My Account
Leak wastes water
Michelle Downey, Tindalls Bay
I am pleased to see that, at the moment, the water spilling over Whangaparāoa Road between Vipond and Glenelg Roads has finally been fixed. This has been spilling since last year. I hate to think how many thousands of litres of water have run across and down the gutters. I have spoken to Watercare and was told that it had been looked at and no fault found. Watercare was there earlier this week and now the road is dry for the first time in over six months. So keep conserving water – no sprinklers! Ratepayers deserve an explanation. The road was constantly wet all summer so six months is a conservative figure.
Tim Scheirlinck, Watercare operations manager, Northern networks, responds: The corner of Whangaparāoa and Glenelg Roads in Red Beach is the site of one of our bulk supply points, where our larger transmission watermains connect to the smaller pipes feeding the local network. At this location, we have an underground bulk supply point chamber that contains sensitive equipment. Over time, this chamber can fill up with water. To protect the equipment, chambers are fitted with a sensor that triggers a pump to remove the water when it reaches a certain level. The water is pumped out and discharged to the curb, where it runs down the road and ultimately ends up in the stormwater network. The water pumped out of the chamber is rainwater. We have had reports of suspected leaks at this location, and each time, we send a crew to investigate. In each case we’ve found it’s simply the chamber pump operating as it’s designed to do. The community plays an important role in alerting us to suspected water leaks – please continue to do so. We investigate every reported leak, and assign a priority level based on a number of factors, including the estimated volume of the leak. We aim to have all leaks repaired within three days.
Correction In an article on Kung Fu Chef Restaurant (HM May 5) the claim was made that it was the first classic Chinese restaurant on the Coast. This was incorrect and Hibiscus Matters apologises for the error.
Ōrewa’s town clock is now back on its plinth, opposite Ōrewa campground. After the clock was vandalised last year, it was repaired by Peter Lewis of Laser Electrical, with the cost covered by the clock’s owner, Gordon Cashmore (HM May 5). Neville Bros provided the crane to lift the clock, free of charge, on May 6. Peter was there to fix it in place and ensure the electrical connection was working, while Gordon looked on.
Stillwater’s first dog show, held on May 2, saw 42 canine competitors take part in fun events like best senior dog, waggiest tail, and agility. Top dog was Sugaray, a West Highland terrier (Westie) who won Best in Show. He and owner Alex Blackwood won the owner lookalike category, as well as placing 2nd in the elderly dog category. Sugaray, pictured with Alex and one of the event organisers, Lisa Tucker, right, is 20 years old, which is considered very senior for a Westie. The Stillwater event committee hopes to make the dog show an annual event. It raised $400 for Saving Hope Foundation.
