BOROUGH WATER LOAN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 49, Issue 15049, 30 November 1923, Page 5

BOROUGH WATER LOAN.

#<nrn ENGINEER’S PROPOSALS. With a view to clearly placing the water loan proposals before the ratepayers. Mr S. B. Dodge, the borough supplied the following particulars to a “Daily Times” representative: — . . , “The scheme is divided into two parts,” said Mr Dodge. “In _ the .tarsi place the pipe system, or reticulation, as we term it, in use in Masterton ito-day is not sufficient for present day .-and future requirements. There are a "number of streets, thickly populated, -which are served with 3-inch mains. 'There are over 11 miles of such mains In the borough. I propose to eliminate .rail these small mains and replace with -4 to 6-inch pipes. A 4-inch pipe gives -'sroughlv 24 times as much delivery as a -3-inch," and a 6ineh nearly six times. "Then I also propose to circuit all the -mains; that is, to so arrange connections that there will be a constant flow '■of water through the whole system, with no dead ends, as at present. Praeevery pipe in the system will be Vl&d from at least 6-inch mains.” “And what are the proposals for the :mew intake at the headworks?’.’ _ “Well, the position to-day is this: Our intake now is at the mercy of the :xiver. A flood may at any time completely carry it away, or the channel bf the river may divert right away from vit. We have already had to face this -difficulty in a minor form. But three umiles further up the river is confined in --a rocky gorge where no erosion can r-take place, and it is here I propose to place the intake. Then this position is 150 feet above the present intake, and 3t is obvious what an increased pres---:3ure this would give. The danger of our present position is "this: The reservoir in use now holds

<only 160,000 gallons, which is only 4 or -o hours’ supply under normal conditions. Can you imagine our plight if :any damage took place at the -intake? TAlasterton would be without water for sanitary and fire-fighting purposes. With 'the proposed storage we would, have an --extra storage of half a million gallons. ’ ’ “What would the new scheme mean completion, Mr Dodge?” summarise it by saying, ample %ater in every part of the borough for --drainage, no restrictions on the domestic use of water, the assurance of ample pressure for fire-fighting, no anxiety as - regards the safety of the intake, and a -sufficient storage of water to meet all -except extraordinary emergencies. Further, I think there is no doubt that the -whole of the loan, including interest .■and sinking fund, will be more than :met by the promised reduction of insurance premiums. The scheme covers -She whole of Masterton, leaving out <only Lansdowne, where a separate poll -will be taken shortly.”