WATERWORKS LOAN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 71, 23 February 1937, Page 11

WATERWORKS LOAN

PROPOSALS AT TIRITEA. EXPLAINED BY MAYOR. METHOD OF FINANCING. Claiming complete justification for the proposal to expend £90,000 on the construction of a new reservoir dam at Tiritea. and for extensive improvements to the reticulation, system, the Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford) addressed a public meeting in the Municipal Hall, last evening, to explain why it was considered that this —the biggest major undertaking contemplated by the City Council for some vears —was warranted. He said his advice to all ratepayers was to support the loan at the poll to be taken to-morrow, for though the total expenditure involved was £112,144, a Government subsidy available reduced this fisure to £89,716. Mr AY. B. Cameron presided over an attendance of 22.

AN ALTERED POSITION

“The latest report from the engineers has materially altered the Tintea watershed proposal as the main source of supply for the city,” stated the Mayor. “When advocating the artesian bores, I always stated it was only to augment the main supply. Now that the records show that the Tiritea supply is suitable for a population of 65,000 as against the previous report or reports which said that the Tiritea catchment area was only suitable for a population of 34,000 people using 100 gallons each per day, we should, I think, further develop the Tiritea, particularly in view of the offer from the Unemployment Board, and, further, in view of the fact that the money now being collecteed for water rates is sufficient to pay the interest and sinking fund. “The main source of supply, as 1 have already stated, is from the Tiritea stream, augmented by the artesian supply from Reretaunga Street. This supply amounts to nearly 2,0u0,U00 gallons daily from the Tiritea and over 500,000 daily from the artesian supply. The city fortunately possesses a splendid catchment area of 608 l acres at Tiritea, and all but a small portion of this is covered with virgin bush. A small portion of the area is held as private property and has been denuded of bush. The supply from Tiritea is conveyed from the storage reservoir to the Fitzherbert bridge through supply mains varying in size from 15 inch to 12 inch and J inch diameter. The supply from the two Heretaunga Street artesian wells is pumped direct into the reticulation system. The present reeervoir has a holding capacity of 33 million gallons and was completed during 1912, when the population of Palmerston North was about 11.500. RAINFALL AND CAPACITY.

“Since the inception of the scheme in 1912, the only major works undertaken have been the installation 01 the artesian scheme, the laying ot feeder mains within the city, and last year loan proposals were authorised by the ratepayers for an additional artesian supply at Vogel Street to serve the Terraco End district, and the laying of a 21-incli supply main from College Street to i< itzherbert West road,” the Mayor added. lhis latter is a portion of the major scheme recommended to the council. The woiks provided for under the 1936 waterworks loan are now nearing completion. During the last sixteen years the various councils in office have realised that with the rapid growth in population the question of providing an increased supply of water required their attention. The reports submitted for consideration by the council have drawn attention to the lou pressures in the town, the necessity for increasing the size of the supp y mains laying of feeder mains within the city, and the development of the natural source of supply at uritea. “The consulting engineer, Mr H. F. Toogood, showed in his report of 19M that in selecting the worst six months drought during the past. 30 years (which occurred 111 1910-11) the calculated minimum run-off in one month was 30 million gallons, and with the storage provided at the time the catchment area was suitable for 34,000 peousing 100 gallons per day, continued the Mayor. “Since 1924 valuable information shows that the rainfall close to the average of the watershed, even in times of low rainfall, at the altitude considered, is nearly 100 per cent, greater than in Palmerston North. The most intense and prolonged drought that has been recorded happened over the period 1911, as previously stated, and for that period the only figures available of the rainfall were those for Palmerston North, which were taken as the basis of the calculations. However, with the records of the rainfall taken durnig the past 12 years at Tiritea and Kahute-i-awa, the relationship between the Palmerston North rainfall and that which occurs at the catchment is shown. During dry seasons the rainfall in the catchment is 1.8 times that of Palmerston North, and the run-off has been now calculated 011 this basis. ENGINEERS’ RECOMMENDATIONS.

