1860S-1920S Early Water

4 Water supply in the Wellington region 1867–2006 1860s-1920s Early water Surveying the Orongorongo River, February 1915 Water supply in the Wellington region 1867–2006 5 The mayor and councillors boarded three Since Wellington had been founded water waggonnettes and, with the bad news fresh had been “collected from house-tops into in their minds, headed for the works. The barrels and iron tanks, and also some roads were still muddy from the rains and shallow wells”. At springs on Grant Road their journey by vehicle ended at Sinclair’s (Thorndon) behind the offi cers’ cottages sawmill. From here, guided by works staff, “a usual sight was a number of women, they picked their way along a valley fl oor housewives and maids with large jugs, strewn with branches and rocks and caked cans or pails, around the spring getting in silt. They might have ridden the little water which seemed to take a very long tramway line, but it had been engulfed time to get, though the fl ow of the spring by the fl ood. After what seemed miles of was very free, but no more than the gos- sloshing, but was only 20 minutes on foot, sip”.6 Streams piercing the hills also pro- they arrived at a site of utter devastation. vided clean water, but the growth on their The dam into which so much hope and banks of homesteads, which used them as ratepayers’ loan money had been poured sewers, “cannot be otherwise than detri- was a wreck – scoured out behind and mental to the wholesomeness of the wa- Parliament received the city’s fi rst water supply, in 1868, from a spring on Tinakori Road. This detail from breached in its middle. While some minds ter” and was considered “very unsatisfac- a plan of the ‘Tinakori Water Supply’ shows the spring (far left) close by the Premier’s residence (Premier turned to blame, the engineers immediately tory”.7 Analysing the water, government House), with pipes leading to nearby government buildings. (Wellington City Archives Reference 00456:W1159/7) thought ‘rebuild’ – Wainuiomata’s water scientist Dr James Hector referred to “the in laying utility services. However, hills Offi ce.13 By mid-1868 this supply was in must get through to Wellington.1 misery and suffering entailed especially of had one advantage – gravity. Engineers use, and the Colonial Secretary tried to the children from the prevalence of intesti- This event in 1883 probably inspired a could rely on a drop of almost two metres- sell 136,000 surplus litres per day to nal worms” and concluded that “no water later mayor to claim “the engineer made in-the-kilometre bringing water to town. the city. A sales pitch by Jerningham collected from within the crowded part of Wellington”.2 With its reclamations, and Wakefi eld could not close the deal.14 The the city, either from wells or house tops, is The fi rst reticulation in the city was initi- road and rail works, the city had been reason was not money, even though the safe or proper for human consumption”.8 ated by the Provincial Government, to hewn from an unwilling shore, but the Town Board was impecunious, but that Recent research in England had linked supply shipping at Queen’s Wharf. In 1867 water story is no less one of vision and the government’s reservoir leaked badly water to diseases, such as cholera, so the Messrs John Beck and Carter tunnelled skill, of overcoming doubters and harness- and the supply was inadequate.15 After health aspect was known early.9 through the Hill Street ridge to a spring on ing this “natural genius of place”.3 It is declining this supply, the Town Board Tinakori Road and planned to lay pipes to an engineering story that had started two The town had “long been crying out for a laid the government’s pipes beyond the wharf.11 The spring was on a govern- decades earlier, when the new Town Board water supply and various plans have been the Parliamentary ‘demesne’ to Browns ment property purchased in 1865 for the was presented with a growing population.4 suggested [by 1867], more or less grand Wharf, off Molesworth Street, where Premier, and the water was collected in an Relocating the General Government from in design, and expensive in nature…. lighters from an increasing number of underground cistern by his front door.12 The Auckland to Wellington in 1865 added The chief diffi culty is the fi nancial one”.10 warships refi lled their tanks. The board city, however, picked up the work laying to the demand, but also brought the fi rst Wellington, as residents know, is a hilly again used its hard-labour convicts, with pipes to the government’s reservoir built major injections of capital.5 city – the topography presents a challenge overseeing ‘gunmen’, for this work.16 on Hill Street beside the Meteorological 6 Water supply in the Wellington