NEW ARTESIAN WELL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 264, 6 October 1936, Page 9

NEW ARTESIAN WELL

COUNCILLORS CONCERNED

DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED

“That all work in connection with the supplementary water supply at Vogel Street, except the sinking of the artesian well, bo suspended until the well is sunk and the quantity of water available proved.” This was a motion put forward by Cr J. T. J. Heatley at the meeting of the Palmerston North City Council, last evening, the proposal being lost by six votes to three.

Ci- Heatley stated that he. did not want to obstruct the council m its efforts to secure a water supply, but the Vogel Street bore was down to a depth of 420 ft, and for the past two months had been practically jarnbed. He said lie felt certain that if they attempted to put down another artesian bore there they might meet with disaster. The position should be very carefully considered before any further work was carried out.

Cr G. Tremaine seconded the motion and said that he had referred to the matter previously. It had been suggested that if water was not struck at A r ogel Street the reservoir could be filled from the mains during the night and used to augment the supply during the day and it had been demonstrated that when the Terrace End baths were filled the water pressure in tho surrounding area was lowered. The same position would be created !>v filling the reservoir during the night. Until water from the artesian well was available, he thought that work on the partly constructed reservoir at the site should be suspended. THE LEGAL OBLIGATIONS.

The Mayor (Mr A. E. Hansford) asked that consideration be given to the legal position involved if the council stopped the contractor when he had all his boring plant on the spot. Against that, there was no doubt that the water was there. That had been demonstrated by Cr Tennent, who had shown that there was a bigger flow of water a little further over from where the well was being sunk now. Regarding the suggestion that the opening of the valve would lower the pressure, that would he so if the valve were opened right up, but the pressure would not he affected if tho valve were not opened fully. In the case of the Terrace End baths, the valve was set so that they would fill in the course of the night, over a certain period. Before the council took any extreme action they should be sure of what the legal position would he, the Mayor continued. There was danger also that if the contract for the boring work were stopped the. reservoir might not he ready to take water this year. The council had made promises to the Terrace End residents and now, if the contract were hold up, it might mean that the council would not he able to use the Tiritea supply in tho new reservoir at Vogel Street this year because the concrete of the reservoir was too “green.” Asked how long the concrete would require to progress beyond that stage, the city engineer (Air J. 11. Hughes) said it would need about a fortnight. Tho Mayor then pointed out that the proposal was to hold up the job “until the supply was proved.” That might hold the construction of the reservoir up for two months. October and November might have gone. The engineer said it would be February before the reservoir was finished then. The Mayor said he was not trying to influence the council one way or the other, but he desired the members to be in possession of all the facts before they voted. Cr. AV. B. Cameron said there was no difference in the position now from that when the council had let the contract for boring the well. The council had no idea how much water was there—they just had faith in the diviner. Surely the council had not lost faith in the water-bearing strata in that area, which already bore two or three artesian flows. Even if the council had to put down a bore, off the hill (Vogel Street is situated on a rise) to find a a flew they could still pump it into the reservoir, which would then be on a higher level. That system nas followed in Wellington. in regard to filling the reservoir from the i’iritea supply, with tho increased reticulation the council would have no difficulty in doing that. The council, he thought, had been rather unfortunate at Vogel Street. After sceI ing the exhibition given by Cr. Tennent, he was satisfied that the council were on the right track. The well was now down 400 feet and they were being asked to allow a telescoping pipe to be used at the bottom of the 6-incli pipe. The council had been quite right in refusing permission because a 4-inch pipe would give less than half that of a 6-inch pipe. The council should stand by their original intention and put the bore down. DIVINER’S EXPERIENCE. Cr AY. B. Tennent said he considered the carrying of the resolution would he a rotiugrado move, and that it might tend to cause a certain degree of panic among ratepayers in the city. The new reservoir could be used in tiie meantime. He understood that for some considerable distance boring had been proceeding through sand, and that the pipe had not buckled. The council was laced with two courses—either telescoping tho present' bore or putting down another in its place. It certainly would ho fatal to reduce the bore to a 4in diameter, as then the flow would be very small indeed. Another diviner had endorsed the speaker’s finding that the bore was on the edge of the flow, and had traced out the same course. Both had agreed on a test made in the next paddock. Tho diviner had said it was the strongest flow of artesian water lie had over experienced. The widtli of the Herctaunga Street flow was 20 to 30ft, but this one was not less than 48ft. Cr Tennent added that he was satisfied that the council would b“ wise to consider the extra expense of putting down a 6in bore where the flow had been located. Cr Heatley said lie was certain that if water was secured it could be utilised easily and pumped direct into the mains. He thought that the council should take but slight heed of “all this divining” and, before it proceeded further, should determine, by putting the present bore down to the required level, if water was there. It was £>nly fair to tho people. The original intention was not to pump Tiritea water into a reservoir and then out again. The motion tvas then put to the council and lost by 6 votes to 3.