WATER AND POWER

Taranaki Daily News, 7 April 1928, Page 15

WATER AND POWER

.NEW PLYMOUTH’S SCHEME EXPERTS' RECENT REPORTS DISCUSSION BY COUNCIL .DISAPPOINTMENT VOICED FURTHER REPORT WANTED The report of the consulting engineers (Messrs. Viekerman and Lancaster) on the several alternative schemes for the increase of the water and electric power supply for New Plymouth was considered at a special meeting of the borough council on Thursday evening. Keen disappointment was expressed that the engineers had failed to recommend any particular scheme, or give the council a lead as to which one should be adopted, and it was resolved to ask them to consider the schemes again and make a definite recommendation. The borough engineer (Mr. C. Clarke) was also asked to submit a comprehensive report on the question of augmenting the town’s water and electric power supply, and to make a recommendation in the matter.

All the members of the council with the exception of Councillor J. Lobb were preeent at the meeting. Various proposals were discussed, the point of paramount importance in view being that an augmented water supply was necessary before any further progress could be made with the sewerage scheme proposal. The general principle was affirmed that storage for daily regulation was definitely necessary if a scheme for additional water and electric power sufficient for the needs of the next few years was to prove successful, and that a scheme providing for seasonal storage was necessary to safeguard the borough for any length of time. The various alternatives including a new dam in the Mangamahoe, the duplication of No. 1 tunnel to ensure a sufficient supply of water from the Waiwakaiho to keep full the Mangamahoe storage area thus created, the duplication of the existing syphon pipe or the replacement of it by a flume, the construction cf a pond at the mouth of No. 2 tunnel, the construction of a dam in the Waiwakaiho River near the present intake, the turning over of the Waiwakaiho River again at a point below the present hydro works, the installation of additional Diesel engines, and minor proposals dealing -with the Mangamahoe and Mangorei localities were all considered, but the council felt that it could do nothing definite without further information and recommendations from the engineers. Cr. Stainton said that though the report of the consulting engineer was disappointing, he must admit that his faith in the efficacy of the Mangamahoe dam as a first solution to the problem was shaken. It was evident from what the consulting engineers said that No. 1 tunnel was not sufficient to keep the Mangamahoe storage full. While candidly congratulating Cr. Payne on his contribution towards the attempt to solve the problem, he would like to ask Cr. Payne whether, as a man of practical experience, he would recommend the council entering into a long contract with the Taranaki Power Board. Cr. Payne: I should certainly say •No!” I think Tariki will soon find itself in the same position as we are. an.

■STORAGE MUST BE PROVIDED. It was quite evident, continued Cr. Payne, that storage must be provided for the flow of the river was not sufficient. The council was asked, when the proposal was made gome time ago, to put in the low head dam on the understanding that the high head dam would follow later. The scheme, moreover, was based en the assumption that the minimum flow was 150 cusecs, whereas it had actually been proved that in normal dry periods it fell to 90 cusecs. Recently, it had been exceptionally dry, when, of course, the flow was as low as 75 cusecs. The Mayor (Mr. H. V. S. Griffiths): That minimum flow of 150 cusecs was Mr. Blair Mason’s. It was not the figure on which we based our proposal. Ours was 90 eusecs. Cr. J. Brown said that there was no doubt the consulting engineers’ report wa s disappointing. Cr. McPhillips: Hear! Hear! Cr. Brown said he was surprised that an engineer of Mr. Viekerman’© reputation should recommend a dam on the Waiwakaiho sand foundation. If Mr. Viekerman would guarantee to have a dam built on the Waiwakaiho for £85,000 and would guarantee to replace it If it were swept down • the river, he would vote for it. But would Mr. Viekerman do that? NEW TUNNEL SUGGESTED. The speaker thought that a solution to the difficulty might be found in the construction of another tunnel to carry the water to the Mangamahoe Valley. He believed Mr. Clarke had a scheme for using the Waiwakaiho water over again which might prove a sound one, but the details of a new scheme like that would take a long time. Water was needed urgently. As a matter of fact, he would say straight out that unless something were done to increase the water supply he would vote against the sewerage loan proposal, and would use his best endeavours outside the council room to have the sewerage loan defeated. He still felt that Mr. Clarke’s eri'final scheme of a dam in the MangaHtalroe, together with an additional feeder tunnel from the Waiwakaiho, was the best solution. In view of what had been said, he thought the Government should first he asked what chances there were of a supply from Arapuni, and when. If a satisfactory reply were not received, the engineer should be asked to report on the matter. Cr. Payne (to the engineer): Have we sufficient water at the present time to give the town a satisfactory supply ? Cr. Smith: What we want to know ts: How are we going to reticulate the town with a sufficient water supply for ordinary needs, and in addition the proposed new sewerage system. “A USELESS SUGGESTION.” The Mayor (Mr. £2. V. S. Griffiths)

