BOROUGH WATERWORKS EXTENSION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3659, 6 April 1883, Page 2

BOROUGH WATERWORKS EXTENSION.

The Municipal Engineer having intimated to His AVorship the Mayor that tho Avater supply extension Avorks were sufficiently completed to alloAV of tho high level reservoir being-filled, the officers of the Corporation, members of the Council, and a few townspeople assembled at the pumping l station yesterday afternoon. The Municipal Engineer conducted the visitors over the building, and kindly furnished cA-ery information that was asked for. The first compartment entered avus that in which the boiler is situated. The boiler is tubular, Avith a Avorking pressure of 751bs to the square inch, and Avas manufactured by Shanks and Son, of Abroath, Scotland. The speciality of thchoilerisin its economy of fuel, and is of a pattern that is hoav being generally used. Leading out from the boiler room the A'isitors entered the pumping engino-room, Avhich is a portion of the brick building that has recently been erected by the Corporation at a cost of £1690. The engine, which is a powerfully constructed 45-horsc-poAA r er compound, Avith high aud loav pressure cylinders, has been set up on solid concrete foundations under the immediate superiutcndeiiey of the Municipal Engineer, by MiGarry. It is one of Shanks and Son's latest patents, and Avas imported at a cost of £900. It is calculated to lift 15,750 gallons an hour, has a stroke of two feet, with a speed of 75 revolutions per minute. The pump shaft has been geared down to one-third the reA'olutions of the engine. The form of pump is piston and ram, and so arranged that both pumps cau force the water into either reservoir.

The A-isitors were next shown the storage tank. This is situated in the iron structure adjoining the brick building, and in a concrete basin 55 feet by 34 feet, aud 7 feet deep, estimated to hold 85,000 gallons of Avater. It is supplied by two artesian avclls, that contribute 150 gallons of water a minute to the reservoir. There are three other avclls of equal A-olume, two of AA-hich at present supply the low pressure, aud the other will be available for both services.

After inspecting the premises His AVorship tho Mayor addressed a fcAV words to the assemblage appropriate to the occasion, concluding by hoping that the extension Avorks Avould prove a benefit to the borough and justify the large expenditure they had involved. Mr King, the ncAvly appointed waterworks engineer, then sloAvly admitted steam into the engine, which immediately commenced Avorking, every part moving smoothly, and sliOAving the care with Avhich it had been put together. It being understood that it Avould take about an hour for the Avater to be pumped from the station to the high leA-el reservoir, the Mayor, officers, and members of the Council proceeded in cabs to AA-ituess the "christening." On arrival there they inspected the toAver, aud descended into the reservoir. This latter has a capacity of 285,000 gallons of water, and is in tAvo compartments, sunk about half its depth into the ground, arched over Avith brick, and covered Avith an earth mound. Attached to the reservoir is a tower of 35ft. in height, in 'which arc tho various valves and stand-pipe over which the water is pumped iv order to supply the houses situated cm the highest levels iv the town. The pumping having been started at 3.30 p.m. expectation avus on tip-toe at 4.30, aud a move Avas made to the fire-plug near the entrance to Mr Banner's residence,, to ascertain whether the water had reached that point. After Avaiting some little time a messenger arrived to say that a. pipo had burst iv Marine Parade, opposite the police station, and that the pumping had of course been stopped, A return was accordingly made, much disappointment being felt at the temporary stoppage of the works. The broken pipo has since been replaced, and pumping was resumed this afternoon. AYe may mention that these extension works Avere designed by Mr R. Lamb, the present Municipal Engineer, and that they have received the approval of Mr J. Stewart, C.E., of Auckland, and also of other equally competent judges who haA-e A-isited Napier. They wore commenced in Jul}', 1882, and their completion at the present date reflects the highest credit on the engineer, as Avell as on the several contractors.