MASTERTON'S WATER SUPPLY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9040, 16 March 1908, Page 5

MASTERTON'S WATER SUPPLY.

POSITION AT THE HEADWORKS.

NEW RACE COMPLETED.

The improvements at *the headworks of the Masterton water supply system are well on the way towards completion. Yesterday afternoon a Wairarapa Age reporter accompanied His Worship the Mayor and Cr Haughey on a visit to the upper intake, where the new race is being cut under the advice of Mr G. LaingMeason, and which will form part of the scheme for the permanent improvement of the water works. The actual cutting of the race itself is now completed, and operations are proceeding on the bank of the river, making the receiving box, and strengthening the banks of the race. The work has been carried but under the supervision of Mr C. MacDougall, Borough Turncock, who has had no light task. The nature of the ground below the alluvial surface was a great surprise, as it was thought that the cutting would be fairly easy, but the whole race has been cut through pure shingle of a very heavy character, with the exception of a couple of feet depth on the surface. However, excellent progress was made, and the race will be completed this week. Eleven chains of it, commencing from the river, are to be open, and from that distance along it to the sump at the upper intake a pipe line is to be used. It was first intended to have the race open the full length, some eighteen chains, but the slightly swampy nature of the ground has caused *he deviation from the original scheme in favour of a pipeline. So far there is no water flowing in from the river itself, and yet the intake terminus has a current of clear water flowing from it, which at present is being turned into the Waingawa until the connection is made to the water tower. The cause of the new race being so full of water already is that its bottom just readies spring level, and as a consequence half a million gallons per day of spring water are flowing down the race. The quality of this water is superior to that flowing into the reservoir.

A concrete by-path has been constructed at the point where the pipe line is to commence, and a lot of auxiliary work of a very substantial nature has been carried out. The new race is expected to supply the town with a million and a half gallons per diem,, a very substantial addition to the 1 present supply. This should assure an ample service until the latger scheme now under consideration! ia completed*