“In submitting their proposals the consulting engineer (Mr H. F. Toogood) and the city engineer (Mr J. R. Hughes) have submitted in the form of a joint recommendation works involving an expenditure of £112,144, and state as follows: — “Sufficiency of supply.—After taking into consideration tne available records of rainfall and the amount of storage possible at the proposed site of tne dam, we agree that it a dam of a suitable height is provided the Tiritea catchment can be developed at that site to suit a population of 65,000 people using 100 gallons of water per head per day. This does not exhaust the possibilities of the catchment if further storage is provided elsewhere. As has been pointed out in our previous report, additional storage is possible below the present work, and while it is not necessary to consider this at the present juncture, it is a further indication that Tiritea should not be abandoned as a source of the water supply for the city. , “New storage dam.—ln considering the work required (the engineers add) we recommend the council to provide for the possibility of developing the proposed site of the dam to its fullest extent by the construction in two stages. The first stage recommended is to build a dam to an overflow level of R.L. 570, while the ultimate level provided for will be at R.L. 590. These represent a top water level of 470 feet, and 490 feet above the level of the Square. At the former level the storage capacity will be 290 million gallons and the dam 95 feet high above the stream bed. When raised to the full height of 115 feet the storage capacity would be 448 million gallons. At the rate of consumption now obtaining, the first stage will serve a population of 40,000 people and, if the rate of growth of population remains as at present, it will be adequate till 1970. The final state, when completed will serve 55,000 people, which it is estimated will he the population in the year 2000. .. “Supply main.—A new 21-inch diameter main from Linton Road to the headworks is provided for m the

schedule of works. This main is a continuation of the 21-inch main now being laid from College Street to Linton Road, and will then complete the 21inch main from the headworks to the city. To overcome the loss of pressure in the present reticulation, provision is made for 12inch diameter mains in Ferguson Street East from Fitzherbert Avenue to Runhine Street, Featherston Street from Rangitikei Street to Pascal Street, and a 9-inch diameter main in Pascal Street and Cuba Street to Cook Street, completing ring feeders at each end of the city. “Private lands in catchment area.— The provision for acquiring an area of private lands held in the estate of Mr Thomas Smith, comprising 279-6 acres, which was reported on by Mr W. R. Birnie, has not been included in the schedule, though it is recommended that the council should give consideration to the purchase of the said area. The question of purchase of lands at the headwaters of the main stream we do not consider of very great importance on account of the distance from the point of supply' and the fact that the land is only used for grazing purposes. The following is the schedule of works which we recommend the counoil to adopt in order to secure the necessary storage and provide an adequate supply and pressure in the city: “Schedule A.—(l) New dam with crest level R.L. 570 (or 95ft above stream bed) as being the first stage of a dam to be built ultimately 20ft higher, together with valves, fittings, overflow, etc., £57,200. (2) 21in diameter supply main from Linton Road to headworks, £36,700. (3) Road formation, metalling, etc., for access purposes, £2240; total, £96,140. (4) Improvement in reticulation:-12in main Ferguson Street East, 12in main Featherston Street, 9in main Pascal and Cuba Streets, £8180; 5 per cent, contingencies, 21 per cent, engineering, £7824; less 20 per cent, subsidy on £112.144, £22,428, making a net cost of £89,716, the engineers intimated.

