Water Races: Once Salvation Now Big Worry

Chronicle (Levin), 11 August 1949, Page 4

Water Races: Once Salvation Now Big Worry

Seeking the diversion or elimina,ion of water races within the bor3ugh, with parlicular reference to ihe two main northern ones, a ieputation from the Levin Borough! Rouncil, comprising the Mayor, Mr.! H. B. Burdekin, Or. A. W. Parton,' and the town clerk, Mr. H. L. JenIdns, waited on the Horowhenua Dounty Council at Ls meeting yes-. terday. , , ' In the words of the Mayor, the, growth of the borough was provid- ' Lng a problem of storm water, disposal and mueh of it could be.; traced to the water races passing through the town. "What was once ' the district's salvation is now ourj biggest problem," he said. The main trouble arose during ■ winter months when storms and heavy rains made it difficult for the ! borough, as it did not have the' means of coping with the overflow.j The borough council was desirous ] of seeking the county council's co-| operation in dealing with the problem and asked that an investigation be made of the possible southerly diversion of at least the northern race where it ran in from the rear of B'ack's nurseries, and also another one close by so that the flows could be controlled. High pressure water from the borough supply could be run into troughs on properties affected, Mr. Burdekin added. He would be pleased if the council would consider ihe setting up of a committee to work witn the Borough Council in bringing about a soiution to this problem and also perhaps to explore the possibility of diverting or eliminating other races, too, although the two northern ones were the most important. Now, "when the trouble was at its worst, would be the best time for the council to meet the borough council' on the spot. The chairman, Mr. A. M. Colquhoun, said that it had to be remembered that the natural fall of the land was a big factor, and tnat the water races were now not solely such but also drains. "We reahse we are putt'ing a lot of -water into the borough, but the borough in turn is also putting a lot of water into rne county," he said. The county council, however, was wiliing to co-operate with the borougn council in this matter, although he Ihought that the whole problem shouid be tackled from the source. (Diverting water races into other water races was only doubhng the trouble, ,ne added. The county engineer, Mr. W. H. Fraser, said the borough council's scheme was, generally speaking, notj acceptable due to practical difficulhes. Along Arapaepae Road the general fall of the country was from'south to north, there being approximately 40 feet of fall from the inte^section of Tararua Road and the intersection of Queen Street. As the proposals in the main were to divert water races tc other races to the south of them, it was not possible to do so owing tc the fall being in the wrong direction. While it was appreciated that some inconvenience" existed, particularly during periods of heavy rain, it had also to be realised that they served a double purpose as drainage channels for surface water. At the present time the intakes from the Ohau River were closed and 90 per cent of the watei passing through the races was drainage from ground surfaces. It was customary, when the ground dried off towards the summer months, to re-open the intakes and use river water. After further aiscussion it wss decided that Mr. Fraser wou'd be permitted by the county council tc give the borough council more information on tne subject and that later the two bodies would get together on the problem. Mr. Burdekin, in thanking the council for its assistance and information, said that he would like the council members to hear Mr. Fraser. pie engineer had given the deputation information which it had

not had before, particularly in regard to the actual extent of the fal). i Replying, Mr. Colquhoun prom- ' ised that the county council would do ii.s part and he trusted good would come of the deputation's visit.