A STORAGE BASIN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1419, 20 April 1912, Page 4

A STORAGE BASIN.

THE BELL ROAD RESERVOIR,

One of tho latest works to scar tho clay of the Wellington hills is the Bell Road reservoir, a, storage basin which is to xecoivo a main direct from tho tunnel in tho Wainui Hill, and will supply practically the wholo of tho city, with tho exception of the levels which aro supplied by reservoirs fed from pumping stations. Tho Bell Rond reservoir occupies a commanding position on tho Elope leading up to Brooklyn. It was at first proposed to construct the storage basin in the Nairn Street Reserve, but tin's was not sufficiently elevated, and -eventually a site further ui> tho hill was selected. Work was commenced upon tho reservoir in September last, and it has already gone far enough to givo an excellent'idea of tho nature of tho undertaking. When it is completed the reservoir will be a basin 100 feet long, 10S feet wide, and about 22 feet deep. It will hold two million gallons of water. Its four walls are of reinforced concrete, and taper from a thickness of three feet at tho base to 15 inches at tho top. Tho finished basin will lis covered in with a roof of reinforced concrete, supported on 0-1 east iron columns.

The walls of the reservoir arc now well on towards completion, but the basin has not yet been scooped out. Tho plan was adopted of digging a trench, eight fcot wide, all round tho basin, in which to construct the walls. Most of the ground insido tho walls was left in placo so that easy support might bo obtained for the concreto boxing- in which tho walls aro being moulded. The interior basin will not bo completely cleared out until tho walls are finished, The wholo of the reservoir is being excavated out of tho solid ground, and it should bo a very firm and stablo work. The city authorities hope to havo the basin filled by tho end of tho present year. Tho top level of tho water in the reservoir will bo 315 feet above mean high-water mark, so that from this source a good pressuro of water will 1)0 obtained in all save tho highest lovcls of tho city. Tho main from tho Wainui tunnel will reach tho rcsorvoir by way of tho Hutt Road, Thorndon Quay, Lamb'tou Quay, Bowcn Street, Wellington Terrace, Woolcombo Street, Abel Smith Street, Webb I Street, Nairn Street, tho Nairn Street | Reserve, ond Bell Road.