AUCKLAND SEWERAGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 930, 25 March 1930, Page 8

AUCKLAND SEWERAGE

BOARD’S ENGINEER RETURNS FROM ABROAD CHANGE MAY BE SUGGESTED Important alterations in Auckland’s sewerage system may result from a trip abroad by Mr. H. H. Watkins, engineer to the Auckland and Suburban Drainage Board. Mr. Watkins returned to Auckland this morning on the Maunganui after spending 10 months visiting Canada, the United States. Great Britain’ Europe and Australia. His tour was made to investigate drainage schemes for the board, as the disposal of sewage from the City is a problem which will have to be solved sooner or later. It is considered in many quarters that the present system of discharging the treated sewage into the harbour is not satisfactory. Mr. Watkins will make a comprehensive report to the board, but until then the schemes he has devised will not be made public. However, it is thought that some big changes may be made. He stated this morning that in consequence of considerable research, and experiment great advances had been made abroad in the various methods adopted for the disposal of sewagß. This was particularly noticeable in tho United States. In Great Britain there were many excellent plants of an older type which were giving such good service that the abandonment of them for better types was unwarranted because of the financial stringency which had followed the war. In the report which Mr. Watkins will furnish to the Drainage Board he will suggest improvements in the methods of disposing of Auckland’s sewage. Any scheme, however, would be costly.