WATER FOR WELLINGTON
LAYING THE BIG STEEL MAIN
Although the weather has been less than ideal for any outdoor work, good progress is being made on laying the new 21-inch steel water mains from Orongorongo to the city. The first section, from the Orongorongo tunnel down to the Wainui flat, is particularly challenging, passing through a rugged, heavily forested ravine with George Creek running through it. George Creek carries a strong flow from the Orongorongo mountains to the Morton Dam at this time of year. The new mains have been laid past Semple’s camp, and, instead of following the track down to the lake, are being routed over Solomon’s Knob, saving between 700 and 800 feet in distance and piping.
To carry the new main across the Wainui stream (between the two dams), solid concrete piers have been constructed in the stream bed to protect against any unusual flow or washout. These piers are anchored in solid ground, ensuring a stable foundation for the mains. South of the caretaker’s house, the new main route diverges from the existing one, climbing the western hillside to a new track, about 80 feet higher than the old road. This elevation anticipates the future Morton programme, which includes constructing another dam a mile downstream from the Wainui dam. This planned dam would flood the valley below the caretaker’s house, including the existing road. Next summer, faster progress is expected on the level stretch across Wainui Valley, where the new main will follow the road, aided by an automatic trencher. A direct route has also been defined over the Wainui Hill for the line’s continuation.
Tags: Newspaper Waterworks
