THE SEWERAGE WORKS.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12475, 27 February 1909, Page 2

THE SEWERAGE WORKS.

REPORT OF THE CONSULTING ENGINEER. CONSIDERED BY THE DRAINxIGE COMMITTEE. A meeting of the Drainage Committee of the City Council was held last evening, there being present: The Mayor (Mr J. Piper), and Councillors W. K. Turner, J. D. Robertson. T. A Field, T. Neale, W. McConchie, W. S'.. Hampson, A. A. Grace, T. Pettit and A. H. Bisley. The report of the City Engineer referred to the Committee by the Council, was first read. Mr Smith strongly recommended the completion of the scheme from the point where shortage of funds had compelled work to be suspended. , The reporb of the consulting , engineer, Mr. R. L. Mestayer, waa! then read as follows: — , / "In accordance with the request of your Council I visited Nelson at the beginning of this month, and was shown round the '.voiks by the City Engineer. "The instructions given to me by your letter of the 15th December last reads as follows : — 'That you be invited to visit Nelson to consult with the City Vaigineer as to the completion of the drainage scheme, and especially to ascertain whether the plans furnished by you cover the whole of the areas requiring to be sewered, and. whether or not it is advisable at the present juncture to omit or postpone certain portions of the work, and that you make a written report to he Council.' . "In pursuance of these instructions I consulted with the City Engineer, went over the works and the plans with him, and consider that the plans furnished by me to cover the whole of the areas requiring to be sewered at the present time. "With regard to the completion of the drainage scheme, and the question of postponing a portion of the work, lam strongly! of opinion that the better course would be to carry the entire scheme to completion as soon as possible. I understand that the City Engineer has already proposed to your Council to postpone the construction of the sewers in Poynter's Crescent, Maori Road, and Brook street, and if it is considered necessary .to postpone any portions of the work from financial considerations, then I endorse the City Engineer's recommendation, as I- consider the requirements of these streets less urgent than those of the central portion of the city embraced in ejector area No 2. I most strongly urge upon your Council the great importance of pushing on the work in this area with as little delay as possible. "The above covers all the matters which I was instructed to report by your letter of the 15th December last, but ' several matters were referred to at the special meeting of your Council which I attended, and by the special Committee" appointed to confer! with, me, upon which my opinion waß asked, and it may be advisable for me to extend this report so as to include such additional matters, although they are outside the direct instructions conveyed by your letter. "The most important point to which I would direct your Council's attention, is the fact of very considerable leakage of subsoil • water into the sewers in No 3 area. So far as could be estimated by the inspection. I could make, I should say that there is far iiaore subsoil water than sewage flowing to No 3 ejector, and as all this ivater has to be pumped it means a constant expense which should foe at once stopped.' I understand from the oity Engineer that he is aware of the position of at least two leaks, and had already reported them. to the Council; I consider that these should be at once opened and made good; and the difference of the flow to the ejector' carefully observed. From what I saw, and from the information given to me by the City Engineer, I believe that it will most probably be necessary to open iip and thoroughly examine the. whole length of the sewers in Weka and Cambria streets between Tasmah and' Collingwpod streets, and that in tioilingwood street from - Cambria street to Wainui street. This can, however," be' best determined after the known leaks have been, located and made good. "As all the sewers are covered in, it becomes somewhat difficult to ascertain to what extent leakage is taking place; a fair approximation may, however, he obtained by careful observation of the frequency of tl;e discharges of the ejectors. If the (low consists of sewage alone, then the .'OO gallon ejectors should" not discharge more than once in 2£ uinitas for overy 1000 persons connected to the sewers draining to it, during the period of maximum flow, say from 10 a.m to noon, and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. If the discharges are more frequent than this, it 'will be proof that something more than sewage is finding its way tp the ejector. In determining the. frequency of discharges, the observations to be of value mUst be taken at fixed definite times (say 10 a.m. 4 p.m. and 10.p.m.) and must extend over a period of not less than a month. Special attention must be given to note the state of the tide, and the weather at each observation ; when completed the whole series of observations can be divided into two main classes, dry and wet^weather flows, and these can be subdivided into other divisions according -to the state of the tides. ' Such an analysis of the ejector discharges having been once carefully made, it can be used to check the flow at any time, and will serve as a most valuable check upon the working of the sewers, and as to whether they are free from subsoil water. "In some streets the number of houses