WATER FOR REMUERA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21764, 2 April 1934, Page 5

WATER FOR REMUERA

WORK ON NEW RESERVOIR' STORAGE ON MOUNT HOBSONi f WELL-PLANNED UNDERTAKING Water from the new reservoir nowbeing built near the summit of Mount, Hobson should be turned :into tho Romucra maiii3 within the next fnur : or five months, thus removing the pros-, ent unsatisfactory state of affairs.There arc at present certain periods; when there is not sufficient water avail-, able from the storage on tho mountain for household and fire-fighting pur-, poses. The new reservoir which will have a capacity of 4,000,000 gallons, will provide an adequate supply for the eastern portion of Remuera and tho district lying further east. Work on the new structure was com-, menecd on November 11 last, as onoof the City Council's subsidised relief-' works. The estimated cost of the conn-, oil's share is £14,.500, which is. to be, met out of the special loan sanctioned, by the ratepayers. The men on the job, are being paid at standard rates. Although there arc 50 men on the pay-, roll the average number engaged dailywould be about 35, as the number of hours worked is based on the men's, classification on the Unemployment*, Board's register. The benefit derived, from the payment of full rates is np-. parent from the progress already made.. Extensive Excavations Tho new reservoir is being built on the southern shoulder of the mountain and is one of tho largest undertakings, of this nature initiated by the CityCouncil for some years. It will be con-, structed of concrete, heavily reinforced, with steel, and will measure, 280 ft. by 200 ft., with a depth of 28ft. Actually the floor level will be 406 ft. above sea--level, and the roof-level 434 ft. There, will be two sections or compartments,, each capable of holding 2,000,000 gallons of water. These will be connected by an 18in. main and will in turn be connected to the existing reservoir alongside, which lic.s a capacity of nearly 2,000,000 gallons. Two smallerpools which held 150,000 gallons tween them, built by the old Remuera. Road Board, have been demolished to make room for the new reservoir.

Excavation to prepare the ground for* the building of the concrete structure will involve the removal of 20,000 cubio yards of material, and already approximately half of this quantity has been taken out. The reservoir is to be built in two sections, and the excavation now completed has made room for the first of these, on which concreting will bo commenced within the next fewweeks. It can now be seen that the reservoir will rest 011 a solid floor, and tho walls are to be so constructed that they will bo able to withstand the inside pressure without. the support of tho outside earth walls now beins thrown up from the excavations. Efficient Work There is an air of efficiency about tho whole undertaking which bus been set out so that it can be handled as efficiently as possible. This can be seeix in the disposal of the earth From tho excavations. Material suitable for the building of the earth embankments is rapidly hauled out of tho excavation by a high-speed elective winch and placed in position, while that not required is being spread on the side of the mountain to coniform to the natural terraces which arc a feature of that part of the hillside. Tho mixing of ilia concrete is also to be strictly controlled to ensure that a correct aggregate is obtained. To that end nothing will bo left to the judgment of the workers. Metal for the concrete is to be cartod from the council's quarry at Mount Eden and placed in a specially constructed hopper divided into six compartments, each of which will hold metal of selected size. Exact proportions of tho metal required will be* loaded into trucks below by the simple process of releasing the shutters aft the base of the hopper, and. as tbft trucks move down the tramway past tho cement shed to the concrete miser a bag of cement the exact quantity for the metal already apportioned will bo placed on the truck. Thus the correct ingredients for a "'mix" will be delivered to the concrete mixer at properly spaced periods and the work will go "on without interruption. Even the haphazard method of spraying water from a hose into the mixing chamber has been eliminated and the exact quantity for each "mix" will be measured through a specially-designed cistern. From the mixer the concrete will bo taken in small steel carts and poured into the moulds. This method is preferred to tho use of long chutes, as itensures tho even texture of the concrete being maintained. Driving of Tunnel

Altogether there will he 3000 ciiJiia yards of concrete in the completed job and 241 tons of reinforcing steel. The concrete on the floor of the reservoir; will rango in thickness from 12 inches at the edges to nine inches in tho centre. The lower half of the side walls will also be 12 inches in thickness and the upper section nine inches. The whole! area will be covered in, the flat con-« cretc i - oof being carried on piers. Whett completed no concrete will be seen front any of the surrounding streets, as thei walls will be screened by the earth fillings which arc to surround the structure, and these will be turfed so thati beyond a small valve, house there will be' nothing to mar the appearance ofi the mountain.

A tunnel 440 foot long is now beingj driven and in this, will be placed tha 18-inch outlet main and the -valves to control tlio How. Tlio mouth • of tha tunnel is 01* the side of tho hill above llemuera Road and at this point tha TJeinnera mains will be connected trt tho new supply. The first section or* compartment of the reservoir« will ba ready for use in about four or fiva months and when it has been tested: and filled a start will be made with tha excavations for the remaining It is expected tluit the whole structure will be in use in about another 12 months. Mr. H. I. Goldsbro',divisional engineer attached 1:0 Hie city engineer 3 staff, is in charge of the v.ork.