SUPPLY OF WATER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22131, 10 June 1935, Page 10

SUPPLY OF WATER

THE EASTERN SUBURBS MEETING SUMMER NEEDS PROGRESS WITH RESERVOIR PROVISION OF EXTRA MAINS Water supply works which the City Council has either in hand or in preparation should nssuro that nil the normal needs of Remuera and Tamaki will bo met next summer, with a good margin for contingencies.

Steady progress is being made with tho second section of tho now reservoir on Mount Hobson. Tho first section, holding 12,000,000 gallons, was begun in November, 1933, and taken into use toward tho end of last December. Tho second section, of the same capacity, is expected to bo finished in September. The foundations and floor liavo been laid, and work is proceeding on tho walls. Thus by next summer there will be storage for 5,200,000 gallons on the hill, including the capacity of tho original reservoir. Until the latter part of last year tho capacity was only 1,320,000 gallons, or a little more than a quarter of what it will be when the works are complete. Two Additional Mains Much was done last summer to increase the capacity of tho mains. At that time Remuera and tho higher parts of Tamaki were served by a 9in. main from the reservoir along Remuera Road to the junction of Meadowbank Road, continuing along the main road to St. Heliers as a 6in. pipe. An additional Gin. main ran from the

reservoir aloug Remuera Road as far as Victoria Avenue, and the lower levels of Kohiroarama and St. Heliers wcro served by an Sin. main through Orakei.

As an immediate measure, the City Council last year laid a 12in. main from the 15in. main from Mount Eden at St. Mark's Road along Mount Hobsoft Road and through tho Hockey Ground, to give an additional service to tho thickly-populated southern area. This work was carried as far as Lillington Road, and then was stopped for the winter.

At the same time, the 9in. main at Meadowbank Road was extended along St. Heliers Bay Road as far as the junction of West Tamaki Road, a distance of a mile and three-quarters, the existing 6in. main being retained in use. An £IB,OOO Loan The council has now received the informal sanction of the Board of Health for the raising of a loan of £IB,OOO, without a poll of tho ratepayers, to finish the improvement scheme, and the formalities will be completed shortly. In reply to an inquiry, the Avaterworks engineer, Mr. A. I). Mead, stated on Saturday that work on the two extensions would be started again in November on arrival of tho pipes, and should bo finished in time to cope with the midsummer demand for water, Mr. Mead said that the new main to Tamaki would be carried as far as tho high ground near Riddell Road and the Glendowio golf links, decreasing in size as it proceeded. Larger mains would be laid in various streets in the lower parts of Kohimarama and St. Heliers to meet the increased settlement that had taken place there.

When the works are finished it will be possible to keep up a much better pressure in practically all parts of Remuera and Tamaki at times of heavy consumption. The reservoir capacity will also be ample to cope with any abnormal demand for fire-fighting.