CAST IRON OR FIBROLITE?

Chronicle (Levin), 24 July 1946, Page 4

CAST IRON OR FIBROLITE?

WATER MAIN C0NSTRUCTION With its loan of £6850 for extensions and improvements to the water supply undertaking approved, the Levin Borough Council had a short but ihterestihg discussion at its meeting on Monday evening regarding the suitability or fibro4ite 'piping-.for- - water mains -instead of the cast iron pipes used hitherto. The subject was raised when Cr. F. E. Parker asked on whose authority or recommendation was the council changing from water mains of cast or steel to pipes of fibrolite construction. He said the engineer (Mr. K. W. Sandford) had told him it was not his responsibility, and the speaker wondered why it was planned to lay a considerable length of fibrolite piping in the extensions provided for in the waterworks loan. Some 14 chains of fibrolite piping had been used in the gasworks reticulation, but it was not proposed to utilise any more at present. "It is a piping we have not yet tested," added Cr. Parker. The chairman of the waterworks committee, Cr. A. O. Powell, said it was possible to obtain four-inch fibrolite pipe for the price of twoinch cast iron, while another advantage was 'that it- did not corrode. The pnly thing against it was the possibility .ofV cracking "iin the event of a' severe1 earthquake. The overseer considered it would be good, while the waterworks committee realised it was trying something new, but thought it would be worthwhile. The engineer: They have used a large amount of it in the Hutt Vaney for water mains. The Mayor (Mr. H. B. Burdekin) to Cr. Parker: I do not like to rule a thing out because it is new. What authority do you suggest we should get? Cr. Parker: I think the engineer should go into it and,>get sufficient data for the council to approve of it or otherwise. Cr. D. J. Gardiner: I have heard that fibrolite pipe has been used in water mains at Auckland for the last five years. Cr. C. Sherwood: It is being used at Westfield also. Cr. Parker: The makers cannot give you that. It is not being used in Napier. Cr. Powell: It has not been in iong enough to test it. It was then decided that the council's engineer obtain the Dpinions of engineers in other sentres and report to the council thereon. . .