WAIOHOU STREAM AS NEW TOWN WATER SUPPLY?

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 18, 10 November 1948, Page 5

WAIOHOU STREAM AS NEW TOWN WATER SUPPLY?

Suggestion For Borough Council If water can be piped frbm the Waiohou stream Whakatane may yet have a water supply that could compare with the best in the country. Preliminary investigations beyond White Pine Bush have been carried out by the Borough engineer and the chairman of the works committee, Mr H. G. Warren. Mr Warren informed the borough council on Monday night, that the Waiohou may be a possible supply. At present the engineer is working out a rough estimate of the cost to see if the suggestion is practicable. When asked about the position, Mr Warren said that the Waiohou stream is of clean, clear water running on a rock bed. It is probably one of the purest streams in the district and flows through heavily wooded country. In the length examined it was found that the fall of water was very steep "and that it was studded throughout by cataracts and small waterfalls. “We are having the water tested by the Health Department and if it is passed I think we may have the answer to our water supply problem,” Mr Warren said. “However it appears that the cost of piping it to Whakatane may make the scheme impracticable.- It would have tp' come about nine miles. But we are exploring the position.” It is estimated that something like 7,000,000 gallons flow in the Waiohou a day and this would be ample for Whakatane’s heeds for all time. Use of a gravity fall to the town would solve any problem of getting the water through the fcipes. In. the borough the pressure would have to be obtained by pumping to the reservoir. This supply would do away with any heavy chlorination. Members of the borough council tasted samples on Monday and agreed' it was excellent water. On the surface the Waiohou appears to be a good source for a borough water supply,, but a considerable amount of investigation is necessary yet before a final decision can be obtained.