NO INCREASED RATE

“The Employment Division of the Department of Labour advised in September last that the Minister of Finance approved of a subsidy of 20 per cent, of .the estimated expenditure, amounting to £22,428, provided the work is put in hand within the next twelve months and is expedited so as to be complete within twelve months from commencement,” added the Mayor. “The subsidy is conditional on at least 80 per cent, of the labour being recruited from the ranks of the registered and eligible unemployed. “Regarding the financial position of the waterworks account,” said the Mayor, “making an estimate of the receipts for 1938 these should be £16,475, based on last year’s revenue. The - expenditure, based on last year s estimate and leaving out extraordinary expenditure and providing for interest and sinking fund on existing loans, should be £11,589 10s. To provide interest and sinking 'fund on the proposed loan will be £4950, and would make the total expenditure £16,539 10s, or only £64 10s short of the estimated revenue. “Out of last year’s estimates we have provided for the following: Mains extension, £2000; Heretaunga Street reservoir, £1600; removal of silt from dam, £500; part cost of main from Vogel Street reservoir, £450; transfer to general account, £4000; total. £8550. „ “You will now naturally say, well, what is the position as far as the general account is concerned, and will you increase the general account rate?” added the Mayor. “My reply, is: Not unless extraordinary expenditure is undertaken, because last year we provided for the following: Grandstand at Sportsground, £2900; new bus, £1000; Mayor’s relief, £2000; total, £5900. Those are all sums that should not be recurring. I should say that the position of the unemployed has so far improved that the Mayor’s relief account can ho deleted. If, of course, large works of a capital nature are undertaken, then it will be necessary to increase the rate in the general account. “I think it must bo conceded that during recent years, with the revenue considerably reduced, the council has lone remarkably well to carry out the works undertaken in this city, and it only shows what can be done with careful administration. Possibly ratepayers have been disappointed because their roadway has not been tar-sealed or their footpath tarred, but it has not been possible to do ah the works one would have liked to do, but we have done a portion in each area of the city every year or, put another way, we have expended the money available equally over the city. I am sure that this is the policy of the present members of the council,_ and, as I have already said and again repeat, if extraordinary capital works are not undertaken it will not be necessary to increase the rates. As far as the present loan is concerned, the law provides for the striking of a rate. This will amount to 2-3 d in the £, which will be 'equal to, on the average housing capital value of £IOO9, 11s oi Lis Id. As I have just pointed out, it will not be necessary to collect this rate, so that the present water rate will provide sufficient revenue for ordinary expenditure and existing loans as well as the proposed loan. REASONS FOR ADVOCACY. “By voting for the loan you will not inorease your rates,” concluded the Mayor. “You will provide the city with its growing population and beautiful gardens with an adequate water supply. You will provide the Fire Brigade with sufficient water and pressure to meet all emergencies. The drainage on the higher levels will not cause concern to the residents and Council officials with a dry spell. The Hospital, which, while being an extensive institution, at present is being considerably enlarged; and a big building programme is contemplated. Water supply is of vital importance to such an institution. By voting for the present loan you get a subsidy of £22,428 from the Government. Such an opportunity will not occur again. You are providing a water supply for a population of 55,000.” QUESTIONS.

Subsequently, the city engineer (Mr J. R. Hughes) made an explanatory statement amplifying the technical side of the proposals, and making comparisons, by means of graphs, between present facilities and future requirements. Mr V. Christensen . stated, during a subsequent discussion, that he considered the water at Tiritea was unhealthy; adding that trout had been unable to live in it, that it had been blamed for causing dysentery in sheep, and that it had been described as a disgrace to Palmerston North. He said that compared with the crystal clear artesian supply, of which he was no advocate, the Tiritea water was coloured almost black by d'ye from the vegetation. He considered that the proposals should have been put Reward to the public at longer notice before the poll was taken. The Mayor rejoined that the Health Department would soon have informed the council of tlie position if the water had not been satisfactory. Analyses taken had shown .that there was nothing objectionable in it. Another speaker said that the development of Tiritea in the past had

been crippled by the inadequate finance placed at the disposal of the engineers, and that the main trouble would be met by enlarging the supply pipe. Opposition to the proposal to build a new dam was voiced by Mr W. Milverton, who expressed the opinion that there must be a tremendous seepage at that elevation. Further, he said, costs had been greatly inflated since the original estimates for the work had been taken out.

The Mayor replied that it was proposed to let a contract for the work. Tho estimates had been compiled quite recently, and there was provision for contingencies.

Asking what had been tho expenditure on the development of the Tiritea scheme to date, Mr F. W. Hubbard ifas informed that it had been £IOO,OOO for the gravitation scheme and reticulation of the city. _ “There is no question but that this city is in dire need of a water supply, though the artesian bores have given excellent service,” stated the chairman, who added that even if the artesian plants became unnecessary in the future, they would be a valuable auxiliary supply in the event of emergency.

The Mayor and chairman were accorded votes of thanks.