RAIN OBVIATES PUMPING WAIPAOA WATER INTO BOROUGH MAINS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22585, 13 March 1948, Page 4

RAIN OBVIATES PUMPING WAIPAOA WATER INTO BOROUGH MAINS

OVERNIGIIT rain, which brought much-needed relief to gardens in Gisborne which had had little or no moisture for weeks, also brought relief to townsfolk who had anticipated the introduction of Waipaoa River water into the borough mains today. This emergency step has been postponed now until Monday, and what will happen then will be determined by the course of the weather in the meantime.

There were some Gisborne people who believed last evening that the borough stall had “beaten the pistol” in the matter of pumping Waipaoa water Into the system. Water running direct from supply taps was reported to be stained, and when drawn through hot-water systems had a characteristic odour. This was probably due to the level of the Mnngapoike dam having been further reduced, and certainly was not attributable to water from the Waipaoa. Test Run This Morning Pumps for use at the Waipaoa River were ready for testing this morning, and a test run was arranged for sometime before noon, stated the borough engineer, Mr. G. M. Beaumont, in reply to an inquiry. The river water would not now be used before Monday, as the light overnight fall would probably enable the normal supply to struggle through the week-end. “What rain has fallen at Waingakc in the past 24-hours is not likely to increase the flow in the Waingake, Stream, but the draw-off in town will certainly have decreased to some extent," said Mr. Beaumont. “A good fall of rain during the weekend will be necessary, however, to restore the supply to the point where dependence on the river water need no longer be considered,” Welcomed By Farmers Moderate as the rain in the night was in volume, it was welcomed by farmers in all parts of the district as a means of freshening the pastures. Dairy-farmers in particular had been badly in need of rain, both to restore water resources for direct use and to refresh the grass in their fields. On many a farm where ample water is available the grass had lost its vital content of moisture during the past fortnight or three weeks, and farmers were adopting various devices to keep :

up the milk production of their herds. Willow-trees were being stripped of thoir branches and foliage, and the feeding-out of hay had been started weeks earlier than usual by scores of farmers. The actual fall of rain up to 9 a.m. today was light, aggregating only O.lflin. on the gauge at the Gisborne aerodrome. Welcome rain fell on the Coast last night, .fi4in. being recorded at Ruangarchu station. Tokomaru Bay, up to 9 a.m. today.