WATER WASTAGE ACUTE SHORTAGE USAGE INSPECTIONS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21900, 19 December 1945, Page 4

WATER WASTAGE

ACUTE SHORTAGE

USAGE INSPECTIONS

CONSERVING SUPPLIES Full-time inspectors to ensure that residents are not using their hoses or wasting water by other

means are to be engaged by the

Gisborne Borough Council as the result of the acuteness of the shortage of water.

This was decided at last night’s meeting when the town clerk, Mr. W. M. Jenkins, was instructed to take what steps he considered necessary to meet the position. “A million more gallons of water are being used per week now than last year and conditions are very much the same,” stated the Mayor, Mr. N. H. Bull.

Mr. Jenkins: We were not pumping last year at this time. Part of the extra work was wasted in repairing the main pipe for the water continued to flow while the pipeline was under repair, the engineer. Mr. G. F. Clapcott, pointed out. During the fortnight ended December 10, 17,040,000 gallons were consumed, it was reported. The readings were as follows: Week ended December 3, 8,804,000 gallons; week ended December 10, 8,260.000 gallons. Four leaks were repaired on the pipeline. The extreme fluctuations in pressure over 24-hour periods tend to increase defects, and the same conditions also apply withinf the reticulated area.

The rainfall at Waingake to date this month is 1 39in. Sufficient rain fell to permit of temporarily discontinuing pumping.

Mangapoike Contract

Work is proceeding satisfactorily on the pipeline road formations and erection of stone-crushing plant, also preparatory work at the dam site at Mangapoike, the place of the new scheme.

A very full report from the Government Research Department dealing with the soil analysis along the proposed route for the new pipeline has been received. Apart from more or less limited sections, the soil in which the pipes are to be laid indicates that trouble from external corrosion is of a limited nature and not likely to cause any concern. Regarding the sections likely to cause trouble, the report sets out clearly the precautions to take in protecting the pipes whilst being laid, and also specifies the varying colours and nature of soil that may be dis? closed during trenching indicating conditions where precautions should' be taken as pipe-Jaying proceeds. Samples of soil.- along the line of the existing 15in. pipe line in the Te Arai Valley were also taken. The analysis show a different class of soil from that comprising the Mangapoike area and indicated that at the spots from which the samples were taken, the soil contained substances that would set up corrosion. It was impossible to state to what extent such conditions might exist owing to lack of time, which only permitted of a very hurried invesigation being made. "Reviewing the reports submitted, and the schedule setting out the analysis of the many samples of soil taken from the Mangapoike area, it is evident that the denartment has devoted a very considerable amount of time in carrying out investigations and compiling reports” stated the engineer.

In non-reticulated areas of the borough, workmen had been engaged carrying water to residents, it was reported, and because of the dry weather, work at the Botanical Gardens had been confined to main“lf the drought continues we will be in a bad position,” commented Mr. Bull.