HARNESSING THE RIVER.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 September 1919, Page 5

HARNESSING THE RIVER.

_ '5 CR. DAVIES’ MOTION. - ‘QI. _._... At the last meeting of the Taihape Borough Council, Cr. R-. A. Davies ‘delivered an interesting and informative address on “Harnessing the River,” having special bearing on the Borough Water supply_ Cr. Davies prefaced his remarks by. stating’ that he, in the enthusiasm of his inexperience, thought Mr Clavrke’s scheme, by which water co~ul'd-ibe ob--tained on Mr Nathan’s property, was the one to adopt, but, after deliberation, he had come to the conclusion that before going in for a.ny large Water scheme, the Council ‘should get the best advice available. They should get from an expert a comprehensive report covering the wholehof the resources of the Hautapu River. There was no better scheme of water supply than a gravitation one. Failing -the gravitation scheme, the possibility of a hydraulic pump, or any possible method of using the river, should be considered. He thought _the report should also take in the subterranean scheme. The Council should have a report on: 1. The Hautapu River-—~(a) Gravita. ‘ tion; (b) Hydraulic; (c) Other; possibilities. 2—Tllé subterranean scheme—(a) I As we now know it; (b) Assuming all the Water is there, a report on ' the practicability of this scheme. I 3—We should also have a. report on the present reservoir, which it has I been suggested will not hold the "water it was “built to contain. Ifl this should she so, it is desirable-I to find out if it could not be strengthened bf concrete reinforccment.

In -addition to the above, an investigation should be made as to any other possible sources of supply. After due inquiry, and having got from ‘the expert his advice as to what should be done, they should follow it ont‘.:."lt is‘ true, experts in the past have ‘oeen__ ask-7 ed to report’; *they_ll"ad_ done .‘so,'_'not I_gfi -the iisehemei at"pre'ée_l_lt o_bta}§i_nin3g,V ‘limit 1 on the methods of carrying it out. They ' had suffered in the past from mistakes, but this was_. to be gue.rded_eLgainst fiiri the future. ‘ He hajd. heard Mr Williams,; consnlting T engineer, _'on the loan proposals, -tell "them. "about the‘ arterian water in Napier, but he‘ said they would have to go in for a gravitation scheme. in that town before long, a.nd they would have to go twenty miles to find a stream -the same

size as the H-au'tapu_ Mr Vvilliams considered the Hautapu River was quite suitable for a gravitation or hydraulic scheme. When Mr Mitchell, another engineer, was up here, he expressed surprise at the ‘Council not going in for a hydraulic scheme, and could not understand why the present system was ever adopted, as the cost of pumping was never-ending. The Electric Light Department paid to the Water Department £260 per annum' at a power rate. Translated into the form of light, this would be worth about £IO4O a year. For the current taken in this manner the'VCouncil could supply 217 consumers. Probably there would not be .so many as that, but at present there were between 120 and 130 would—be cofisum. ers in sight. If the Council went on with the subterranean ‘scheme, a pump of '25 horsepower would be required. to lift the water. In that case they would be losing £760 a year. A gravitation scheme was undoubtedly the best, as: after the first cost there would be no other expense of any consequence. It‘ was necessary, liowever, ‘to have at thorough survey made of the route for I the pipes. Maybe a better Way than through the Mataroa tunnel could be‘ found. Complaint had been made in; the paper as to the dirty water supplied from the river; this wa sdue to! the Water being pumped direct intol the mains. Mr. Rounthwaite said inhis report: “He noticed that the engi— i neer who forl_nulated the present i scheme had not pi-f>’vided filters. He‘ did not know if they were necessaryi at that early stage, as he noticed that I the reservoir had 18 days’ capaqigy,‘ and that pumping could be discontinued 5 when the river was dirty or in fl-ood.i From the Health Report made available f to him and from a sample of the river water he himself saw, he was satisfied that the solids were generally inconsiderable. Filters can be easily put in’ if necessary” 1

Coming down to the cost of the present sysfem and the prlpmctl‘ subterranean scheme, Cr. Davies quoted the following figures:——' The present ¢ySt"lll-"P17Iilillllg. 5260 per allnum, multiplied lly 4, £IO4O (_equ.all to supplying 217 consumers); nlaintenance under Ol‘dlfl’ll'_','v circumstances. £6O". Capitaliscd at 5 per cent._. this would réprescnf. £22,000. Subterranean sch'eme———Cost of pumpW ing per am_lum, £760, repairs and ' maintenance, £4O. Capitalised this would be $16,000, and with the addition o;f'rg2sooe,lfol- the installing would brilig tlié" total -fo £21,000, 5 without the cost of the land.

It will thus be seen that thé annual cost of pumping under the pr'esent.ot~ "thé‘slibt.erraVneanV scheme, if capitalised, would“go a long way towards providing a gravitation scheme. .

Cr. Davies said the co;t of the pump during the last five months amounted to £94_ The cost of “turbines under the hydraulic system would be very small. V

Cr Davies concluded: Under the circumstances it is -highly advisable to get a report, and all other action can be held over until this report is in. He would accordingly move. “That immediate steps be taken to obtain at the earliest ‘possible znoment from the most highly qualified hydraulic engineer whose services are availaflale a comprehensive report upon the most ef. ficicnt method of procuring a satisfactory permanent wafer supply for the borough, subject to the approval of the Finance Committee."

Cr. Fookes seconded the motion, remarking that the Council never had a comprehensive report. Even if it cost £l5O for a report it would :be cheap. Some mistakes had been made in the past, probably fFcTin ‘cheap prices.

1 Cr_ Cunninghame said the resolution ‘was a good one. He questioned the figures for maintenance of the pump given by Cr. Davies. From 1914 to 1917 inclusive the maintenance cost had been £32 125 10d. Nevertheless, he would support a gravitation scheme against every other system. Cr. Davies said the figures quoted by Cr. Cunninghame were for material. and did not include labour_ The Mayor suppofted the resolution. He was afraid they could not get 1:1 expert for the money suggested. They were up against it in their water supply, and hardly knew where they stood

After some fui-‘t'hcr discussion the motion was carried ullauimously‘.“