LEAKS IN DAM

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 60, Issue 4369, 15 December 1950, Page 9

LEAKS IN DAM

TARARIKI STREAM : MR WORLEY’S REPORT VERY COSTLY REMEDIES A report of an inspection ’he had made of the dam of the present water supply used by Paeroa from Tarariki stream was given by Mr Ralph P, Worley, consulting engineer, Auckland, to the December meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council. Mr Worley stated that he had found that the leaks around l the sides of the dam were considerably less than when he had last seen them. As a matter of fact there was so little leakage that he did not think the cost of remedial measures would be warranted. The leaks in the face of the dam could be caulked with lead wool and reduced' to almost nothing. The dam was founded upon solid rock, said Mr Worley, so that leaks from under the dam should not be very great. However, there was so ■ much water flowing over the spill- . way that it was impossible to see where the leaks were. ,An inspection in the dry weather in February was suggested.

Mr Worley stated that the stream could he developed to supply* 500,000. gallons- a day all th§ year round by making provision for 100 7 days storage by building a clay dam * with a concrete core wall. That would" ' cost approximately £20,0£0, whilst a new 12 inch supply main would, cost £BOOO per mile. As an alternative to the storage dam a small concrete dam could be built below the forks to pump back all the water that was flowing at that point when the spillways were , dry. The motor could; be operated iby* a float switch with the float in the existing intake chamber so that the . pump would .come on automatically. That scheme would! cost approximately £5OOO plus the new pipe line. It would not give as much water in a dry spell as would a storage dam which would be storing the winter flow, to make available-the whole dry . weather flow from, the catchment apea plus OQO,OOQ gallons Per day. The-" annual cost of the pumping scheme '** would include maintenance, say £iob per annum and power charges about ; £l5O (for three months), equal to in- : terest and sinking fund on a capital . expenditure of £5500.

Mr Worley concluded ty ppSating out that in the case of. the pumping scheme the amount of w£f er that could be pumped was still apunknownguati* tity. He could gar/gethe water flow > later in the suminer and then rely on only half that quantity as the amount likely to be available in a phenomenally dry year.' J- .<* v ‘ With a view rf discussing means of improving the present water supply to Paeroa between the Ohinemuri County Council and the borough council is to be held in the near. future. A letter from the county council was read at the borough council meeting stating that the county council was willing to confer with the borough-council upon the matter.

Before any arrangement was mader with the -county council it would be wise to know the position with regard to the Waitawheta scheme, said Or E, W. Lee. The building of a dam to cost £20,000 was out of the question if the Waitawheta scheme was to be proceeded with. Little progress was being made with the Waitawheta proposal and it would! be many years before Waitawheta water could be used even if the work was put under way at once. The mayor, Mr N. C. Davies thought that in the meantime the matter .of improving the existing Ohinemun county supply should be considered because of'its urgency and he therefore favoured the conference with the county as soon as possible. The meetmg resolved that the conference be arranged at an early date.