HASTINGS WATER SUPPLY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 501, 7 May 1909, Page 6

HASTINGS WATER SUPPLY.

THE HIGH PRESSURE SCHEME.' (DX TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL COEBESPONDENT.J Hastings, May 6. Tho following'.is'a short summary of the report furnished by Mr! H. W. Clime, C.E., on tho .question: of, a high pressure water supply for He recommends a high pressure gravitation scheme, -tho water to be drawn from the ' Marototara stream at a point situated about nine miles to the south-oast, of' tho town, on the Mokopeka Estate. The place selected for ,tho intake is at a level of some 400 feet above the •town, and is easily accessible. Tho quantity of water availablo _from this river, without;any storago reservoirs, is amply ..sufficient to supply a town of '100,000 inhabitants,' allowing for an avorago consumption of 60 gallons per head per diem, this calculation being based on measurements of the river made during a period of prolonged and excessive drought. Tho quality of tho water is excellent, and tho engineering difficulties of no great moment. . It will bo' possible," owing to the altitude of tho intako, to furnish'the town through a sorvice reservoir on. the Havclock hills holding 12,000,000 gallons with an excellent and permanent high pressure supply by moans of gravitation, without any pumping whatever, and resulting in a pressure of 1301b. to tho square inch being obtainable in any portion of the town—a fact which should.bo appreciated by,all those desirous of 'seeing tho town immune from serious conflagrations. It will bo. possible in tho ovont of a fire occurring for tho fire-brigade to uso sufficient jets' to pour something, liko 10,000 gallons of water per minuto on the fire. Tho estimated cost is £36,162. Continuing,; Mr. Clime says:—'/ Considering the rapid growth of your municipality during'tho past few-years, and its probablo still more rapidgrowth in tho near future, I feel-confident that anything less than a twelve-inch main would fail to moot your 're-' quirements in a few years to come. Should your council, however, deem the scheme I havo laid before you too costly, at tho present juncture,; I would point out that the same, could ho modified so as to provide a high pressure supply for fire-prevention purposes, only at; a cost of £16,577.'*