connected to the sewers is insufficient -to- ensure a satisfactory cleansing of the pipes, and flushing has to be resorted to. The City Engineer informed me that.it had been proposed. to fix automatic flushing tanks at. the head of some of the sewers; but I cannot, recommend this course. In'- towns where the water is very abundant and the sewage delivered entirely by gravitation, automatic flushing tanks may at times he used with advantage; they, however, entail a constant drain on the water supply, frequently require- attention and adjustment, and m the case of your city the whole of the water used by them would have to be pumped." As mentioned in my original report, hand flushing from the nearest fire hydrant is all that is needed, and can be carried out more economically and efficiently than by the use of automatic flushng tanks. . . "I understand that a complaint has been made that some houses are built in such low lying situations that they cannot be connected with the sewers;' If the sewers had been laid deep enough to enable every house in the city to be connected ' with them, ; it would have entailed an extra cost of nearly £4000, whereas the cost of raising the houses, or such portions of the ground as might be necessary to obtain a connection", would be a mere fraction of this amount. I contend, however, that the road levels should be the governing factor in a sewerage scheme, and taht the ratepayers as. a whole should not be taxed for the benefit of a few individuals who, for. their own interests or convenience, have . built their houses in exceptional positions. I understand from the City Engineer | that there are only about 15 houses: coming within the operation of the i city by-laws which are so affected, and ; that of these about six or eight can be connected by means of hack drainage, so" that there are less than ten houses ''. which would have benefited by the extra expenditure of n early £4000 ; and Ido not consider that I should have, been justified in recommending such an expenditure for this purpose. I consider that the onus of draining such exceptional sites should be. borne by the owners, not by the ratepayers generally. _ "The only other matter to which I consider it necessary to direct attention is the management of the septic tank. "When the contents of the tank once 'matures,' the less the interruption to the processes going on in it the better, therefore to avoid the interruption which would be caused by period-

of the ?*„? -n lled that no emptyjfl Points to to obSft SU I%S §fwa&«ffi? £& fax to l^* *s than once a mouth, if so often but often Serva * ion ""I determine' how often it may be requisite. in conclusion 1 would desire +n could .ascertain which is not satisfactory being the deep sewers ,ih No 3 area, ; an<T until tEose sewers have been opened up and the causes of the leakage ascertained, it is impossible to say whether the defects have been caused by some accident, or whether they are due to the neglect of neces sary precautions in laying tLniS"The Mayor said he had examined the septic tank, and he noticed that a tremendous amount of water was coming in. He asked' the City Engineer * that water was coming from the leaks in the Wood, and if so, had any attempts been made to stop the The City Engineer said a good deal of water was entering through the m, aks ' two of whleh had been located. There was evidently a third. At the present time there was jao money to do the necessary work. Cr Ncale said the matter could be discussed Avhen -they decided whether or not to complete the scheme - If they did that they, would have to raise a loan. * The Mayor said the work must be done at once in dry weather. They could not. wait for a lean % be raised; The Engineer explained that the flushing of sewers had taken about 200,000 gallons of water a week. The Mayor commented, upon the speed at which the compressor engines were worked. That seemed to indicate that moro water was getting into the sewers than should be the case. The Engineer said the engine cylinders were worn out, and they had consequently to be driven at a greater speed to do their work. Cr Field agreed that the leaks should bo attended to, out of the general account, if necessary . Cr Grace moved that the Engineer be instructed to make good. the leaks in the Wood area that he knows of, and then proceed to carry out the tests proposed by Mr Mestayor. Cr Nealo. seconded the motion, and asked if it would be a : costly matter - The Engineer said if they were able to discover the other .leaks with as much ease as the first the oxueuso would not be great. Altogether tho general account owed the drainage account about £500. _ x -' ' The motion was carried. ■■ ■ Ci- Hampspn. then moved- that tho Town Clerk and the City Engineer confer upon the amounts alleged to bo due from the general a'ceount "to tho | drainage account, and report' at tho j next meeting of the Council; , The motion was seconded by Cr iPetcit and carried. . 