WATER MAINS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 May 1940, Page 7

WATER MAINS

LOAN PROPOSAL A summary of points in connection with the Cement Lining of Water Mains which merit your full consideration before recording your vote next Wednesday.

1. Q. Why is is proposed to line the 16. 12 and 18-inch mains? A. Because they have become heavily incrusted, reducing the flow by approximately 30 per cent, after having been in use for 40 years. 2. Q. Will they corrode-up and become heavily incrusted again, after lining?

A. Definitely no; once lined, the bore remains the same throughout the life of the pipe. 3. Q. Is it necessary to lift the pipes to cement-line them? •A. No; by the Tate Process which it is proposed to use. the pipes are lined in the ground; thus saving the cost of lifting and relaying. 4. Q. Wouldn’t it be satisfactory to just clean the mains by scraping? A. No; the full effect of just cleaning. only lasts for about two or three years; and it is found that the growth of the tuberculation and incrustation is much more rapid, after cleaning. 5. Q. Has the cement-lining of water mains been carried out in any other towns in New Zealand?

A. Yes; nineteen towns in New Zealand have had cement-lining carried cut —in 3in. to Bin. mains; approximately 95 miles having been completed to elate.

,6. Q. Are they entirely satisfied with the results obtained?

A. Yes; entire satisfaction has been expressed by them all; and they hope to extend the work, as soon as finances permit. 7 Q— Have there been any failures with the cement-lined pipes? A. —I have no knowledge of any occurring anywhere in New Zealand, Australia or elsewhere: entire satisfaction being expressed in all cases. 8. Q. —Will the lining of pipes which are structurally defective make them like new again? A.—Definitely no; while it might prolong the life of the pipe for a year or two, the cost involved would not be justified; such a proposal would not be economically sound; replacement with new cement-lined pipes being the solution of this problem. 9. Q —Are the pipe lines proposed to be lined in sufficiently good order to justify lining? A. —Yes. The pipe lines in question are in structurally good order; practically the whole of the defects in the 12in. and 18-inch spiral steel pipes are due to rivets blowing out: and lining will put' an end to this trouble. 10. Q —How long would consumers drawing their supply off these mains be without water?

A. —Barring accidents; only 24 hours. 11. Q— -Why not tear up the lOin. and 12-inch mains and put in one 24in. or 30inch new pipe line instead of bothering with cement lining and tackle the major scheme now, even if it is estimated to cost approximately £60,000.

O.—Firstly, the cost of lining is only (approx.) one-third of the cost of replacing the mains with unlined pipes of the same sizes. Secondly, with steadily increasing prices of waterworks materials (including pipes) due to war conditions, it is impossible to give anything like a firm estimate. Thirdly, the indications are that the Loans Board would not consent to such a proposal in adverse times such as we are passing through at present. 12. Q. —Does the present proposal form part of the major scheme? A. —Definitely yes; so that nothing is lost by proceeding with the present lining proposal: on the contrary an improvement in the flow will assuredly result.

13. Q. —Is it proposed to extend the work of concrete-lining in the future? A. —Yes. It is proposed to ask the council to provide a sum annually for the extension of this work; the smaller and most heavily incrusted mains to be done first.

14.—Q. Suppose the town doubled its population during the next 25 years; and larger mains had to be laid to meet the corresponding increased demand, would the lined pipes be of any further value?

A. Yes; they would be lifted and relaid in the business area, which would also have grown in that time and require larger mains to satisfy the increased demand.

15—Q. Is it proposed to bring the "major” scheme forward again at a later date?

A. Yes: immediately the war is over and prices return to normal, the Council will again be asked to consider placing the balance of the "major” scheme before the ratepayers.

16. —Q. If the water pipes into my house are defective will I get any benefit from the lining proposal? A. No. If your service is defective it must be renewed before any benefit will accrue. However, the Council renews the service on the street (and in copper pipe) free, providing the service inside the property is renewed also, 17. Q.: Is the process of lining the pipes in situ, a complicated one? A.: No, on the contrary, it is fairly simple. A 'movie' picture, illustrating the whole process, was shown- at the public meeting (held in the Municipal Hall), on Thursday evening, May 2. 18. Q.: If the loan is carried, will the work be proceeded with, before next summer? A.: Yes, it must be done during the winter months, while the pressure, is sufficiently high to enable the town to be supplied by one main, while the other is being lined. In this respect we are, as a Borough, fortunate in having two mains enabling us to do this without undue interruption of the supply. 19. Q. If all house-services have to be disconnected, will it be necessary to dig holes, all over the street, to locate them? A. No; an electrical instrument, known as a Detector, is used to trace the services out to the main; so, that only a small hole is required for each, service. 20. Q. Are the fire-hydrants lined, also? A. Yes; they are lined at the same time as the pipe; and in the same operation. 21. Q. How are pipes satisfactorily cleaned, before lining? A. By means of scrapers, wire brushes,’ badgers, and mops hauled through them, with a hand-winch. 22. Q. Would it . not be better to build an additional reservoir, to overcome the shortage? A. No. Extra storage will not give an increased delivery. It must be done either by removing the incrustation (which means reducing the frictional loss) or by increasing the head, or height of the reservoir, above the town.

23. Q. Would it not be possible to build a large low-level reservoir and pump from this during low pressure periods? A. Yes; but the initial cost would be greater than the present loan, plus the annual running cost, amounting to £550; so, the increase of rates would be far greater and the proposal before you would still be necessary, when the major scheme is proceeded with. 24. —Q. By what amount will it increase my rates? A. By approximately 2s 8d per £lOO of your unimproved value; that is to say—if the value of your section is £5O the increase in your rates upon previous unimproved rating will be Is 4d. if a £lOO, 2s Bd, if £l5O, 4s, if £2OO 5s 6d, with proportionate higher increases for more highly-valued sections than those quoted to enable ratepayers at almost a glance, to estimate for themselves the approximate amount of increase of rates each respective (high or low-valued) section will be called upon to help pay for the new proposed waterworks loan if carried (as hoped) by them. 25. Q. What about all the swimming baths in the town? —are they not responsible for reducing the town pressure? A. No. Although we have 2 public, 5 school, and 3 private swimming pools drawing their supplies off the borough supply, they are only permitted to be filled or re-filled during high-pressure periods; and, on several occasions, they have remained empty for days at a time, awaiting authority to re-fill them. 26. Q. Supposing the major scheme is turned down when the proposal for it is before the ratepayers at some future date, is there anything gained by carrying out the present scheme? A. Yes. The increase in the flow of water is permanent and the life of the mains considerably prolonged. Masterton, 4/5/40.