SEWAGE MENACE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22194, 22 August 1935, Page 15

SEWAGE MENACE

1 K PBOBLE3I* INADEQUATE treatment ;V '• PUMPING STATION NEEDED OPINIONS ABpUT THE COSLS! Opinions that / the sewage problem j which his arisen during the room I. j 'flooding of tin" low-lying area betw<em j Great South Road and Ward Street, gjjerslie, could easily be removed bj ! 'the instillation of nn automatic pu up , a t a moderate cost, were expressed jes■terday by men who have seen similar j difficulties overcome in Auckland. It j ras contended that no good reason ?x- | jbted for not t?k'ing quick action to j (leal with the problem, which was one of crave importance to the health of : Auckland. The itethod o'f disposing of sewngu j / Lj Ellerelie is through a septic talk, discharging the effluent into a large j cave and eventually into the Manuka 1 j Harbour The great quantity of storm- j trater which has lately cause ! 'the c aTe 10 k p filled, and the efflu?nt j Tas carried out on the flood, creating 1 8 grave menace to numbers of homes, in the vicinity. The condition created j :' has been the cause of much concern, j not only to residents of the district, , but to those in neighbouring area. l . Failure o! Methods

On previous; occasions the he; Ith authorities have expressed their concern in letters /to the Ellersl.ie Town 'Board. .The septic, tank system in tie district *"as taken over from the Government in but extensions from time to time to meet growing needs have not removed an acute problem. Ihe system has been held to be inadequate for the area drained, and ior some years past attention >.ns teen drawn to the menace to the health of the community, .especially to peoplti in Ellerslie, One Tree Hill and Onehungm, on account of the position of the outfall. . /

The inadequate methods were strongly criticise*] yesterday by a well-knnvn / Auckland local authority member, who j said his own observations led hin bo declare that the conditions were a menace which should be realised throughout Auckland. "1 have liecu well acquainted with the conditions ;iit j Ellerslie for a considerable period.' he j said. "On previous occasions 1 hare j actually seen cows drinking the pel- j luted water. It is a scandalous state of ; affairs, and it is astounding that the ; Health Department should have per- j mitted an ineffectual system to continue. What has happened lately has "been well known for years, but not!ii:ug has been done. Success at One Tree Hill "Similar menaces have been pro]*e]'ly i dealt with :ji Auckland before. The tame difficulty existed in the One Tree Hill district about 10 years ag<. A pumping station was put in at the lowest level of the area concerned, and it is still working effectively. Ihe sewage was pumped to the old llurp of Erin corner and into the city sv stum 'for proper disposal. It was preferred that that should be done, although thefall of the land is toward the Man akau Harbour. This pumping station is electrical, and it- works automatically with a minimum of supervision. The cosl iras mode;-ate and 'the annual charge! Hire snail. "What do we find at Ellersslie? 'Tii?re is being used a septic tank erscbed ly the Government for Groverrment workers' homes. There has been li'jrtle alteration, in spite of the larger ?opulation 1 suggest that Ellerslie saould do what done in One Tree Hill. There would be a shorter distanse to pump to the system, assuming that a pumping station was erected on' the site of tbe septic tank. Dealing With Stormwater

"Up tc the present there have teen do efforts to deal with the storm water trouble, which is now blamed. Thi surrounding districts have spent annually amounts on sump holes, which am mow dealing with the stormwater prcblem, even during an exceptionally we';. i;eaiion." f A prominent engineer agreed tha.t a

pumping station of the naturfe imc- / gested should 'be installed, and hn ;iaid the storm vv iter trouble, while ib was

cited us tbe cause of the recent di,n;ier. Iras not the basic problem. A ] .roper disposal of sewage would mak s th» stornnratei difficulty secondary, and one which would not threaten th» health of the community. There via'i no reason fcr the pollution of the area, for Ellerslift could erect an ele<trical pumping station, which might cost £SOOO, to connect with the sewage system. There would be only moderate annual charges.

The engineer added that effective 1 methods had been adopted at Mount Roskill, On<} Tree Hill and other purts of Auckland. When the sewage dsi|. to a cert;ain lieight, the pump operated autoir.atical'iv and there was no c anger

of pollution such as occurred at filers-

lie. Tinere would l>e the assurancn *:hat my Btormwater accumulation would be dean. <