1 In reply to Cr Hampson; the. Engineer said it would cost £4400 to complete the scheme. > -' -V T The Mayor remarked that engineers commonly under-estimated the cost of wocks of the same kindv ■-■■■'',: Mr Smith said he could hardly bo charged with that fault. If- anything, he had rather over-estimated the cost. In reply to Cr Hamfoson; tho Town Clerk stated that under the Act tho Council^could raise a further amount, not exceeding 10 per cent of the original loan, without taking a poll. Cr Grace said there was no doubt j they had power to raise the necessary amount to complete the work', so long as it did not cost more than 10 per cent of the original loan. "It should be easy to find out the exact amount required. His own opinion was that they should finish the.' scheme. An incomplete- scheme -would" be no better than the old system. The old ; sewers were badly ventilated, letting sewer gas .into the streets, and many of the 'house connections wero imperfect. If they did their duty, they would have all those connections inspected and brought into lino with present requirements, but it would be no use. to. compel the people to connect with old sewers. He did not think that they should come to a definite conclusion that night, and he would move that the City Engineer bo instructed to give an exact estimate of. the cost of ; completing the sewerage of the city in' accordance with Mr Mestayer's scheme and report,. Cr Ijlampson seconded the motion. The Council. should announce its decision as soon as possible. There wero important issues' depending upon: the Council's . action, and 'many business premises, in. regard, to ' whicft 'the Heal,th + ,p.Bpartment >vas , .only awaiting th'e,;Couhcil's decision, would Have to "effect better . drainage.- ' They should exercise, the, descrotion-they had, and go on with" the work as soon as possible.- -- . „ " . - ... ' — ' _ Or Robertson saw. no, need tp .wait for an estimate, the only expense bei ;: The. City .Engineer could not bo far out-m his rough esti- \ mate. j Cr Neale agreed with Cr Robertson. ;He thought the Council was deter- ' mined. to complete tho work- and he saw no reason for delay. He would advocate borrowing up to £5500, and if the work could be. done for less it would not. be .necessary to issue the bonds for the full amount. Cr Grace said though he.agreed that the scheme should be Jcomplefed'; he would like to determine the position :; exactly. ' v" ,: :; j Cr Bisley was surprised to hear that there was no money in the •drainage . account. He had urged all along that they should stop when they had £1000 , in hand. He was opposed to sewering that part of the city that was already drained. Cr Neale moved as an amendment that the Council raise a further loan £4500 be accepted, and that a poll bo . scheme, by the issue of bonds bearing interest at the J.' .rate of 4J per cent, with a 1 per cent sinking fund. Cr Pettit seconded the amendment. He thought the Council would be unwise to leave the scheme in an incomplete stage. '•-'.' . Cr Hampson asked ..permission to withdraw his seconding' the resolution. . He thought the amendment as it stood ' would be better as an independent j motion. It was evidently the wish of i the Council to complete the scheme, j which the amondment, as it was calli ed, would do. : : , •'.'; j Cr Bisely expressed willmgness „to j second the resolution, provided it .was j altered to procure separate estimates for.tKe sewering of the. poraoirof .the city now by the old .system/ and including that area.; .'•". " • Cr Grace agreed tdtltS 'alteration. Cr Neale then, with vme consent of the Council, withdreVv ihs'sfmendment, with the object of movipg'it later as an independent resolu~tion/*' ; The Mayor move^! a§ "jimendihont that the City Engmeer's^estimate of £4600 be accepted, aridtjiat a poll he taken on the wropo^altb raise a further loan of £§000. It'wiis a question on which the ratepayers should be consulted. . ". . / Cr Turner seconded $hßjftjnendment.

They should not go behind the ratepayers' backs- . Cr Field remarked that the amendment was a direct negative in part of the resolution. ..".'..". Cr Grace said the scheme would be completed, whether the Council or the. Health Department did it. Cr Hanipson conttaided that the matter was one that should not go before the ratepayers. What was the position? They were the stewards for the whole of the ratepayers, a large section of whom had been provided with sewerage.' Having got what they wanted, naturally they would not care if the other part of the city was sewered or not. If it was not, tho people would have to pay their share for the scheme without getting any benefits. The whole city had been ;promised sewerage. ' ... Cr Robertson thought they could safely go on the Engineer's present estimate. He thougnt it would bo very wrong to leave the old sewers and connections,- which he condemned an all grounds. The Mayor replied, and put the amendment} which was lost, tho mover and seconder, alone supporting it. The motion was also lost, on the following division:— Ayes (4) : Crs Bisley, Grace, Turner and- the Mayor. Noes (6) : Crs Robertson, Field, Pettit, Neale, McConchie and Hampson. "• Cr Neale. then moved his resolution in .the following form : — "That the Council borrow £5500 for the purpose of completing the sewerage scheme at 4£ per cent, and that the necessary rate be struck." Cr Pettit seconded the resolution. Cr Grace said the Engineer having expressed confidence that the amountproposed would complete' the work, he thought they should do it. The work might bo done for less, and in that case it would not be necessary to raise the full amount. - A- lively scene occurred between the Mayor and Grs Neale and Pettit. in which the occupants of the auditorium joined. The resolution was carried by_ seven votes to three, the division being : — Ayes (7) : Crs Robertson, Field, Pettit. Neale, McConchie, Hampson, and Grace. Noes (3) : The Mayor and Crs Turner and Bisley. The result was greeted with applause from, the auditorium. -.