region 1867–2006 to survey.19 Other engineers generally Concern also over ‘jobbing’– councillors February 1870, he calculated a flow of 1.4 agreed with the scheme, George Aicken benefiting financially from public works million litres per day, enough for 10,000 adding that the water could be drawn via – delayed the Town Board’s advance- people. He reported on 28 March 1871 that a 1.6-hectare, six-metre deep reservoir for ment into a borough (under the Municipal the Kaiwharawhara was “the only source double the current population of 6,000- Corporations Act) by a few months.26 The worthy” of tapping (having also assessed 7,000.20 A letter to the editor urged the availability of the Hill Street supply also the Ohiro, Te Aro and Karori streams). Town Board to adopt the works as they discouraged the scheme being adopted. The point by Baker’s Hill was the place were of “incalculable benefit to the town… Wellington’s Waterworks Company to build the 160-million-litre dam because [and would] have nothing to do with was, however, established and its shares it “little exceeds two chains in width at party politics”.21 secretly issued, but it played no part in the the top and [has a] depth of 60 feet”.34 He scheme adopted.27 intended to allow the average summer A consulting engineer, Robert Marchant, flow to continue down the stream, but still prepared another scheme for the city in In mid-1869 Beck re-entered the picture compensate the “riparian proprietors” af- April 1868.22 Marchant’s scheme, which with a waterworks scheme. John and fected. Indirectly referring to RM March- he promoted through a pamphlet with William Beck wanted to tap Te Aro Stream ant’s proposed route, Nicholas Marchant lithographed drawings, would pipe the to form an 11.4-million-litre reservoir, would “avoid the stream’s sinuosities” Detail from an 1869 plan of the Government water down the Kaiwharawhara valley and asked to open the streets to lay reticu- Domain, including water reservoir. by sending the supply through a 365- until being tunnelled through the North- lation pipes, which they had ordered.28 (Archives NZ, Reference AAFV 997, WT9A) metre-long tunnel under Baker’s Hill to a land Hill to Tinakori Road.23 Including The board “gave the same permission distribution basin at the top of Aro Valley. Meanwhile, Wellington’s first town plans for a 136 million-litre dam, this was as to the Gas Company” – so long as the A drop of 46 metres in elevation from dam surveyor/engineer, Richard Skeet, had the first proposal submitted to the board interests of other riparian users “were to basin would “break the head of water developed a waterworks scheme.17 This “approaching completeness,” according protected”.29 Brewers and bottlers using [reduce its pressure]” for its journey down was to supply the southern wards of the to his namesake and new town surveyor/ Te Aro Stream “threatened… several to Willis Street and reticulation thereaf- town from Te Aro (or Waimapihi) Stream engineer Nicholas Marchant.24 To pay for actions” if their water was interfered ter in 200-millimetre and 150-millimetre in Polhill’s Gully (upper Aro Valley), with the scheme, Robert Marchant proposed with.30 In October 1870 the board declined pipes. His tunnel, basin and 21.7 kilome- the Thorndon Ward being supplied from Dunedin’s solution. The Dunedin Water- Beck permission, possibly after he had tres of piping would cost £17,358.35 Notice the Kaiwharawhara Stream tapped near works Act 1864 assigned power to the started the headworks.31 It did, however, of the Wellington Waterworks Bill in June Baker’s cutting. Together the cost would Dunedin Waterworks Co Ltd to build the agree to buy his pipes (for £1,265.9.5).32 1871 defined the 92 hectares intended to be £41,575 (a huge amount, beyond the waterworks and rate the users: its two Wellington’s new city council (WCC) be taken and listed the several owners and town’s budget), though no plans were dams on Ross Creek were built in 1865- asked Nicholas Marchant to progress the two gold mining companies the council prepared.18 At the first mention of the 1867.25 When, in August, Wellington’s waterworks. He summarised and bor- had to buy out before proceeding.36 The Kaiwharawhara, the board said it would ratepayers found that the Town Board had rowed elements from Skeet’s scheme, Municipal Corporations Waterworks Bill, “not undertake or execute any work “entered into” the expensive scheme with Aicken’s scheme, RM Marchant’s scheme under discussion by now (and passed in beyond the outer boundary of the Town Robert Marchant, their indignation boiled and finally the Becks’ scheme.33 Having 1872), would vest the water rights in the Belt” but would leave this to the Provin- over.

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