SYDENHAM WATER SUPPLY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12588, 24 August 1901, Page 2

SYDENHAM WATER SUPPLY.

MEETING OF rATEPAYERS. A public meeting of Sydenham ratepayers, coSVWd by fbo Mayor of Sydenham (Mr B. P. Man-hire), .was held last evening to consider the proposed scheme of a highpressure water supply. About fifty ratepayers were present. ■■■* The ' Mayer- Explained tbe object of the meeting, 1 -saying Utti a water supply for the borough was becoming anrirgenb necessity. The. Council had, been considering .the. matter for many years, and' he thought it had ' arrived at d ’definite and feasible scheme now. ■ ■ ' •Mr E. Jones, chairman of the Water Supply Committee, said Sydenham was increasing rapidly, and the large number of wells being sunk to the same strata was having afi effect on the supply, wells that a-few years ago were flowing strongly were now scarcely flowing at all. A good supply was absolutely. necessary for the public health. Then, lately the City Council had intimated its intention of withdrawing the Fire Brigades from suburban usei The probability of an increase in fire insurance premiums, had stimulated the Sydenham Council to bring forward a scheme as ■ quickly as possible. The increase' in insurance rates in Sydenham would mean about £BOO pet' annum out of the pockets of Sydenham ratepayers. The Fire Prevention Committee had proposed thirty-four tanks at different places holding 30,000 gallons of water, bub this would necessitate two steam engines, and the cost would be enormous. The engines alone would cost, with huge, £BOO each, and a chemical engine £cGO, ,«o that the total cost of that scheme, with first, second and third strata wells and fire tanks, would be about £12,000, and, m addition, there would be the heavy expense of keeping rip an expensive brigade. The Council now asked for £15,000 for a high-pressure scheme, which would be interest paying, while the other would be constantly requiring outlay. The proposed scheme was to take a site near the Tarx, and to ereob there an elevated tower, with a tank on the top, and another tank'about half-way up. The lower one would be for domestic supply, arid the (higher for fire prevention. The lower one would! cost but a small amount for pumping, aVhde it would be high enough for all domestic place®. The advantages' of the high tank were ritany. Water could be got to a fire in a very short time, ami there would be but very little wear and tear on the hose. He instanced cares in America where urater was elevated arid* also pumped direct into

the mains. A deep well sunk near Bydem ham Park would raise the water to, 38ft, and if sunk deeper would raise it attili higher. If the water only rose to 30ft it would give sufficient pressure fer 'domestia purposes, flushing channels and filling water carts, and so save the cost of pumping ft® those services. Water could' be • pumped to a height of, say, 40ft, at a "cost quite trifling as compared with the cost ofl pumping to a reservoir on, the . Port Hills. Some people proposed pumping from the Heathoote, but that’ water was quite unfit for domestic purposes. The artesian sup-. ply was hest and cheapest; and better than Waimakariri; water, which would require to go,, through, extensive and elaborate purify* mg systems before fit for use. Under t'hei new ’'scheme every 'building in Sydenham could be connected with the waiter mains, and in a few-' years, he felt certain;, the rates 1 would be decreased, because the money paid for the supply by ’tach householder would ,go towards the first cost of the scheme. The saving in fire insurance premiums had been estimated at about £800; the amount now paid for hire of fira engines, £200; the sales of water would save £2O0 —giving a total of £I2OO. . The estimated expenditure would be—interest oh £15,000 at 4 per cent, £6OO ; pumping and other expenses £2OO, and maintenance of Flrp Brigade £loo—giving ja total of "£9OO, and showing a- direct saving per. annum of £3OO. The sale of water was cstimated at a v,eiy low figure in putting id down at £2OO. That was'about the lowest estimate. The indirect caving in the , preservation cf the public health, the supply being available for household services, flushing channels and watering streets, would be very great. The removal of nightsoil would also mean a great saving. Ini the course of a year or two it. would, be a money-making scheme, and would mean a lessening of 'the rates, ( Applause.) Councillor Webb raid he had. been previousl-" - impressed that nothing but a supply from a reservoir on the Port Hills wotild suit, but now he was convinced; the'.proposed schema was the only feasible one. Thera was also an advantage in-the better drainage and the flushing of sewers. ' The nrightsoil would be disposed of easily aindl cheaply, (Applause.) ' Councillor Hadfieid said a great' many people were waiting, for some Greater Christchurch scheme; but they had been ’waiting some thirty years, and they would! have to wait as many mere. Thei Waimakariri scheme did not.mean bringing in water, but the obtaining of power for-elec-trical energy'for lighting, pumping, etc. In Invercargill the tower system was ; in use, and was working very satisfactorily. ; The water was not ur ed for. domestic services, but r for fire prevention. - ' The proposed scheme was head and shoulders above any other that had ever been proposed lon Sydenham. The flushing of the streets . would be a valuable adjunct to sanitation. Such a street in such a condition as was one street in the borough would ho a tiling of the past. Fire prevention was. a very urgent necessity. Serious fires had occurred in the borough, and two had had fatal results. ' ’ . Bx-Oouncillor Muffet spoke in favour cf the scheme, and moved'—“ That this meeting favourably considers the proposal submitted to it by the Council, and will support it when the poll is taken c® Bci>t. 6.” A ‘ratepayer, dn seconding the motion, re"ferr&a id the’ Lyttelton supply, and spoke an favour of municipal fire insurance. Mr G. T. Booth also spoke in favour of the scheme. He said he was also in favour of a more general scheme—water, not drawn from the Waimakariri'. but by power obtained from the Waimakariri. In the mean-' time it was necessary that provision; should be made, and he congratulated the ■Council on the scheme proposed. If h© thought th« Sydenham schema was . otio likely. to prejudice the larger scheme he would oppose it, ■but it was not one that would militata against the larger scheme. He would support the motion. The Council had , done a wise thing. It might be a bold scheme to sbtae people,; but it was , a good one, and thoroughly feasible. He had intended to say something about what ho considered the rather ungracious manner in which the Sydenham Council bad treated the committee set up by the City Council to consider the question of power from the Waimakariri, but it was getting late. He trusted all the ratepayers would support the scheme before them. If a larger general scheme was brought ah', Sydenham would not suffer in any way. (Applause.) - A Several ratepayers spoke on the,subject. In answer to a question, Councillor Jones said the kind of tower was something which could be left to the Council. The ratepayers Would, he was Sure, be satisfied with the work when completed. _ He was also sure that if Christchurch City commenced a large water supply scheme it) would have to, in the end, folldw Sydenham's example and erect bowers. . The motion was carried unanimously. Mr Muffet then moved that-®' respectful ” petition should he drawn. up for signature by ratepayers, and .presented to the-Right Hon B. J. Seddon, asking him to facilitate a. Bill during the present session, providing for municipal fire insurance. This was seconded by a ratepayer, Und the motion was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the Mayor concluded the meeting. . ’