Rooftop for reservoir
24 February 2015
Te Awamutu's newest and biggest water reservoir is about to receive the icing on the cake with its roof being installed over the next three weeks.
Work on the $5.2 million reservoir began in April last year and installing the roof marks one of the final stages of the project due for completed in early April.
The final work will involve pouring concrete into sections of the roof which is then covered by hessian cloth and kept wet for two to three weeks. Once the concrete has set, the final stage is to apply a water-proof coating.
Water services manager Lorraine Kendrick said completing the roof marked a huge milestone for the reservoir project.
Getting the roof on is really exciting as it means we are nearing the end of the project. The roof process is pretty straight forward although one of the downsides is that, for the roof to set, it must be kept wet. This means having to use a sprinkler system for the next couple of weeks.
Given the current water restrictions, the decision to do this has not been taken lightly, she said.
We've looked at other options that did not require sprinklers but they all involved massive additional costs - near the million dollar mark - as well as lengthy delays for the project.
The reservoir will hold six million litres of water (enough to fill more than two Olympic sized swimming pools). It will support both Te Awamutu and Pirongia as well as provide extra capacity during times of peak water use and for fire fighting.
Council will plant more than 2,000 trees and shrubs around the perimeter of the reservoir in May this year to lessen its visual impact on the rural landscape.
ENDS
For more information, please contact Natalie Palmer, Communications Manager on 027 807 3174.