PAEROA WATER SUPPLY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4645, 7 January 1924, Page 2

PAEROA WATER SUPPLY.

• INADEQUACY OF MAINS. LARGER PIPES NEEDED. Much has been heard about Paeroa’s water supply lately, but, judging by the utterances of His. Worship the Mayor and the chairman of the Ohinemuri County Council, there seems to be little ground to fear a serious shortage of water, even though a prolonged dry spell of weather should set in. But a serious matter, especially from a ratepayer’s point of view, is the total inadequacy of the watei»service mains. In view of the loan money which the Borough Council intends spending on various street improvements during the next few months a timely word about the water mains may not be out of place. If attention is paid to the matter now it will not only improve the supply to consumers, but save the ratepayers many hundreds of pounds lat°r on. wheii it will be necessaiy to tear up the streets again for the purpose of laying larger mains. At the present time the water supply is brought from the reservoir as far as the railway station through a nineinch main. At the station a six-inch pipe carries the water along to Hill Street, where the supply is distributed over the subsidiary streets by means of two-inch pipes. Station Road and Thames Road are both served by two-inch mains, although the former is one of the most populated streets in the borough. Thames Road is also becoming rapidly built upon, and yet no steps have so far been taken to provide an adequate supply. Practically all the streets in the borough are served by two-inch pipes, and in some streets, such as Russell and Willoughby streets, one-inch pipes have to suffice. The proposed improvements to .streets which are about to be undertaken include Russell and Willoughby streets, and as the work, is to be of a permanent nature the Council’s first care should be the water supply in such areas. It appears unreasonable to suppose that one and two-inch pipes will suffice for the needs of such reside; 1 .! ial areas in the future. Mention might be made of the number of "dead ends” that are to be found in Paeroa’s water supply. These might well be taken into consideration by the Council and extension of mains made therefrom at an early date, as it was tlie County Council’s intention to dp prior to the borough taking over the control. .A serious aspect of the matter is the inadequate pressure of water for fire-fighting purposes outside the main street. A pitiable illustration of this phase of the question was in evidence at the recent fire on Thames Road. The brigade promptly arrived with fire prevention appliances, but could do little because the coupling had to be made to a twoinch main and there was not sufficient pressure of water to fill the hose. If we desire to sec Paeroa prosper and grow it will be necessary to get ’doWn to bedrock and tackle such an important matter before permanent street improvements are completed. Paeroa is particularly fortunate in having such an unlimited supply of good water, but it is a serious error and .a retrograde step not to pass on to the citizens full benefit of the supply. -Our Mayoi; is at the head of a progressive council, and it is hoped that this urgent work will receive the Council’s careful consideration during the ensuing year.