Evening Post 21 Apr 1887

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.

The report of the committee will be presented to the Council this evening.

The committee are pleased to be able to report that there is no grave defect in any part of the Wainui scheme, but there are several minor matters which require immediate attention, in order to prevent the possibility of serious trouble.

The large leaks in the race have been temporarily stopped at small expense, but the committee are of opinion that permanent repairs should be effected as soon as possible. They recommend that steps should be taken to increase the discharging power of the by-wash; that the wooden shutter should be replaced by an iron one; that opportunity should be taken when the water is cut off for the purpose of repairing the race to insert proper scouring valves; that a permanent protection to the pipes crossing the Wainui River should be made, in accordance with the recommendation of Mr. Higginson, before the winter sets in; that self-acting air valves should be inserted in lieu of stopcocks as soon as possible; that a standard pressure gauge be procured and fixed in a convenient position on the 24-inch main; that complete record plans of the whole of the scheme should be made without delay.

They further recommend that, with a view to the possible introduction of a system of inspection, proper plans of the reticulation of the mains throughout the city should at once be prepared, and that in future mains should be laid in such a way that districts may be isolated; that proper regulations should at once be adopted embodying precautions against waste through improper fittings, water closets, baths, etc.

The committee express the opinion that the Corporation must look to the Orongorongo Stream for any augmentation of the present supply. They believe the bringing in of the waters of that stream would be far less costly than the erection of storage reservoirs towards the head of the Wainui-o-Mata Valley, and that the benefit would be much more permanent and reliable than extending the iron pipe track to the present reservoir.

The report concludes as follows:

“The committee cannot conclude this report without referring to the remarks of Messrs. Baird and Ward, and the City Surveyor, with regard to an examination and test of the works before the water was permanently turned on to the town. They find from records in the City Surveyor’s Department that the water was turned through the race several times before Mr. Baird left office; firstly, from small streams, and on the 23rd January, 1884, from the reservoir itself.

They regret that the City Surveyor should have allowed ‘professional etiquette’ to dictate a course by which he assumed the whole responsibility for the proper working of the water supply, and neglected to make such inspections — or ask the Council to permit the execution of works necessary to enable him to make such inspections — as would have undoubtedly disclosed the present defects long before the ratepayers were made aware of them by the unpleasant episode which led to the appointment of the committee.”