CITY WATER SUPPLY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11028, 17 March 1914, Page 3

CITY WATER SUPPLY.

THE BROKEN PIPES AT SOUTH BELT. ENGINEER'S REPORT TO COUNCIL. The following report has been made by the City Engineer regarding Saturday's break in the water main at the South Belt, with the consequent stoppage of city water I beg to report that on Saturday morning the cast-iron siphon which crosses over the storm-water sewer in Moorhouse Avenue at Colombo Street broke and the reservoir water had to be shut off. As this is the second time this has happened, and from the unstable nature of the ground is likely to happen again, I conferred with the Drainage Board engineer, and proposed laying the main through the stormwater sewer, making provision for the uninterrupted flow of the storm water by a large sump and manhole. Mr Cuthbert agreed to this on the understanding that should it not work satisfactorily the siphon should be again "reverted to. Tliis permission enabled mo to connect lip at once with a straight steel pipe, which no vibration will affect, and the elasticity of the joints will allow of settlement. The main just north of Moorhouse Avenue has settled considerably since it was laid, and last Christmas the ground at this corner subsided owing + .o the caving in of an abandoned pipo sewer. ''The town was kept supplied from Sydenham until a temporary connection was made and the reservoir supply connected up until Sunday afternoon, when the Sydenham supply was again connected until tho pipe-laying was finished, about 4 a.m. on Monday. Foreman James and his men worked exceedingly well and no time was lost. The sump for the storm-water sewer is in hand. The 12in Sydenham main runs from Carlyle Street to within thirty chains of the pumping station, where* thero is a junction, to which it could be connected. It would cost £SOO to make tho connection, but if that were done thero would be two mains which could be connected with the reservoir, either singly or together, with also a considerably increased delivery."