DRAINAGE COMPLAINT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27040, 26 March 1949, Page 4

DRAINAGE COMPLAINT

Awamoa Residents’ Protest

Commenting that he had approached the council in a conciliatory mood three months ago, but that he had now “ had it.” Mr R. Stevenson of Awamoa, waited on the Waitaki County Council yesterday to protest that the council’s decision to flush out the drain through his property once a week had not been carried out. Mr Stevenson stated that the drain had been flushed out only once in the middle of December, and nothing, had been done to rectify the Bin pipe. He would now not be satisfied until the drain had been put in order, as he felt he had been let down badly on this occasion. The engineer, Mr B. H. Homer, reported that if an Bin pipe were put in it would deal with the sewerage, but when rain fell the surface water would block and silt up the pipe. The first flushing, with five gallons of disinfectant, was satisfactory. A „ , Mr A. Nuttall, assistant engineer, stated that the drain was flushed on December 23, and on January 20 and 21 there were heavv thunderstorms. After that, however,' the borough imposed hosing restrictions, and a fire brigade hose was not available. They could not expect the borough to allow them to use 2000 gallons a week when borough residents could not use water. The wooden bridge had not been built at the crossing because timber had not been available. The trouble had been increasing for years, and sewerage and stormwater were joined together, with 9in and 12in pipes discharging into the drain. This went on for a mile or more before an established watercourse was reached. The council decided to flush out the drain at frequent intervals and to rectify the trouble at the crossing, and also to draw Mr Stevenson's attention to the fact that he purchased the property in this state.