WATERWORKS CONTRACT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2158, 14 August 1907, Page 1

WATERWORKS CONTRACT.

PROGRESS REPORT. Mr. Houston, OB behalf of Mr, Root. Hay, waterworks engineer, submitted the following report to tlio Borough Council last evening:— MAIN PIPE LINE. The whole of the material required for this contract, including street pipes, irregular bends, and castings sluice and air valves, are delivered in situ. The 12 inch and 9 inch pipes are laid complete and tested. 1 The pressure tank and inlet dam are, with the exception of minor alterations, completed, and aro constructed in rubble masonry with all necessary valves, inlet and outlet pipes, ( -scpurs, etc.-; "in working order.- ~ THe' l "(sdbu," pipes with 15 inch valve oii the main and 9 inch valve on the branch;, air valves and concrete wells round both sluice and air valves are fitted and built in position along the 9 anil 15 inch mains from the intake to To Arai store. The 15 inch pipe is' laid in position as far as the water opening crossing the road near Matawlioro school, leaving a distance of over two miles to lay before the water can be delivered in Gisborne. Tlie only break that occurs in this length of pipo is at the street bridge at' Matawlioro where the pipes' are cow being .suspended to the’stdel I beams in the centre line of bridge; "With fair weather the conti actor should with expedition effect- this work in a fortnight or three weeks time. ■

At the Te Arai bridge it .was liecfes-

sary, owing to the decayed condition of the approach spans of the bridge, to construct an independent trestle bridge to carry the pipes to the joists of the main truss. This work; was carried out by your foreman of works, the timber and ironwork being obtained through the courtesy of the County Engineer from the olil Mntawhero bridge. The water from the intake

has been carried in the mains as the work process and a gang, of meii are now employed testing the main from the intake to Matawlioro in sections to double the working pressure.

RETICULATION. ! The cast iron pipes, irregular castings, hydrants, sluice valves, etcl, required in the contract for reticulation of streets of Gisborne, "Whataupoko and Haiti are laid in position ; and have been tested to the specified pressure of 3001bs on the square inch. The brick wells for valves and 1 hydrants, with concrete blocks ' and covers, are with one or two exceptions, also built in position. The contracto>lias not finished off the surface of roads to my satisfaction, but proposes to carry out this work along with the repairs to roadway necessitated through connecting house services. The street pipes for the river crossings the Waimata -and Taruheru, are laid in the bed of river, and the "Waimata crossing has been successfully accomplished and tested. The bursting of a cast.iron pipe at the shore end of tin? Taruheru crossing has delayed the completion of; this part of- contract till a coffer-dam is constructed and the burst pipe ‘ replaced. A start has been made this month with the connection of house service; from the mains of Whataupoko, j but very little progress lias been made, til} delay being attributed to the short supply of lead pipes and the in clemency of the weather. The number of services connected to date is 200.”