Shannon Street drain explained

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 672, 4 February 1997, Page 7

Shannon Street drain explained

Silting and tree-root ingression would have caused major problems to Ohakune' s new Shannon Street drain if it had been laid open-jointed, council chief executive officer Cliff Houston states in a report to the Waimarino Community Board on Wednesday. Earlier, the board expressed outrage that the advice to lay the drain open-jointed had been ignored. If the joints

had been left unsealed, board members argued, it could then also act as a subsoil drain. Some residents had been concerned that piping and closing the trench would increase ground water on their properties. But Mr Houston said he "fully supports the decision to use the correct construction techniques". He said root

ingression is a major problem and this would increase silting up of the pipeline. Also, an open pipe would discharge surface water into the soil and may worsen the ground water situation. He added that if the street were widened in future, the pipe would be under the pavement, so quality backfill material and good compaction was essential.