WAIPORI POWER

Evening Star, Issue 19798, 23 February 1928, Page 14

WAIPORI POWER

OVERCOMING A WATER SHORTAGE LEASE OF MINING WATER RIGHTS A water shortage at Waipon anil arrangements for meeting it were dealt with in a supplementary report presented to the meeting of the City Council last night by the Electric Light and Power Committee. The committee reported that owing to the continued dry spell it had been deemed necessary to arrange tor further supplies of water to augment the present available supply for the power station at Waipon. The position regarding stored water was not such as to give rise to any immediate concern, but the committee considered that it was advisable to take precautions, and ensure that all available water was secured for the continued operation of the power plant at lull capacity. This had been done by concluding an arrangement, as was done on a previous occasion, with the tlirco mining companies at Lawrence whereby they leased their water rights to the council. The rental was £250 per week, plus payment of the companies’ outlay for wages, the total weekly cost to the council being approximately £3lO. The supplies were turned into the Waipon River on the 11th instant, and were to be available for a period of not less than five weeks.

Cr Shaddock, in moving the adoption of the report of the committee, said that the result of the action taken was that the dam was now holding its own. It was falling a little, but not very much. They would probably get through the season without further anxiety. Had this arrangement not been made, the position in a few weeks would have been serious.

Or Mitchell suggested that it might be advisable to buy the rights outright, but, on the advice of Cr Clark, he agreed to mention the matter in committee.

The report of tha committee was adopted.