NORTH SHORE WATER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21326, 29 October 1932, Page 9

NORTH SHORE WATER

LAKE PUPIJKE FALLING: NEARLY IFT. DROP A YEAR AUGMENTED SUPPLY NEEDED " The level of Lake Pupuke is steadily falling at the rate of llin. a year; in 10 years we will be in queer street unless the supply is augmented," said the chairman of the North Shore Boroughs Water Board, Mr. H. F. W. Meikle, Mayor of Devonport, at a meeting of the board yesterday. The lake, said Mr. Meikle, was sufficient only for a population- of 10,(XX) people, whereas it war, being called upon to supply a population of double that figure. The lake actually had a capacity greater (ban (he dams of the Auckland City Council, but the catchment area was not large enough, and above a certain level there was a great deal of leakage. " There is not the slightest doubt that the lake is entirely dependent upon rainfall for its inflow," said Mr. Meikle. He discounted theories of a subterranean supply. A report issued in 1912 had stated that the lake was a basin three-quarters of x mile in diameter, 200 ft. deep in the middle, with a crack in the rim from about 10ft. above sea-level upward, which prevented the water rising above that level. As the level of the lake fell, the leakage gradually lessened, until there would be now practically no seepage. Pall in 20 Years In the past 20 years the level of thp lake had fallen about 12ft-. It was now below mean high water mark, the latest report presented to the Devonport Borough Council giving it as 25§in., against 6in., below mean high water mark at the corresponding time last year. Since 1912 the level had risen only in fiv« years, in each of which the rainfall waß abnormally high. In 1915 and 1926, both very dry years, the fall was 58in. and 35in. respectively. Last year the drop was 23in. Mr. Meikle outlined briefly the various proposals for a supplementary supply which had been advanced from time to time. It would bu unwise to undertake any scheme costing more than £50,000, he said. The board was empowered to levy up to £20,000 from the contributing borough councils without a poll of rate payers. Taking into consideration present commitments, the increased suppty of water would cost up to 2s 6d a thousand gallons. The principal proposals were to obtain water from the City Council's Wa»takere break pressure tank by way of Hobsonville, estimated to cost £190,000, and the damming the Rangitopuni Stream, near Silverdale. the largest watercourse for a considerable distance on the northern shores cf the Waitemata. ■ The stream could supply a population of 400,000. at an estimated, cost of £244,000 The Wairau Stream The damming of the Wairau Stream had been suggested, but the proposal was not favoured by the Health Department. In any case, it would provide water sufficient only for 40,000 people. " The. time has certainly come when the Lake Pupuke. supply must be augmented." said Mir. R. Martin, Mayor of Norihcote, Mr. E. H. Little: We could pray for a heavy rainfall each year. It was then decided to pay visits of inspection to some of the proposed sites and to consider the matter in a month's time.