WATER SUPPLY AND DRAINAGE SCHEME.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1970, 16 November 1889, Page 3

WATER SUPPLY AND DRAINAGE SCHEME.

The following report was read at Wednesday's meeting of the Temuka Town Board:— * .Report on the subject of water supply and drainage for the town of Temuka by Messrs Meason and Marchant, civil engineers and architects, Timaru : WATER ST/PM.Y. " The system of water-supply is a Burface or water race system only, to be used for fire extinction, drain flushing purposes, etc. It is proposed to-take water from a spring on Mr G. Cliff's land, beside the Waihi creek, as shown on the plan appended hereto, not making any present connection with the Waihi creek, but simply excavating the spring to about 3 or 4 feet below the level of the creek bed, by which means we expect to derive an ample supply for the purposes required. In the future, Bhould a further quantity be required, it-might be obtained by tapping the creek by means of a filter bjx, as we have done in connection with the county

water races. The expense of doing this (though not much) we do not consider necessary at present. From this spring the water would flow in an open cut or race properly, provided with sluices and ioodstbps, to the watercourse which crosses from-Mr Cliffs to Mr McCallum's land. It weuld be necessary to purchase the corner of land (coloured green on plan) which would thus be Eevered from Mr Cliff. Its area would be about acres,

and consists principally of creek bed. The water would then low along the water course in Mr McCallurn's land, the drain In the bottom of which would have to be enlargedjid carry the water required. This use of Mr\McCallum's water course

would not,- we think, injuriously affeet him, as it *is now used for drainage purposes, and no doubt a small compensation for a grant of easement for its use would satisfy him. From Mr McOallum's farm

the water would flow along the west side of the Main Road, a proper water-race being formed, for it. An overflow would be provided down the roadside, opposite the Linseed Factory Co. *s l*nd, to carry off any Burplus water to the creek, into which the drainage" from Mr Cliff's and

Mr McCallum's land nov» discharges. Just below the:late Mr Andrew Grant's house the race would divide, and a stream be taken along both-sides of the Main Road in the water channelling, and distributed throughout the town area by the water channelling of the street formation, as shown by blue lines on accompanying

plan. The only amendment of the Btreet grading which would be required to effect this would be along Cass Street, between the Main Road and Davie Street, the fall of the ground between these points being in reverse direction to that required by the water race. Aloisg Yine btreet the water would be turned into the present

drains. At 30 points—mostly at street corners—concrete Bumps would be constructed in the lines of the street channelling, and would be eovered with boiler plate covers. In the event of a fire ocourring it would be necessary simply to remove the lid of th 9 sump, when the water would flow into it, and so provide a

feed well for the fire engine BUctioD. After traversing the town area part of the wa*er would be discharged into the existing outfall drain at the back of the Road , Board office, and so feed with clean water the watercourse through the park. The , remainder would be used to flush the drainage water to the drain outfall hereafter described. DRAINAGE. •« Within a town area means should always be provided, if possible, whereby house slopß, etc., could be ißoffensively removed without saturating the soil with them. In the caw of the town of Temuka, built on a poroiw subsoil, and from which surface water is drawn for drinking and other domestic purposes, house slops, etc., cannot be thrown about back premises in the manner done at present for any length of time without serious danger of contaminating the water supply, and so generating the deadly diseases of diphtheria, typhoid fever, etc. Even if these riiould not their appearance the decomposition-and evaporation of foul matters in the neighborhood of dwellings must lower the health of the inhabitants. We may remark that the iniuence of efficient drainage on the public health is not generally appreciated at its true value. Nothing can be, more subtle and injurious in its .polsonoua effects than defective or neglected drainage ; while on the other hand abundant statistics prove how great a reduction it has effected in the death rate of towns and cities where it is efficiently established and intelligently maintained. The scheme we propose is to lay 9 and 12 earthenware pipe drains along the baoks of the building blocks in the direction Bbown by the red lines on plan. WithAhese.drains the house drainage must be connected on either of the two systems considered hereafter. Rain water from*.house-roofa and all liquid household refuse would be carried by these drains, but no surface water from the street! is to be carried by them, but must be discharged by the natural courses already existing,* and by those which have been constructed by the board for that purpose. Fdr the maintenance of the work we recommend that the inspection and cleaning p£ the gullies in the back premises of the bouaas should be done at night in connection with the scavenging, as the gulliea would be * grease intercepting,' and would require periodical cleaning. If this waalelt to be done by householders many of them would be certain to neglect it, and perhaps misuse the drains in the event of a choke by opening traps and adopting other devices persons frequently do under such circumstances. All the house connections would be furnished with inspection eyes, and the main drains with lamp and manholes, so as to provide complete means for inspecting and cleaning the drains without breaking them up in event of a stoppage, At every manhole the drains would be ventilated by carrying up tube ventilators about 9 feet high. These would stand at the kerb line like lampposts, for which service also they might be used in future years. At every manhole also means would be pro- '' vided for flushing the drains from the water races. The outfall of the drainage has had our mature consideration, and we make the following recommendation with

