WATER SUPPLY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 55, Issue 3941, 18 August 1937, Page 7

WATER SUPPLY

MAY BE SHORTAGE THIS SUMMER. REPORT BY OUTSIDE EXPERT. The possibility of a shortage of water at Te Awamutu during the coming summer was referred to at the Borough Council meeting on Monday evening. ALTERNATIVE SCHEMES. The chief electrical engineer of the Fire and Accident Underwriters’ Association, wrote in regard to the two proposals for improving the borough water supply. One was to construct a reservoir of 1,000,000 gallons at Frontier Road using the existing pipe line. The other provided for increasing the capacity of the pipe line from the head works by laying an additional 20,808 ft of 12in pipe and from that point a double eight inch line to Pakura Street. “After carefully reviewing the two proposals I have no hesitation in expressing the opinion that the proposal to increase the delivery capacity of the pipe line as outlined by Mr Close, is the bettor scheme,” wrote the engineer. “The increase in your domestic demand —• the Mental Hospital, dairy factories, railway and some 42 farms—has reached a point beyond the delivery capacity of the existing 43,687 ft of eight inch main throughout the summer months. While I would very much like to see a reservoir of 1,060.000 gallons capacity constructed at Frontier Road, it is very doubtful whether the 24-hour delivery from the existing eight inch ma’n would be sufficient to meet the daily demand and replace that quantity drawn from the reservoir during heavy draw-off periods. Mi- Close i" to be congratulated upon the able manner in which he compiled the details relative to the two proposals.” THE DISCUSSION. The Mayor said the Council was gathering data and would keep records during the coming summer. If there was a water shortage it would be timely to ask the ratepayers to sanction a loan. Mr Gilmore was a highly-qualified and independent engineer. Cr North asked if that was not a reversal of opinion expressed by Mr Gilmore formerly. Cr Rainey said that was not so. Mr Gilmore had said that if costs were the same, he preferred the present plan in preference to erecting a reservoir. Mr Close said Mr Gilmore had been impressed with the great growth of the town during the past two or three' years, and now was firmly of opinion that the duplication of the pipe line was in the best interests of the borough. Cr Rainey said he knew Mr Close had been preparing very full plans and data in readiness for an improved water supply.