WATER SUPPLY FOR GISBORNE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 633, 22 February 1879, Page 2

WATER SUPPLY FOR GISBORNE.

The Water Supply Committee of the Borough Council met this afternoon. Present : Councillors Townley (in the chair), Adair, and Walker. The Mayor was absent through indisposition. The following is Mr. Black's report :— Gisborne, February 2.Lst 1879. Sin, — In accordance with your request I have carefully examined the Waimata River for the purposes of a water supply for your Borough, and beg to submit to you the following report on the same. I am of opinion that it is not practical to obtain a good supply by the River for the following reasons : Be Gravitation.—! have run levels up the river for a distance of five miles above high water level or eleven miles from Gisborne, and the total height obtained is only, say forty feet, being about eight feet per mile. The level of the Court House floor is only reached, at the point shown on plan, being by river six miles from Gisborne, consequently there are no means of bringing the water in by gravitation. Dams.— To erect a dam in the river of any height would be a very risky proceeding, owing to the loose sandy nature of the ground ; the sides of the river average all the way up from thirty to sixty feet high, and the sides of the ranges are of such a porous nature that the pressure of the water would force round the ends of the puddle wall and saturate the grovmd. A leak -would commence which would eventually destroy the whole structure. Floods. — There are frequent signs to be seen by the drift wood and grass hanging in the trees, that the river rises from twelve to twenty feet, according to the width. This would necessitate a very large bye-wash which would require to be pitched and covered with cement concrete, for which there are no stones procurable in the district and co»i Id only be obtained at a great expense. Pipe Track. — The conveyance of pipes up to position would be a very expensive undertaking, as they would require to be sleighed up the dry portions of the bed of the river, and transported along the reaches in flat bottomed boats and hauled up on the banks where required. To take them overland would be quite impossible. The laying of the pipes, with any respect to gradient, could only be obtained by driving numerous drives through the spurs ; but the greatest d;inger to the whole undertaking would be carrying the pipes along the sides of the ranges where required. Owing to numerous slips which are already in existence, and what would start with cutting the surface of the ground, the breakage of the pipes would be of frequent occurrence. Pnmpimf — The water from this river could only be obtained by lifting it from a draw in the creek, and forcing it to the required level, because the light fall of the river, and the high banks," would cause the pipes to be laid in the creeks for miles, before the height sufficent to clear the banks was attained. These are the principal reasons why I consider it would not be advisable to bring in a water supply from this river. The quantity of water running in the river, at the present time, five and a half miles up from Gisberne, is 265 cubic feet, or say IGOO gallons per minute. — lam, &c. , George Black, Engineer. The Committee were sitting when we went to press.