PLAINS WATER SUPPLY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5088, 14 February 1927, Page 3

PLAINS WATER SUPPLY.

WAITAKARURU STREAM SCHEME. EXTENSION ACROSS THE PIAKO. Progress has been made with the Hauraki Plains West water supply scheme. (On January 26 Mr Adams, t.he council’s water supply engineer, reported, inter alia, as follows:— “I beg to report that the contractor ’for No. 1 contract; has driven 55ft in the west side and 37ft on the east side of the tunnel, and has excavated the dam site and constructed the pipe bridge on the east side. He has on the ground a compressor and an engine for rock drilling. The creek is still too high to allow of a thorough investigation of the dam foundation. The manufacture of the pipes is'proceeding.” On February 9 Mr Adams submitted a further report, which stated: “I inspected the headXvorks on -the 4th inst. and found that good progress had been made both in the tunnel and dam* There is still a large volume of water flowing in the Waitakaruru Stream, but by diverting this into a flume the bed is fairly dry. The rock has been cut down to within two feet of the required depth, and the bottom appears, to be opening up satisfactorily. I have arranged with the contractor to have the rock cut out and have all his material on the ground for concreting up to the first stage, so that advantage may be taken of the summer pinch in the stream. When inspected and found satisfactory, the placing of the concrete. could then proceed at the best "" advantage to him. In the meantime I will procure for him the t.welve-inch sludge pipe. I will have the contract , papers out by the end of this week for tenders on the mainfe from Dalgefy’is Corner east to Pipiroa, .etc., and south-east to Ngatea and beyond This will clean up the cast iron mains and laying. “Connections.—l am still of opinion that, connections should be strictly limited, but at the same time, where a farm can advantageously take more than one or two connections, they should be given. The lines I mentioned appear sound;, namely, 50 acres or under, one connection of lin pipe; 100 acres or under, two connections ; 150! acres, or under, three connections ; 200 acres or under, four connections. The number of connections, ~ however, shoud be strictly limited to those which in the council’s opinion, will not cause unnecessary expense and are n«t detrimental otherwise to the public interest and are reasonable in view of probable future. subdivision.” EXTENSION ACROSS RIVER. The matter o'f extending the service over the Piako River to the Kopuarahi and Horahia districts was brought up by the chairman, who pointed out that some, of the settlers of that area were desirous, of securing water. There was. an esimated surplus of 250,000 gallons on the minimum flow of the stream, and if it was intended to extend the. service over the river a decision would have to be reached quickly, so that larger pipes be laid from Dalgety’s Corner to Pipiroa. • Cr. Hicks said that t,he. betters on the eastern side o'f the river would want to know tte dost of the water before committing themselves. The chairman said that the. Kopuarahi and Horahia settlers should be advised that the water would be available if they desired it. The Hauraki Plains West Water Supply Committee, was agreeable to extending the benefit of the scheme if it was desired. He would suggest that meetings of settlers be. called to discuss the project. Cr. Hicks contended that a. definite proposition should be made to the settlers on the eastern side o£ the river as to the amount of water available, its cost, and .where and when it would be available. Cr. Harris commented that the Kopuarahi people could not expect to pay less than the settlers on the western side of the river. Cr. Hicks argued that the western side was already committed to the scheme, and if the unwanted surplus could be. sold at. any price whatever it would be an advantage. The Kopuarahi and Horahia settlers did not require a water supply so urgently that they would rush into the first proposition made. Cr. Miller closed the. discussion by observing that the opportunity was worth considering at once. If it was allowed to slip by, the eastern area would have to bear the whole cost of an extra main from Dalgety’s. Corner.