TE AWAMUTU’S THIRST.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3395, 28 January 1920, Page 5

TE AWAMUTU’S THIRST.

...._..c.... REPAIRING THE HAVOC. BIG GANGS AT WORK. ‘ TE AWAMUTU, Jan. 27. The water shortage was felt acutely during the first day after the destruc’tion"of the reservoir dam, and a feeling of vh-opelessrness pervaded Te Awaimurtu until volunteers visited farms in Imotor lorries and obtained supplies lby tanks holdinghundreds of gallons, kand motored back and forward to the ;town. By evening a -complete system ‘had evolved. Water for household .pul-poses: was obtained from the Mangahoe Creek, and good dzinking water was obtained from farms and carried on the 101-ries_ In the street many amusing situations devoloped. At six am. today, on the first delivery, an old lady came to the door with a ‘bucket and askedthe charge for water for a bath. Her 1-eq\uest was regretfully declined. One person of public sspir-it worked most of the night filling tanks with the aid of benzine tins and buckets for the use of the town from a special well in his property. The “droughtt” is quite a.n unusual thing for New Zealand, and the situation is more like that of a prairie town after a forest fire.

The first shli-ftnien got. back from Pirongia on Monday night after 14 hours” solid work. A deputation also attended the Borough Council. It was found after exhaustive investigation that the big dam had been out in half, as though by an explosive. One half had completely disappeared, and the heavy concrete standards, carrying eigiht inch pipes in many instances‘ were ca.rl~ied bodily 50 yards down the streani, which has 3. boulder bed. The pipes were bent and thrown aside

It is esvtimated ‘by the engineer ithat the water rose 15 feet above the usual level, and swept everything in its track. Gangs srtarted work immedia._tely on temporary lengths of new pipe. It is hoped to have a. supply For the thirsty town in three or four Jaye. The damage ‘is estimated at over £ISOO to the .-dam alone, and the rest has not yet been estimated.