BOROUGH DRAINAGE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3096, 20 January 1909, Page 5

BOROUGH DRAINAGE.

CONDITION OF SEPTIC TANK. BOROUGH ENGINEER'S REPORT. SCHEME TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM. The Borough Engineer (Mr W. T. Mansfield) reported inter alia to the Borough Council on Tuesday week as follows"The Council must be fully aware that practically since the inception of tneir sewage disposal works they have been discharging sewage in a more or less crude form direct into the Ruamahanga river, and have moreover been inflicting a nuisance upon the residents in the vicinity of the works. Upon taking over the duties of Borough Engineer in 1907, I found a three years' accumulation of sludge in the tank, and untreated sewage passing direct into the river. I took no steps then nor until a week or so ago to remedy this, owing to representations made to me, and to the then imminent prospect of going before th a . ratepayers to establish works elsewhere. Seeing now, however, that for the time being at least, no such removal is possible or contingent, I have as previously reported, emptied the septic tank of its contents, and in dcing so have occasioned no unreasonable annoyance or nuisance to any person and have prevented the sludge from passing into the river. For present needs I am satisfied that it, is possible for the Borough Council to purify the town's sewage by tank treatment, and by passing it over the land and to so produce an effluent of a standard which will satisfy the requirements of the Health Department and create no nuisance, but to do so I require authority to spend £350 on the preparation of the land, pipe drains, an outfall and screeus. In order to produce a satisfactory electors list at a minimum of cost I propose to make a house to house visitation of the borough." It was resolved that that part of the report dealing with the sewage farm be held over pending a visit of the Council to the works on Friday at 10 a.m. The above proceedings were embodied in the Works Committee's report last evening. A further report submitted last night state inter alia: —"We unanimously recommend that the Engineer's suggestions be acted upon, excepting as to the provisions of pipe drains along the river bank, the Engineer agreeing to provide «';n earth carrier for the time being in lieu of pipes, on the understanding that the pipe drains will be provided later at request." A lengthy discussion ensued on these reports. Cr Pragnell wished to see the Engineer's suggestions carried out in their entirety. Cr Hunter contended that the excised recommendations were justifiably excluded on the Engineer's own showing, as the water would run into the Channel practically pure. The Engineer was quite right when he said the sewage was runni.ig into the river practically untreated, but this was entirely the fault of the Council. The speaker was satisfied the tank was too small, and moreover it needed cleansing every six months. The speaker suggested holding over the question of putting in the drains at the sewage farm recommended by the Engineer to the end of the financial year. He moved, that the general account be charged with the drainage work proposed in the report, and that the proposition to hold a house-to-house canvass in connection with the Borough roll be struck out. ! Cr Morris opposed putting in the ' drains as suggested, but agreed with the rest of the report. j Cr Ewington opposed the report in ' toto, believing that the Council should spend as little as possille on the present tank. He believed the whole question should be held over. It seemed that the ratepayers had not the confidence in the present Ciuncil to allow them to spend a further loan to improve the system, and he felt that it was the Council's duty now to start experimenting. Regarding the working of the tank if it had gone on as it seemed it had done for three years, it could go for another year. There was no doubt the tank was riot a success. With Cr Hunter the speaker agreed that money raised for water purposes should not be diverted to other uses. Cr Elliott said that the leaving out of the di'ains was the least the Council could do with the report. Cr Yarr said his visit to the tank had convinced him that the place was nothing but a plague spot, and a menace to the health of the community. He was going to support the work being done in the interests of the public health of the town. If it was a matter which could conveniently stand over he would certainly be in favour of that course, but it was a very serious thing indeed. If certain engineers said the tank could not treat the sewage properly, and now the Borough Engineer said he could make it do so, why should ha not be given the opportunity to try? Cr Yarr said he was absolutely disgusted with the state of affairs existing at the sewage farm. Cr Ewington here rose to second Cr Hunter's motion regarding the sewage works, which had not so far been seconded. Cr Ewington favoured submitting any proposed alterations at the sewage farm to the Health Department for their approval. Cr Haughey supported the report, with the exception of the pipes proposal, which was not pressed, and the suggestion of the Engineer in regard to tilling the Borough roil. Cr Pauling favoured the Engineer's ideas, but believed with Cr Hunter that the pipes could remain until the i fruits of the other works were seen.

The Mayor said that; the position was that because tlsi? Council had been refused a loan by the ratepayers to amend the drainage system throughout, they should not now take up a piqued attitude in regard to doing a \ery necessary work. As Cr Yarr said, the place was truly a plague spot. To adopt Cr Ewington's suggestion to submit proposed alterations to the Health Department would be simply holding a red rag to a bull, as the Council well knew. The Engineer proposed, at very small expense, to effect, what seemed to the speaker, a feasible reform at the outfall, and if he did so he was entitled to the thanks of the

Council, and if he did not the cost I was not so enormously great when so much good might be achieved. Cr Ewintgon wished to press the point of having the scour pipe line held over, but Cr Hunter was not prepared to add this to the motion. After some further discussion, the report regarding the proposed work at the outfall was adopted, subject to Cr Hunter's amendment, which was carried on the voices. The second part of Cr Hunter's motion, regarding the canvassing for the roll, was lost on the voices.