WATER AND SEWERAGE

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2714, 23 June 1925, Page 7

WATER AND SEWERAGE

Proposal To Raise Special Loans EXPLAINED BY MAYOR NATHAN.'

Separate proposals for loans for £33.500 for water reticulation and £17,000 for sewerage extension will be taken by the Palmerston North Borough Council on Friday next, June 20. They were dealt with at a meeting of ratepayers in the Municipal Hall last night. There were 30 ratepayers in attendance at last night’s meeting, called by the Mayor (Mr. F; J. Nathan) for the purpose of explaining the proposals. Mr. Nathan said he wished to thank the few ratepayers with sense enough of their civic responsibilities to attend to hear his short address on the necessity of more adequate provision for water and sewerage, and hoped that the general body of ratepayers would take more interest in Friday’s poll. Sewerage. In dealing first with sewerage", the Mayor said if the town was to be a pleasant place to live in and modern in every way, it was necessary that it be properly sewered. The work could, however, only be done from time to time as money was available. In the future, the cost would not have to be borne by the ratepayers, as sewerage was now a charge upon those constructing new streets, but the present proposals covered streets existing before the by-laws had altered the incidence of the charge. The Council had agreed that it might bo necessary before the end of its term —certainly within the life of the next Council — to extend the Borough boundaries so as to embrace the area covering the site for the new railway building and yards. Ratepayers would realise, when the lino was diverted and the~ railway buildings erected, how necessary it was to provide sewerage, water, gas and electric light for the railway department; hence the suggestion to extend the borough boundaries. The sewerage came up Kairanga road to Chelwood street, but it was impossible to drain Roy, North and Wood streets without a sewerage outlet. Certain streets —Rongapai, IConini and Matipo—had been constructed since the now by-law was passed. The moneys for the sewerage of the 43 chains involved had been deposited with the Council and these streets could be sewered in addition to the length of streets covered in the proposed loan for £17,000, to provide for;—•

ICairanga Road.—2l-lnch diameter outfall sewer from Chelwood street to Boundary road: 58 chains. Boundary Road. —12-inch sewer along Boundary road to Rangitlkei street: 82 chains. 12-inch diametersewer along Boundary road between Rangitikei street and Roy street: 30 chains. 9-inch sewer in portions of Roy, North and Wood streets: 2D chains. Kairanga road, Chelwood street to Main street: 15 chains — a total of 214 chains. Mr. Nathan said a critic had remarked ho did not think the scheme comprehensive enough and that provision should be made to raise a loan to sower every unsewered street in Palmerston North. The Mayor had replied that ho did not agree, for the reason that 659 chains over and above the 214 in the proposals would cost at least another £25,000. It would bo quite unnecessary as there would be no people living In some of the streets for years to come. The payment of interest and sinking fund to sewer streets in which nobody lived would be needless waste.

The proposals outlined would, said Mr. Nathan, meet all requirements for three years. If completed In two years and an extension were required, the new Council could bring down fresh loan proposals as it seembd absurd now to provide for sewerage not required for four or five years. The engineer assured the speaker the proposals were -ample for the present needs of the Borough and would on-' sure sufficient sewerage to meet the requirements of those parts where it was most needed. Water. Regarding the water scheme, the schedule of work provided for: A new 21in. diameter main from Linton Road to the Square, including special crossing at Fitzherbert bridge, length 3 miles, £21,700; contingencies and first year’s interest and sinking fund, £I,BOO. The construction of a concrete weir at Tiritea, formation of road thereto, clearing bush, laying of a 21in. diameter pipe-line connecting the new weir with existing supply main, £10,000; total £33,500. Mr Nathan said the scheme might be open to criticism, but it was an honest endeavour by the Council to cover the present difficulty for 25 or 30 years, possibly longer. The question of providing for 50 or 100 years had been discussed, but the Council did not have the courage to come and say it wanted £300,000 to £400,000 to put into a water system that would last 100 years. What had been decided upon as reasonable had been carefully thought out by experts and would cover the supply at Tiritea and the pressure. In answer to the question of how long what was proposed would be effective, the Mayor’s reply was: "If we say 30 years, surely the responsibility rests with some future Council and not for us to take on such a huge responsibility. In our present financial position, it would be extravagant and it is one of those things for which posterity should pay.’’ The estimate of, the engineers (Messrs. H. F. Toogood, consulting engineer, and J. R. Hughes, Borough engineer) for carrying out the whole scheme in its entirety was £147,830 and it was thought better to put the different proposals before the ratepayers as they required to be carried out, instead of raising a loan for the £147,830 when.the expenditure would have to be spread oyer S or 10 years. The Council felt it would not be

satisfying the ratepayers unless steps were taken to improve the quality of the water. There was only one dam at preesnt and therefore, no means existed of removing the silt and rubbish. By providing for the construction of a concrete weir and pipes connecting it with the existing supply main, they would be able to empty the front dam to clear it out and so provide for clear, fresh water with--out filtration being perhaps necessary. The filters were sufficient fot requirements if not overloaded, but unfortunately that had been dona and provision had been made in the larger scheme for additional fiilters. Authority was being sought on Friday to spend £33,500 to improve the reticulation and to provide an adequate pressure. Of this, £IO,OOO would bo spent on starting a back dam with a view to improving the quality of ihe water without the use of filters. When the scheme was finished, a new 80ft. dam would, in the course of about. four , years, be the outcome. They had gone into the question of increasing the size of the present dam to make the storage capacity greater, but the engineers had reported against it. The proposals Ineluded the laying of a 21in. diameter pipe from the back dam right into the centre of the town, but, though discussed, extension to, Peatherstor Street, and Boundary Road with proper leads down the main streets was, pot considered advisable in the meantime. The pipe li»e would leave Tiritea at the corner of the Linton Road and follow down the valley to the Tiritea River, thence through * Clifton suburb, joining the Pitzherbert East road on the 'town side of Pitzherbert Hill, then across the bridge, and through Pitzherbert Street to the Square. During his( remarks, the Mayor read extracts from the report ob. water supply schemes relating to the adequacy of Tiritea and the metering of consumers and at the conclusion of his address was heartily applauded Questions. In answer to a question by Mr R. Edwards as to whether it was proposed to put in concrete pipes, the engineer replied that it all depended on the price. His Worship said Palmerston North had had two painful experiences with clay sewerage pipes, and it would take’ a lot of money to rectify the mistakes that had been made. Cr. J. Hodgens pointed out that glazed pipes that had failed had been put in against the advice of the Borough engineer. Further questions elicited replies that about two miles of concrete pipes had beyn put In In Palmerston North; the new dam would be 456 feet above the level of the Square, that of the existing one being "S 60 feet; the sewerage pipes would not be laid through any private property, but the water pine line would go through private property for about threequarters of its distance and until and unless the poll were car- ' ried, no definite arrangements for easements would be made; the present pressure varied and dropped as low as 301bs„ but it was hoped to maintain a constant pressure of 801bs. if the proposals were given effect to; the people past whose property the sewerage pipes would go were at present paying sewerage rates although enjoying no benefits; If the proposals for a sewerage outlet were carried, it would be sufficient to take the. sewerage from 500 acres of land not at present in the Borough.