MASTERTON'S WATER SUPPLY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9054, 13 February 1908, Page 5

MASTERTON'S WATER SUPPLY.

BOROUGH COUNCILLORS VISIT HEADWORKS. SERIOUS ASPECTS DISCLOSED. IMMEDIATE ACTION TO BE TAKEN. Yesterday afternoon the Mayor (Mr J. M. Coradine) and Councillors A. Haughey, J. Yarr, J. C. Ewington, J. Elliott, J. Prentice and W. Pragnell, accompanied by the ActingTown Clerk and Borough Engineer (Mr W. T. Mansfield) paid a flying visit of inspection to the headworks of the water supply system, with a view of deciding upon what action to take in the matter uf immediately remedying both the lack of quantity and lack of quality of the high pressure water supplied the town. It was generally understood that Mr G. Laing-Meason, who is preparing, a report on the extension of drainage and water supply in the town, had communicated some important information to the Mayor, whereby the present crisis over the water supply deficiency might be speedily, cheaply and effectually remedied for a considerable time if not permanently. The first spot visited was the upper intake tower. On this being opened it was found that the water had fallen about two feet below its normal level, and the pipe which connects the towsr with the reservoir was not taking in water to within about an inch of its full capacity. General surprise was expressed at this unexpected condition of affairs, as never before has the water in the tower been to such a low level.

The Mayor stated that Mr LaingMeason had informed him that, the water could be drawn into this intake tower straight from the main stream of the Waingawa, instead of from the spring-supplied creek flowing under the old northern bank of the river. Councillors inspected this creek, which impressed several very unfavourably. One Council tor emphatically denounced it as nothing but a swamp, and declared tjiat "if the burgesses knew they were drinking that stuff and we were cognisant of it they would drown the whole lot of us in it, and it would serve us right." Perhaps this Councillor was rathor severe on the water in the creek, but it certainly did not come up to the water in the Waingawa river nroper in colour, and it had a shiny, repelling appearance. Councillors, following the lead of the turncock, Mr C. McDougall, who was present, stepped out ten chains from the No. 1 intake tower to the point in the river bed, where Mr Laing-Meason suggests that the flume should be commenced. The grade is almost level, and the soil is the top soil of a river-flat- light alluvial, covered here and there by a few manukas. The Mayor said that Mr Lairig-Measun's idea was to cut an open race to the tower, in the same way as had been done by him at the headworks of the Upper Plai "* irrigation supply. Thy cost would be approximately £3OO, and Mr LaingMeason stated that this proposition would be fuund contained in thereport he was preparing. There were no engineering difficulties whatever in the way, and it would be far preferable to do this than go to the expense of piping water from the gorge. No. 2 intake was next visited, and the turncock did not need to undo the trap-door for an interior view tc convince Councillors of the seriousness of the situation. It was plainly to be seen from the open race and outside the intake pipe that only half the quantity that the pipes could accommodate was coming in. This was a fact which opened the Councillors' e>es, and a visit was then paid to the reservoir. There was a good quantity of water in the reservoir, in fact it was only two inches below the level of the overflow pipe, which meant that the depth of water was about 6ft 6in. However the colour of the water was not of the best, and the surface was somewhat slimy in appearance. The turncock cleared away a thick white scum from the perforated protection plate of the No. 2 intake, and this scum is apparently a product of the swampy spring l water.

The party then visited, by way of an object lesson, the intake and channel of the Upper Plain race, which supplies a large area of country with ample water. The Mayor, as he surveyed a splendid race twelve deep with two feet of pellucid water flowing tranquilly over a sandy bed, became enthusiastic, and declared "This is something like a job; the other affair of ours is only a toy compared to it." And the Mayor was right, and, as was pointed out, the engineering difficulties in the way of the Upper Plain scheme were very great, the race being cut through fifteen chains of very heavy shingle. Further, the quantity of water available at the spot which Mr Laing-Meason proposes to turn the river into No. 1 intake is about three times the volume of that flowing past the point where the Upper Plain race has its intake bank, and yet the latter has over a million gallons a day passing down its course, and there there is a big overflow. The visit to the irrigation headworlcs practically clinched the matter as far as adopting Mr LaingMeason's scheme was concerned.

A meeting was held in the coach on the way down, and the Mayor, after pointing out the serious position of the supply, and the proposition as outlined by Mr Laing-Meason, moved that the race be cut as suggested by the latter, to connect the main stream of the Waingawa with the No. 1 intake. Cr Yarr seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. . Cr Ewington pointed out, during the discussion, that he did not wish to oppose the immediate placing on a sound basis of the water supply, but he believed that even the expedient now proposed would only prove a more or less temporary arrangement, as the river might shift at any time, and whatever might be done to increase the volume of water as proposed the pressure could not be increased beyond its present maximum In view of the increase in the height of buildbgs in the town a higher pressure was necessary, and he still believed that the gorge would have to be resorted to in the end. The Mayor replied that no pipe in the town was capable of standing a pressure water brought

from the gorge would have, and he believed the proposed work would amply suffice for Masterton for virtually all time. The work of constructing the race is to be proceeded with immediately.