THE POLHILL GULLY WATERSUPPLY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8007, 11 February 1887, Page 2

THE POLHILL GULLY WATERSUPPLY.

The following important and interesting report relating to the Polhill Gully water supply was laid before the City Council last night:—“ To the Chairman of the Public Works Committee, Sir, —I have the honor to report further with reference to the scheme submitted by me at the meeting of the Public Works Committee held on the 10th ult., viz., for extending the I2in main in Willia-street, near Ingestre-etreet, to connect with the the reservoir at Karori, above the distributing basin at Polhill 6nlly,(in order that the pressure may be maintained over the city during the time water is out off from Wainui-o-mata for the purpose of executing necessary repairs on the occasion of bursts, £c. The effect of this scheme as suggested will be to obtain the head of pressure direct from the reservoir itself instead of only from the distributing basin as at present; and I am perfectly satisfied, if this be carried out, that a pressure equal to that obtained from the Wainni-o-mata supply will be able to be maintained all over the city, so that when it becomes necessary to cut off the water from Wainui-o-mata the whole of the city will be supplied with water from Karori, instead of the water only reaching to the lower levels ai at present, and even then only at a very moderate pressure, which is not sufficient for motive power, &0., thereby causing no end 'of complaint and Inconvenience. On Monday morning last, the Slot nit., one of the jointe in the 24in main on the iTutt Road was leaking go badly that it became necessary to shut off the water from Wainui-o-mata for a few hours before it could be repaired. The supply from Follhill Gully was turned on, and the pressure registered at the atoreyard between 10 a.m. and 11 - 30 a.m. was only 431 b per square inch, as against a pressure of 931 b per square inch from Wai-nui-o-mata registered on the 27th ultimo at the same place, and during tbs same period of the day, and I submit that if this scheme as suggested had been in operation the pressure would not have been reduced. And iu view of it becoming necessary very shortly to shut off the water altogether from Wai-nui-o-mata in order to effect the necessary repairs to the concrete race reported on by me at the last meeting of the Council, I would strongly urge the necessity of at once putting this work in hand, and ordering the pipes from the Old Country without farther delay, and especially while the price for pipes is so very low. TJp to the present time some L 210,000 has been expended on the two supplies, and the estimated cost of this work (L 1500) is so very trifling when it is taken into consideration the great boon it will be, if carried out, to the community at large, and more especially to those residing on the higher levels, not to speak of its inestimable valne should a fire happen to break put in the city while the Wainui-o-mata gqpply was cutoff. 1 estimate the storage capacity cf the reservoir at Karori to be sufficient to supply the city for abont four weeks at the present rate of .consumption. I would here also again beg tq remind the Council as to the necessity of securing the whole of the watershed at Wainui-o.mate above the dam. X wonld alse recommeod that as soon as possible telephonic communication be made between the caretaker’s cottage at Wainui-o-mata and Wellington.”