30-Inch Pipe Venturi Meter House

A venturi meter was fitted to the new 30″ pipeline that replaced the water race.

Around 1902, a new 30″ pipeline was installed to replace the 1880s water race. This pipeline carried water from the Lower Dam to the existing 30″ main supplying Wellington. A venturi meter was installed alongside this new section of pipeline, housed in a small hut, to allow engineers to measure the volume and flow of water through the system. The small building used to house the meter was under construction in March 1902.

Venturi Meter House Map

The concrete and brick structure was located near the old footbridge that provided access from Reservoir Road to Scout Hut. Today, there is still evidence on both sides of the Wainuiomata River of this old footbridge.

The photograph above shows the structure that contained the venturi meter, a reminder of the shift from the early race system to a more precise and scientific approach to managing Wellington’s water supply. The photo is dated Christmas Day in 1906. In the gallery below are two photos of the same site as it looks today.

Located at the site today are remnants of the structure strewn down the hillside near the Wainuiomata River. Included is a large thick rusty steel plate with bolt holes in the corners and around five concrete and brick slabs embedded in the undergrowth. Some of the bricks have the words “P. Hutson & Co.” embedded in them.

P. Hutson & Co., founded by Peter Hutson in the 1880s, was a leading Wellington manufacturer of bricks, pipes, and pottery based in Newtown. Its products were widely used in the city’s development, and the firm gained a reputation for quality craftsmanship before closing around 1930 during the Depression.

Note: In the photo gallery below, two black-and-white photos from 1964 show the Chlorine Plant. In the background, the 30-inch Pipe Venturi Meter House can be seen. It is believed that this structure was demolished shortly afterwards.