egard to it:—After the junction of the drains at the back of the Road Board office we propose to carry the drainage in an open cut or drain, using a good flow from ,the races to keep it perfectly clean. The J .outfall drain would contour along the south side of the water course terrace until it came to the eastern boundary of the railway reserve. It would then be cut through the terrace, and be carried along the boundary of the railway reserve to the Temuka riverbed. Between the above mentioned points the cutting would bo from 4to 8 feet deep. On emerging into the Temuka riverbed the drain would contour across the natural, channels and discharge into the Temuka river about 20 chains below Georgetown. Lest any doubt should exist as to the propriety of the drainage into the river, we would remark that it would be highly diluted with pure water from the races ;

weuld consist primarily of house slops only, and before reaching the river would have to traverse a belt of open shingly riverbed, which might be easily made to absorb the whole of it by irrigation to its own great advantage. HOFSB CONNECTION WITH MAIN DRAIN*. - "These may be constructed in one of two ways—lst, By the board laying them «s part of the scheme, and adding their cost to that of the main drains, etc.; 2nd, By private individuals laying them at their

own cost, as is generally done. If tbe first system is adopted it would save any immediate expenditure on the part of householders but would double tbe annual drainage rate. It would equalise the cost per annum to each on a property valuation basis, irrespective of the position of the house relatively to the main drain. In the case of a small bouse of low value and at a considerable distance, from the main drain the cost of connection would be

heavily felt. If all the house connections 1 were done as pirt of the scheme, their cost I would be less than if done, simply by each

owner. Again, in the case of houaeu built close together the drainage of several might be grouped into one connection with the main drain. Admitting all the advantages of this system it will be for the board to constider how funds are to be

provided in the future when it will be called upen to lay more house connections and the original loan has been expended, If the second system is adopted—the board laying the main drains only, leaving private owDers to make their owu connections—the cost ©f the work to the board would be much reduced, and the drainage rate

necessary would be only half ef that under the first system proposed. The board should, however, be in a position to ceo;pel all property owners to connect their premises with the main drains, and which should be done on a uniform system, either by the board or by licensed persons at the property owners' expense ; because the

system of drainage being instituted in the interests of public health a person who would not connect his property with the main drains might be a cause of generation of sickness to the occupier of the adjoining house who might have been to the expense of l«ying proper connections with the drains.

CONSTRUCTION OF WORKS, " The best way to arrange for this would be for the board to let a contract for the supply of all the pipes repaired, and supply them to the contractors for the execution of the whole scheme, which would bs better let in ooe contract. ESTIMATE OT «OST. '•To construct and distribute a water supply as described, £450; to construct the main drains as desoribed, together with manholes, ventilators, junctions, and outfall, £1200; to lay 125 sinks or gullies to houses, and connect same with main drains by about 240 chains of 4 end 6-inch pipes, £1250. Engineering and contingencies are included in tbe above estimates. " MEASOH AND MARCHAIiT, •' Civil engineers and architects, '•Tifharu. " Nov. 12th, 1889."