RODING RIVER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 21 December 1938, Page 6

RODING RIVER

PROGRESS OF WATER SCHEME REPORT BY CITY ENGINEER DRIVING OF TUNNEL A review by the City Engineer, | Mr J. G. Littlejohn, of the work I done in connection with the Roding | River water supply scheme was given to the Nelson City Council j last night. The report stated : The initial stages of the work commenced at this time a year ago with ! the delivery of some of the plant for j the piercing of the tunnel in Poorinan's ! Valley, and the driving of the tunnel from that end was commenced very j shortly afterwards. It is now in about j 900 feet, in rather shattered rock, alterI nating with soft seams of crushed material, which requires timbering, j The preliminary work of making an i access road to the Roding end of the ! tunnel was proceeded w-ith, and a wire bridge constructed over the river. The driving of the tunnel from this end was not commenced until July last, aud the drive is about 300 feet into the hill The rock is the same as at the Poorman’s Valley end, but so far, is without soft seams, and does not require timbering. There is. however, a considerable seepage of water which necessitates pumping because of the falling gradient of the tunnel. The Engineer expects that conditions will improve at both ends, as the work proceeds. NO EFFECT ON POORMAN’S VALLEY STREAM . There is no appearance of any effect j on the flow in the Poorinan's Valley stream, as was feared by the Mental Hospital authorities, but a pump, electrically driven, has been installed and the necessary pipeline has been laid and connected up with the hospital supi ply main. This work was one of the conditions on which the scheme was authorised. BRITANNIA HEIGHTS RESERVOIR The contractor has also the reservoir on Britannia Heights in hand, and has practically completed the excavation. He is preparing for the pipeline in order that the reservoir may be brought into use at the earliest possible date To do this the reservoir will be connected up temporarily with the present high levels supply. PREPARATION OF PIPES A factory has been erected at Appleby, where the concrete lining of the pipes is being carried out. A considerable length of pipes for the reticulation has already been completed. STOKE RETICULATION Plans have been completed for the reticulation of Stoke, and it is likely that this part of the scheme will be proceeded with by the County Council during the coming year.