HUGE WATER SCHEMES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23692, 27 December 1938, Page 4

HUGE WATER SCHEMES

SUPPLIES TO NEW SOUTH WALES TOWNS MAKING COUNTRY LIFE ATTRACTIVE (From Our Own Correspondent) SYDNEY, Dec. 16. The New South Wales Minister of Works and Local Government (Mr E. S. Spooner) hopes that construction of four major country water works, costing a total of £1,098,000, will be begun early in the new year. About 1500 men will be employed at full time for 18 months or two years. Altogether, 37 country towns will be served by the schemes. This is part of the Government's longrange policy of improving the amenities in country districts to make living conditions more attractive. Anyone with living experience of western towns in this State will appreciate what a permanent water service will mean to them. The works are:—The southern Riverina scheme, to take water from the Murrumbidgee River, at Wagga to supply The Rock, Lockhart, Culcairn, Henty and smaller towns, at an estimated cost of £234,000; the northern Riverina scheme, to take water from the south-west table lands scheme at Temora, to supply Ardlethan, Ariah Park, Barellan, Coolanion and smaller towns, at an estimated cost of £177,000; the Rocky Glen scheme, to supply Lismore, Bangalow and Byron Bay, on the far north coast of the State, at an estimated cost of £IBO,OOO, with prospects of other extensions; and the central tablelands scheme, to supply water from storage near Woodstock for Grenfell, Forbes, Canowindra, Eugowra, and many small towns to the east and west of the source, at an estimated cost of £507,000. "Altogether 37 towns will be supplied with water at the outset," said Mr Spooner, " and supplies will be given in addition to rural consumers along, the mains for domestic and stock purposes wherever possible, but not for irrigation. The municipal councils in the areas have formed county councils to administer the schemes and are arranging their own finance and repayments from revenue. The work is being decentralised by the appointment of consulting engineers by the county councils, and the work is being carried out by contract after competitive tenders. The Public Works Department retains control over the designs and tenders, as well as supervision over construction. By gravitation from a central storage, the cost of local headworks, pumping and nitration is eliminated, and towns can be supplied with better water in most cases at a cost that is far cheaper than local schemes."