TREATMENT OF WATERSHED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17659, 21 December 1920, Page 8

TREATMENT OF WATERSHED.

TREE-PLANTING SCHEME

The policv of the City Council in connection with the watershed of the city water supply was discussed yesterday by the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, during an inspection of the auxiliary dam site at Nihotupu by members of the City Council and representatives of contiguous local bodies. Mr. Gunson said the whole watershed contained about .13,000 acres. In portions of it the millable timber had been worked out, and certain areas were partly denuded of forest. The council would undertake extensive tree-planting operations where necessary, so that eventually the whole area would be again covered in bush. The area would be strictly reserved and steps taken to prevent the pollution of the water. Refefi-ing to the auxiliary dam, the Mayor said it would be completed in three months. When finished it would conserve 110,000,000 gallons of water. If any rain fell during the late summer the dam would be of great assistance in augmenting the city supply during the worst period of the year. He added that the dam should have by now, but it had been found impossible to transport the necessary material to the site during the winter over the clay roads. The work had been suspended during the winter, but would be resumed as soon as possible.