by the Dupodin (Drainage Board. In the event or a substantial increase of population further provision may have to be nlade, either by way of the Cavcrsham tunnel, as at present, or by the lower valley to the sea. In Green Island Borough there is ample evidence of the necessity for a household drainage scheme.

4. In tho upper part of the valley no provision is made for factory-polluted effluent, which is at present discharged .nto the Kaikorai Stream. In the lower part of the valley (Green island Borough) the only provision for the disposal of such effluent is in the case of the New Zealand refrigerating works, the chemical works, and the city abattoirs, in which a largo portion of the affluent is discharged into the city sewers by pumping. A proportion of tho polluted diluent finds its way into tho Kaikorai Stream. In all other cases the polluted effluent is discharged .nto the stream.

5. The complete purification of factory effluent is possibly impracticable owing to cost or other reason, but sufficient treatment to admit of the effluent ocing discharged into the sewers Is, in our opinion, not only practicable, but should be compulsory. The provision of sewers is essential. 0. Where water from the Kaikorai Stream for industrial purposes cannot be returned to the stream without pollution in accordance with the requirements of common law with regard to

riparian rights, some other source of water supply must be had recourse to. When the additional water supply now being arranged by the Dunedin City Council is obtained—in two to three years—an ample supply should be available for Industrial purposes. A comprehensive scheme of drainage is not likely to be completed before this additional supply is available. 7. A paramount controlling authority is required. In Mr Short’s report of 1908 ho called attention to this, and recommended that a special river and drainage board be appointed. Since that date the position lias altered, as instead of the then six 11 local authorities ” interested there arc now only three, and of these one—the Taieri County Council—is concerned only to a limited extent. Wo arc of the opinion that the Dunedin Drainage Board should he made the controlling authority as soon as practicable; the Dunedin drainage district to be extended to include the Green Island Borough and a small portion of the Taieri County. We are satisfied that the Green Island Borough will ho included in the Dunedin drainage district in the ordinary course at no distant date, and, further, wo think it likely that the borough itself will he incorporated in Dunedin City ultimately.

8. Steps should be taken to consti- . tute the Dunedin Drainage Board a “ local authority ” for the purposes of the Health Act. This is necessary to enable the Board of Health to call on the Drainage Board to carry out a comprehensive drainage scheme for the upper valley. It would appear from section 10 of the Dunedin District Amendment Act, 1902, that the Drainage Board can take steps to request His Excellency the Governor-General to extend the drainage district to include the Green Island Borough and the portion of the Taieri County referred to in 7 above. 'We arc of tho opinion that the Drainage Board should bo recommended to take action accordingly. 9. The order resting the sole control of tho Kaikorai Stream and its tributaries in the Taieri County Council should ho revoked. The Taieri County Council will probably welcome this. It would still control' the stream and its tributaries outside the extended drainage district. 10. We are emphatically of the opinion that the discharge of sewage on the beach at tho outfall at or above high-water mark should not be allowed, and that only tentative permission should be given to discharge sewage below low-water in the locality, power being reserved to compel discharge at Black Head should it be found that discharge in the neighbourhood of the beach becomes objectionable. Although comparatively little use is made of the domain and tho beach at present, we understand that the beach is unsafe for bathing, it appears to us likely that at a future date tho place will become a favourite resort. THE RECOMMENDATIONS. While wo consider the constitution of tbe Dunedin Drainage Board as the controlling authority and tho inclusion of tlie Green island Borough in the Dunedin drainage district as the most satisfactory method, of dealing with the

problem, we recognise that legislation is necessary, and the conflicting interests which have hitherto been largely the cause of inaction may cause further delay in what is a pressing need. We arc therefore of the opinion that the present application should be agreed to with conditions in view of the urgency of dealing with the present highly unsatisfactory and insanitary state of affairs. We therefore make the following recommendations: — 1. A requisition to he issued to the Green Island Borough Council under section 22 of the Health Act to carry out the scheme of drainage submitted by the council on condition that the outfall of tire sewer he carried out not less than fifty (50) feet below the low-water mark of spring tides; provided further that should the discharge of sewage in the locality indicated in the plans he found objectionable the sewage outfall be carried to a point at Back Head on the council being called on to do so by the Health Department. 2. The warrant of October 12, 1906, vesting tbe control of tbo Kaikoiai Stream and its tributaries in the Taien County Council be revoked. 3. Steps to be taken to declare the Dunedin Drainage Board to he a local authority within the meaning of the Health Act. 4. The Health Department to enter into negotiations forthwith with the Dunedin City Council, the Dunedin Drainage Board, and factory proprietors with a view to the prevention of the present pollution of the Kaikorai Stream in the upper valley. The Board of Health to consider at a later date if necessary the, issue of a requisition upon the Drainage Board to install a comprehensive scheme of drainage which would make provision for factory or industrial effluents as well as domestic sewage in that part of the valley within the boundaries of the drainage district. ■