Hatea Water Again On Jan. 7; Hose Ban To Stop

Northern Advocate, 21 December 1945, Page 3

Hatea Water Again On Jan. 7; Hose Ban To Stop

Hatea River water will again be pumped into the Water mains • ol tlie town on Monday, January 7.

On the same day restrictions imposed on the use of water in the borough following the closing of the Hatea River supply will be lifted. This decision was made at a special meeting of the Whangarei Borough Council last night when the water supply to the town was again discussed.

Reporting to the council the engineer (Mr I. A. Cromie) stated that dechlorination plants had been installed at the Whau Valley reservoir for the dechlorination of the Whau Valley supply and at the pumping station on the corner of Mill and Otangarei Roads for the dechlorination of* the Hatea supply. RENTAL BASIS “The chloros treatment recommended by the Health Department proved on further investigation to be too costly in operation. The plant would have cost £75, and the daily cost of chemicals would have been 35/- without freight or labour charges. “Therefore a gas plant was installed on a monthly rental basis of between £4 and £5, the daily operational charges on this plant being 9/- instead of over £2 with the chloros plant. The gas plant also had the advantage of being more positive in action. “The cost of the gas plant, if the council considered purchase, would be £lB7/10/-. “The dechlorination plant at the Whau Valley reservoir cost £56, and the Hatea plant £65. The Whau Valley had been in full operation since December 15 and the Hatea plant was all assembled and ready for operation.” The council decided to purchase the gas plant at the sum of £lB7/10/- instead of paying a rental. SAMPLES OF WATER TESTED The chairman of the waterworks committee (Cr. J. F. Johnson) said that the water position in Whangarei was very serious at present and he asked for a decision about the Hatea supply and water restrictions. Samples of the Hatea River water after chlorination and dechlorination were produced and sampled by councillors. They pronounced that this water was both palatable and odourless. “We are satisfied with the water,” said Cr. Johnson, “but a section of the public is not.” He asked the engineer for his opinion about any trouble that may come from the blending of the Hatea and

Whau Valley waters since it was owing to this blending that trouble was caused when Hatea River was first turned on. NO DISSENTIENT The engineer stated that since both waters were being chlorinated and dechlorinated there should be no trouble. If Hatea River water was pumped into the.mains there would probably be a discolouration in the water for a period, due to sediment and scale in the pipes.

Pressure of Hatea River water could not be reduced to minimise this because a lowering of the pressure would mean that not sufficient water was being pumped. .

The mains would have to be flushed out, and that was now being done. This was difficult owing to the large number of dead ends in the northern end of the town.* Cr. Johnson then moved that all restrictions be removed as from Monday, January 7. He said that he named this date since during the holidays there wpuld not be the demand for water, especially from industrial users. Cr. S. J. Snow seconded and said that the council must be guided by the experts. The reports from them were to the effect that the waters should be satisfactory. The motion was carried'without dissent. Absent from the meeting were Crs. J. L. McCulloch, W. M. Porter and W. L. McKinnon.