'said that with the enormous expenditure of money at Arapuni and the probability that power from that source would be available sooner or later, he felt quite sure it was useless to go to the Government Loans Board and ask them for .£130,000 for the duplication of a Waiwaikaiho River scheme. A dam in the Mangamahoe for £43,338 seemed best. It wag only carrying out the first recommendation of Mr. Viekerman.

Cr. Payne: No! The Mayor: Yes! Mr. Viekerman says the first essential is storage. The consulting engineer says a darn in the Waiwakaiho will cost £85,000, and our own engineer estimates the cost at £lOl,OOO, with the qualification that the bed is very uncertain, I would not recommend a dam in the Waiwakaiho River. Cr. Payne considered that the council was a little mixed in its idea of the Waiwakaiho River dam. Mr. Clarke's proposal was for a concrete dam. The consulting engineer had no hesitation in saying that a rock-filled dam was quite feasible. Cr. Brown said that if the water supply was going to take the water from the hydro electric works a rate, for electricity was inevitable. The Mayor; Had Messrs Viekerman and Lancaster whole-heartedly supported the Waiwaikaiho dam scheme. I would have supported it. Cr. McPhillips: And I too!

The Mayor: But they do not. lam certainly not prepared to support a boulder-filled dam based on a foundation of moving sand. Cr. Payne: Not moving sand. The Mayor: Sand through which water seeps. And that is moving sand. COUNCILLOR SMITH’S AMENDMENT. Cr. Smith moved as a h amendment to Cr. MePhillip’s motion that the borough engineer be asked to report on a proposal to dam the Mangamahoe and obtain sufficient storage to give increased water supply for reticulation and drainage, and also for creating increased hy-dro-electric power. Cr. Payne: The engineer has alreadyreported on it! Cr. Smith: But that was only for water supply, irrespective of hydro-elec-tric supply. Cr. Payne: It’s all the same, anyway. It has been camouflage right through as far as the public is concerned. Cr. Brown: I take exception to that remark. Cr. Stainton: You should say, Cr. Payne, that in your opinion it is camouflage. Cr. Payne; You brought in the consulting engineers, and had a report made, and agreed to abide by it. Now you are asking the borough engineer to go over the same ground again. Cr. McPhillips: There is certainly something in that. We should look fools in the eyes of the public if we asked our engineer to go over the whole ground again. r COMPREHENSIVE REPORT NEEDED. Cr. Stainton said he was not prepared to vote for the amendment unless it was made comprehensive. The engineer should be given a free hand to report comprehensively. He proposed a further amendment that the borough engineer be asked to report on the whole question of development of further water supply and eledtrie power. The Mayor: That means that you are combining' Cr. McPhillips’ original motion and Cr. Smith’s amendment.

Cr. McPhillips: The whole thing has now become a humbug and I’m fed up. I’m not used to doing things this way. You are going over the whole thing again now. Cr. Stainton’s amendment was carried, Crs. McPhillips and Payne voting against it.

-Cr. Stainton said that in view of the criticism of the consulting engineers’ report, it was justice to them that they be again asked for a definite recommendation regarding the schemes submitted. He thought that in view of the fact that the council had definitely asked for an expression of opinion in the first place, they could reasonably be expected to give the additional information without charging additional fees. His motion was seconded by Cr. Payne and carried. “A USELESS REPORT.” As a preliminary to discussion on rhe matter, a resolution was carried that the report be received. In speaking to the motion, Cr. J. Brown said that as far as he was concerned it was a useless report. It did not give the council a lead in any shape or form. The considerable silence that elapsed after the Mayor’s suggestion that someone should speak to the report was eventually broken by Cr. F. D. Payne, who expressed the opinion that the consulting engineers’ answers to the four proposals dealt fairly fully with the matter. When the vote on the proposed dam was taken 15 months ago, the speaker made one of his chief points the fact that all the water required could not be taken through No. 1 tunnel. It was one of his main objections to both Blair Mason’s scheme and the present engineer’s scheme, and the consulting engineers’ report had borne him out. It was obviously necessary to construct a dam in the ’ Waiwakaiho River in order to fill up the dam in the Mangamahoe. The same considerations applied to both Nos. 2 and 3 proposals. The dam in the Waiwakaiho was essential to secure the storage in the Mangamahoe.

