TOWN WATER SUPPLY

Southland Times, Issue 17792, 22 July 1916, Page 2

TOWN WATER SUPPLY

ENGINEER'S REPORT. The Town Engineer (Mr G. F, Clapcott) reported to Thursday’s meeting of the Town Council as follows: — In view of the fact that the installation of the sewerage system throughout the borough is now in hand, the demand for water Will increase considerably, and, although the quantity being pumped at present 1 is sufficient for immediate requirements, I am of opinion that supplementing the supply should be taken in hand. The present combined quantity pumped from the well and 23-lnch boro is approximately 26,000 gallon.* per hour. During last summer the maximum consumption was 21,500 per hour, leaving a. margin of 4500 gallons per hour, providing the whole of the pumping plant is Jn operation, but in the event of one set of pumps being out of order, the storage reservoirs would require to be relied upon, as neither the well supply nor the bore plant under existing conditions is equal to meeting tlie maximum demand independently. The proposed .scheme will improve very materially these conditions. As you are aware, the plant installed at the 22-inch bore some two years ago, was at the time, only intended for use temporarily, and has proved very satisfactory, and it is proposed to still utilise tills plant for pumping the supplementary supply. The recommendation is to sink the existing 30ft shaft at the 6-inch bore to a depth of approximately 70ft, and from tills level connect up the 22-inch and the 6-inch bores with the well hy tunnelling. When the water at the 22-inch bore is lowered to the 70ft level as at present when pumping is being carried on, the supply is 19,000. gallons per hour. This quantity instead of being pumped will gravitate through a pipe laid in the tunnel to the well, and from there pumped to the surface reservoirs with the well pumps which are of sufficient capacity to deal with the combined or present supply. If necessary the supply to the well could be still further increased by syphoning from either the 6-incii or 22-inch bore, hut this is a matter for future consideration. For supplementing the present quantity pumped, the air lift plant will utilised for raising the water from the 6 or 221n. bore, but in place of delivering as at present, the water will discharge through pipes in the tunnel into a receiving tank at the bottom of the shaft sunk at the 6-inch bore, and from this pumped to the surface reservoirs witli the present motor driven centrifulgal pump. YVltli the exception of a. centrifugal pump for a stand-by, no new pumping plant will be required. I estimate increasing the present supply by 18 to 20,000 gallons per hour. The only alternative to the above is to install the bore hole pump as originally intended. The lowest tender for this pump installed complete was £2400. The cost of the plant under present conditions will probably ho 15 per cent, higher, say £2700. If the proposal as outlined is approved, I. advise carrying the work out by day labour: two experienced miners are available; one on the waterworks staff, and th eother employed on the sewerage works. I estimate the total cost of currying out (he work will not exceed Hie £246 provfdd for in pumping loan.