REPORT ADOPTED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20632, 13 August 1941, Page 4

REPORT ADOPTED

COUNCIL AGREEMENT WATER FOR GISBORNE FULL SCHEME £150,000 While adopting Mr. F. W. Furkert’s report for the augmentation of the town water supply, at a cost estimated at £35,000, the Gisborne Borough Council last night was informed that the lull completed scheme, including renewal of the pipeline, when required, and reticulation of the outer areas, would cost more than £150,000. The council proposed to go ahead with the preparation of data so that proposals could be formulated for submission to the Local Government Loans Board on the basis of Mr. Furkert’s report. The Mayor, Mr. N. H. Bull, summed up Mr. Furkert’s recommendations as follows: Mangapoike impounding dam, to hold 200,000.000 gallons, £15,000; 95-chain tunnel under hill from proposed dam, £13,000; quarter of a mile of pipeline from dam to tunnel entrance, £2000; the acquisition of 1000 acres to be afforested as a watershed. The total estimated cost was £35,000, but to provide for unforseen contingencies, Mr. Furkert recommended raising a loan ol £40,000, and the plan would provide for a population of 20,000 a figure which, based on growth during the past 19 years, would not be readied until 1994. Construction of a second dam was visualised when the population justified that step, and with proper conservation adequate water was available lor all time by a gravitation supply within a stone’s throw of the present headrace. Mr. Bull added that Mr. Furkert confirmed the opinion held by Mr. G. F. Clapcott, the assistant borough engineer, and other engineers, of the existence of sufficient water storage for Gisborne’s needs in the Mangapoike Valley. “Honoured in the Breach” The problem of water wastage between midnight and 6 a.m. required urgent attention, he said, and it might never be solved, but it appeared as if the trouble was between the settling tank and the borough, while in addition there were hundreds of leaky taps throughout the borough, the borough by-law regarding leaking taps no doubt being honoured more in the breach than in observance. However, such people must be brought to book. A new pipeline would cost up to £IOO,OOO, and if the present one could do the job without too much expenditure, it would be better to hold on to it, as suggested by Mr. Furkert. Mr. Bull moved that Mr. Furkert’s report and recommendations regarding water supply be adopted. Mr. H. H. De Costa seconded the motion and congratulated the Mayor on his lucid review. Mr. H. E. Maude said that Mr. Furkert’s report was a good one, and by adopting it the council was only affirming the need for the provision of more water. No matter what supply the town had, it would be impossible to ensure a proper pressure suitable for fire-fighting unless all restrictions used in the past were renewed or unless there was a larger pipeline. The first essential was to secure sufficient water for drought periods and the renewal of the pipeline, either in one job or by sections year by year, was a matter for future consideration.

Outer Area Reticulation Mr. G. Bradley Smith said that the estimate of £40,000 did not include the cost of reticulating the outer areas. The Mayor: Then that should have been put on the order of reference. Mr. Smith: The ratepayers will want to know that. The Mayor: We cannot reticulate the outer areas unless we have the additional supply. Mr. Furkert was merely asked to solve the problem. Mr. Smith: Then what are you going to place before the ratepayers? The borough engineer, Mr. E. R. Thomas, said that the completed scheme would cost £132,000, including £40,000 for the new headworks, £85,000 for a new pipeline, £5200 for replacing the pipeline above the Waingake settling tank, and £2OOO for the booster pump. In addition to that there would be a cost of £20,000 to reticulate the outer areas, the latter estimate being made in 1925 and which would be much more now. Dr. A. L. Singer said that the public should be reminded that they would not be able to use as much water as they wished when the scneme was completed. The Mayor said that the reticulation of the outer areas would be a separate question. Mr. Smith: It is not a separate question. The Mayor: Then you have apparently not read the report and the order of reference. Mr. G. J. Jeune said it was astounding to him that with all the engineers the council had had to report on water supply proposals it should have to wait for Mr. Clapcott to come along to discover that there were possibilities in the “dry Mangapoike bed” that had the old pumping units thrust upon it He agreed that the council should proceed to secure the endorsement of the Health Department and Loans Board. Mr. R. Morse congratulated the Mayor on trying to go ahead and establish some source of water. “Pipeline In a Bad Way” Mr. J. H. Hall did not think sufficient information had been given on the pipeline, and he believed that by the time the new scheme was completed the pipeline might be in such a state that its renewal was essential. They knew that the pipeline was in a bad way. This was suggested by the report on the night water wastage. He urged that provision for the outer areas should be considered. Mr. Maude said that the council could not ignore the claims of reticulation of the outer areas in the scheme, otherwise the scheme would be turned down. Therefore, there was work yet to be done before application was made to the Loans Board. The Mayor gave an assurance that the question of the outer areas had not been forgotten. Mr. J. J. Macdonald also made a plea for the inclusion of the outer area reticulation in the proposals. The borough engineer said that it was hardly fair to say that the people were responsible for the whole of the nightly wastage, he believed that to prevent it all might be impossible. Until an investigation into the wastage was completed it would not be wise to talk too much of it. He pointed out that following earthquakes the nightly draw-off rose by 10.000 gallons an hour. The report was adopted, and the Mayor said that the engineering staff might start immediately to prepare draft proposals to place before the council before submitting them to the Loans Board. The council would go ahead with collecting the necessary data the Loans Board might require.