WATERWORKS.
During the year, 1526 yards of new mains were laid and 971 yards of old mains taken up. There have been during the year twelve cases of defective joints in the 24 inch main on the Hutt road and on the Petone beach, which have been opened out and remade. There has also been again one burst main on this road. Within the city there have been replaced three 3 inch, seven 4 inch, two 5 inch, and two 6 inch burst mains.
The old covered race at Wainui o mata, being in an exceedingly defective condition, is, in accordance with the Council’s decision, being replaced by 30 inch diameter cast iron pipes. These are being laid along the low side of the road to reservoir for a distance of 100 chains, and will be connected to the existing pipe line near the end of the tunnel from well, and to the reservoir at a lower level than the present race.
The completion of this work will ensure: first, the absence of risk from collapse of the race; second, that the water now running to waste from the race itself, and from the overflow at the well, will be saved; third, that it will be possible to draw off from the present reservoir to a depth of 8 ft 6 in, instead of 6 ft as now; and fourth, that by the provision of the Venturi meter the exact quantity of water delivered into the city can be measured. A meter house of brick and concrete, with concrete subway for Venturi tubes, has been erected alongside the pipe line, on land acquired from Mr Wakeham. In this house there is accommodation for a second recording instrument, which will be required on the future pipe line.
In connection with the question of an extended water supply, the Engineer says: The Council and a special committee have again had under their consideration the proposals previously recommended by me for obtaining a larger water supply to the city generally, and especially to the higher levels. The whole scheme as submitted was approved of by the Council, but with the object of strengthening the position when the ratepayers were asked to sanction a loan for such a considerable sum, it was deemed expedient to submit my proposals to outside professional criticism, and with this course I fully concurred, feeling that the best interests of the city would be served thereby.
With this object, Messrs W. Ferguson and R. L. Mestayer, M. Inst. C. E., were selected to go through the whole of the details of the scheme with me. This naturally involved a large amount of time and labour, necessitating our meeting on fifty six occasions. The result of this conference with the gentlemen alluded to was that, with trifling exception, they endorsed the proposals submitted by me, as well as the estimate of the cost.
A considerable time was spent by us in carefully considering the details of the water regulations brought down by me in July 1899. Those were finally amended, recommended to the Council, and adopted, and are now in operation. The whole of the details of this water supply scheme must be fresh in the minds of Councillors, and it is therefore perhaps unnecessary for me to refer at length to them, but I should like to take this opportunity of emphasising the imperative necessity that exists:
(1) for the construction of an impounding reservoir at Wainui o mata, with a line connecting with one now nearly completed;
(2) for a new 30 inch main across the Little Wainui river, and by way of the road to join the existing main near the Post Office;
(3) for acquiring the catchment area at Karori; and
(4) for altering and increasing the size of the main reticulation pipes within the city.
By specially emphasising the urgent necessity for those particular works, etc., I do not desire in any way to minimise the necessity that also exists for the proposed duplicate main from Wainui, for until this latter work is carried out the higher levels of the city cannot expect to obtain that supply for domestic and fire purposes which they should have; but the completion of the works before alluded to will give the best results which can be obtained from the present supply.
