LYTTELTON WATER SUPPLY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14979, 27 April 1909, Page 8

LYTTELTON WATER SUPPLY.

* NEAV PUAIPING PLANT. ' The municipal enterprise of Lyttelton made a step forward yesterday. For the past thirty years a duplicated steam pumping plant in tho ivied pumping station at Heathcote has pumped the water for the borough up hill to the reservoir, whence it runs through the mains to the town. The demands on the old plant, far from lessening as tho machinery grow older, increased constantly, and now, when the old engines and pumps are getting a something staggery in their gait and a trifle rattly and rheumaticky in tho joints, they have been superannuated, and the work passed on to more willing and youthful shoulders. The new plant is housed alongside the old. In tho past there were two big cylindrical boilers, providing steam for compound vertical engines, the cylinders being arranged tandem fashion, and giving the . machines a spire-liko height. Each of the two engines, which were used alternately, drove a singleacting pump. The new plant is the extremity of up-to-dateness. Still in duplicate, to provide for rests and breakdown, there are two producer gas-plants, two magnificent, almost elephantine gas-engines, and, beltdriven from them, two turbine high lift centrifugal pumps. These consist of three centrifugal pumps in tho same casing and on the same shaft, and the water, entering without pressure, is passod on from one pump to the other in series, and issues at a pressure sufficient to raise it to the reservoir.

Yesterday afternoon tho Lyttelton Borough Council accepted the invitation of the Alayor to be prosent, and in addition there were present the Alayors of Christchurch, Sumner and AVoolston, Air E. Cuthbert (engineer of the Christchurch Drainage Board), Professor Scott, (who designed the plant), and a number of others interested in the plant or connected with the work of the Council. Tho visitors were shown round the pumping station, where tho old engines were still working, and the steam was then formally turned off. A\ r ith as little delay as possible Professor Scott then treated those present to a concise and clear explanation of the working of the wliolo plant. “Steam” was already up in the producers, aud after ono of the engineers had pumped awhile at a handle, tho Alayor was shown how to twirl a part of the engine in a cunning manner, and tlie engine moved round. There was one false start-, and then tho engine got under way and was soon driving the pump and pumping water. The other engine was started similarly, and both were given a good run to demonstrate their smooth working. Councillor F. J. Page, as chairman of the Water Supply Committee, was tho principal speaker at the ceremony of starting the machinery. He explained that when the growing demand for water had passed the capacity of tho old steam plant and tho Council had decided to procure a new plant, tenders had been called for a new steam plant. Mr Lewin, tho town clerk, had been investigating the merits of producer gas as a primo mover, and although tjie Council had been advised to accept a tender for a steam plant at £3565, on his advice it consulted Professor Scott. He advised that the conditions were favourable to the uso of producer gas, and designed a plant. The two producers wore supplied by the Dowson Gas and Power Company, the two 60-75 horse-power engines were from tho National Gas Engine Company, aud the high-lift turbine pumps were made by Alessrs Alathor and Platt of Westminster. The contract had been carried out by Alessrs J. J. Niven and Go.; of Napier, and the tests had shown that the work amply complied with their guarantee that each unit would deliver 25,000 gallons of water on a fuel consumption of 1.21 b of ooko per brake-horse-power hour. Tho quantity of water actually lifted had reached 31,445 gallons an hour. The neiy plant represented an enormous saving to the Council, for the cost of raising a million gallons was now £1 11s 3d.r as against £6 16s with tlie old steam plant, and-that represented a yearly saving of £330, or, adding the cost of the extra labour needed for the old plant, £420 to £450 per annum. The installation, with the new rising main, had cost about £4500. A new steam plant would have cost at least £-1000 more, and the greater economy of modern steam plants would not have brought the saving to nearly the point the prosent plant had done. After tho ceremony was over, the visitors adjourned to a marquee, where a short toast list was honoured. Among tlie speeches was one by tho Alayor of Lyttelton, in which he enlarged on tho economy effected by the new plant, and made striking comparisons- between it and the old one. Professor Scott also spoke in praise of the new motive power, which lie declared had come to stay.