COUNCILLOR PAYNE’S PROPOSAL.

No. 4 proposal was the speaker’s own scheme. ‘As the consulting engineers stated, so long as the Waiwakaiho River ran at the 515 foot level and the daily flow utilised did not exceed 130 cusecs, No. 1 scheme would be suitable, but experience during the past summer showed that the water frequently fell below the 515 foot level. As far a s his own scheme was concerned, the consulting engineers recommended that a dam was practicable, in spite of tne fact that there was an underlying bed of sand in the Waiwakaiho River bed. Cr. Smith: Quicksand! Cr. Payne: It’s not quicksand. Cr. Payne (continuing): The consulting engineers state that unless a worse condition is disclosed by prospecting, a suitable and safe dam at the proposed height can be designed and built. Cr. Smith: Yes. At what cost? Ct. Payne: They don’t say what cost. Cr. Payne further stated that there were three alternatives open to the council. One was to adopt his suggestion and put in a dam in the Waiwakaiho, as well as to duplicate the existing syphon pipe or else replace it by a flume. Secondly, the council might go down the river further and use the water over again. The third alternative was to go back to Diesel engines. He would sug-s-eet that this last alternative would

probably prove the best in the long run. The consulting engineer’s report should be taken as final, and the council should abide by it. Cr. Smith: But there is nothing in the report. Cr. Payne; You say that because it’s beaten you. MORE WATER NECESSARY. Cr. McPhillips thought that the council should take a broad view of the whole situation. All were agreed that a greatly augmented water supply was necessary. He had studied the consulting engineers’ report carefully, and it seemed quite evident that they recommended nothing. The point at issue was whether the Waiwakaiho was capable of developing the necessary power. In order to develop the required power, it was apparent that the Waiwaikaiho must be turned over a second time. Cr. McPhillips accordingly moved that the borough engineer go into the matter of whether the Waiwakaiho could be turned over a second time, and bring down a report as soon as possible. Possibly the engineer could do so fairly soon. Mr. Clarke (the engineer): I could bring down a guaranteed estimate in about a month. That .would be without plans. Cr. Smith said that the report of Messrs Viekerman and Lancaster was most disappointing. The consulting engineers were asked to report on the four schemes submitted with a view to recommending one of them, and they had recommended none of them. He was also disappointed with Cr. Payne’s remarks. Cr. Payne had spoken for 12 J minutes, but had offered no solution to the problem. He had admitted that to carry out his scheme on the lines recommended by the engineer lie must construct a pond at the mouth of No, 2 tunnel which would be only temporary and would not be in use later on.

NOT FAIR SERVICE TO PUBLIC.

To-day the council by the use of its own hydro-electric plant, the new Diesel engine and additional power purchased from outside was only just able to cope with the demand. It was not, as a matter of fact, giving the people a fair service. After traversing the events leading up to the ultimate sanction by the ratepayers of the recent loan, and the refusal of the Loans Board to sanction it, Cr. Smith said that Mr. Viekerman had personally inspected and reported on the power scheme, and advised the council to-day that if it could purchase at a certain price it should do so. What had been the experience of the past summer ? With the natural development of New Plymouth there was no hope of having the needs of the town filled from Tariki. Even if the council could make a satisfactory contract, who could say whether a sluice gate might not be opened next summer? That was the kindest way he could put it. He could only suggest that if a dam should be constructed in the Mangamahoe, for storage, and perhaps another Diesel engine installed, the wants of the town until 1934 could be filled. What was the use of spending £lOl,OOO on a dam in the Waiwakaiho, and another large sum on a temporary pond at the mouth of No. 2 tunnel? COST OF BUYING CURRENT. Up to March 31, a stun of £2266 had been spent on the purchase of current. Even at 10 per cent., this would have paid half the cost of building a dam in the Mangamahoe, recommended by Mr. Clarke. Mr. Viekerman himself admitted that ultimately the Mangamahoe dam must be built. He was satisfied that the council should go to the Loans Board again for permission to build the dam. Cr. Brown supported the previous speaker’s statement that the public were not getting a fair service. He could speak with authority, for the engineer at the Producers’ Freezing Works at Moturoa, with which he was intimately connected, had had to do some deep thinking on account of the power supply.