NEW WATER SUPPLY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 2050, 2 December 1924, Page 5

NEW WATER SUPPLY.

THE SUBTERRANEAN RIVER. BOROUGH TO INVESTIGATE. A “full dress” discussion on the possibilities of the reported underground stream on Mr O’Brien’s property on the Mangarino Hill, took place at the meeting of the Borough Council last night. When the application for permission to raise the proposed water supply loan came up, the Mayor remarked that the new movement to explore an artesian supply had started since the last meeting. The council should decide if they would investigate this source. Cr Boddie thought they should do everything to get a good supply as well as a sufficient supply. He was strongly of opinion that the stream should be investigated. There was a good chance of a pure and adequate supply. He doubted if the Mangaokewa supply would be good water. He moved that investigations on Mr O’Brien’s property be made. Cr Broadfoot: How much would it cost? Cr Boddie: Not much. Mr O’Brien had said that when the existing well was dug there was a big - flow of water.

Cr Walker remarked that Takapuna bad gone in for a similar scheme. Cr O’Connell said he would support the proposal if it was gone into at once. There had been too much delay already. The Mayor said they would want to know how much it would cost and where the money was coming from. He thought all sources should be investigated, but it was not certain that there would be sufficient water in the well for the demand. Again, it was not always necessary to treat artesian water. A large pump would be required for two or three weeks to make a sure test Cr Boddie said he thought that, even if it cost £IOO it would be well worth it. Cr Broadfoot agreed. The Mayor said he knew of several good pumps which could probably be hired. A flow of 100,000 gallons a day would be required. He did not think the existing well would give a sufficient test. It would probably have to be deepened. Cr Walker asked what flow Takapuna had.

Cr Boddie: A million and a quarter gallons a week. The Mayor said he proposed to get out the loan proposal regardless of the experiment. If they got the Minister’s consent to the loan it would not be affected by which scheme they adopted. He wanted to get the proposal out before the council went out of office. During the discussion Cr Peterson observed that it should not cost much to deepen the shaft of the existing well. It would be a matter of keeping the water down with a pump while the work was done. Cr Boddie’s motion was carried, and the Mayor, Cr Peterson and Cr Boddie were empowered to make arrangements within a limit of £l5O.