RIVER IS ONLY POSSIBLE SOURCE FOR TOWN WATER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 31, 29 August 1949, Page 5

RIVER IS ONLY POSSIBLE SOURCE FOR TOWN WATER

Details of the new £25,000 water loan, which the Whakatane Borough Council proposes to float as soon as possible, were outlined to a public meeting at Whakatane on Thursday night by the Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry. He revealed the different schemes that the Council had investigated but said in the end it had been decided on the advice of several competent engineers to use the Whakatane River as, the main source of supply because of the impracticability of all the other schemes. Of the streams running through the borough Mr Barry said that the only one that could be considered was the Maraetotara Stream, after investigation it was found that there was not enough water and 'sufficient height could not be obtained for a gravitational scheme. Whatever was done, this stream would be only an auxiliary supply and would have to be supplemented by water pumped from the river. Tests by the Department of Health had proved that the water was not pure. In any case any such development of the stream could be only a short-term policy, and the council decided it was better to go ahead with a supply from the river in a long term scheme. Council’s Intentions It was intended, Mr Barry continued, to instal new low-level lift pumps which would pump the water from the river to flocculation beds just above water level. Here the water would clear, the silt and other sediments settling. From here the water would be pumped to the present reservoir, where the water would again be given a chance to drop any sediment it may still have in suspension. It would then be pumped to a new reserveir immediately alongside which is to have a holding capacity of f*'M)COO gallons. From here it will gravitate to consumers. The cost when the loan was first applied for in June of last year, was £25,000 and it has taken over a year for the loan to finally put into motion. Filters Too Costly

Mr Barry pointed out that the present scheme does not make provision for any filtering, although that could be added later if it was found necessary. To instal filters at the present time would have meant an additional £16,000. That was the reason why the flocculation scheme was adopted. Individual items of expenditure were outlined by the Mayor, who said the money is to be spent as follows:

Intake and |ow lift pump, £5000; Reservoir (500,000 gallons), £8200; Flocculation plant, £6900; Rising main, £1000; Engineering, land and contingencies £1590. Total £22,690. Turbine pump, £865; Spares £128; Electric motor, 100 h.p., £554; Additional gland filters, £96; Mechanical equipment, section pipes, valves, £467; Contingencies, £2OO. Total £25,000. New Reservoir Essential

It was essential to have a new reservoir, Mr Barry continued. At present no water could be held in reserve and. as a result the supply was not as pure as it could be. In the summer water was used almost as quickly as it was pumped, and this could be very dangerous, especially in the case of a large fire. There would just not be enough water.

The council planned for the future and the scheme would grow further as the town grew. Actually, it was but one unit in a series of units.

“The Borough Council is convinced that an improved pumping system from the river as is planned, will he the best scheme for the town from a long term view,” Mr Barry concluded.