The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-11-04
THE WA|LUKU RESERVOIR
EXPERT OPINION or JAMES q
TAYLOR
Tells what The Damage g., How 70
Occurred and Makes Estimate Of
Probable Cost of Repairs.

EDITOR STAR The recent reports
of the condition of the Waikiki Rcser-
yOiT and the damage to the same, and
the estimated cost of necessary repairs,
have all been so greatly exaggerated
that the writer makes the following
statement of facts regarding the same.
ON Monday the 2lst of october / made
careful examination of the Wailuku
Reservoir and advised as to the best
manner and method of making the
necessary repairs.
The reservoir was constructed in June
and July of 1900 the general design was
a circular reservoir having a diameter
of S2i2 feet and to hold about 10 feet Of
water. The walls and bottom of the re-
serVoir were constructed of concrete
with a double cement lining. The en-
tire reservoir being covered by a roof
of timber and shngled. The roof being
supported by the walls of the reservoir.
In the opinion of the writer the FIRST
or original cause of the damage was
due to the effects of the last kona
storm which was in the vicinity Of Wal
luku the most severe and disastrous
known to the oldest inhabitant on Maui,
and from the lack OF proper surface
drainage from the roof and reservoir
site, a slight crack in the wall of the
reservoir appeared and seepage conf
menced and continued until the earth
outside the concrete walls became tho
roughly saturated with water This
condition combined with the weight Of
roof and maximum pressure of full
reservoir caused a slight settlement,
with the effect of charging the crack,
increasing the seepage, and creating an
upward pressure from the bottom. The
upward pressure from below would be
increased by the rapid emptying of the
reservoir through the waste pipe for
the purposes of cleaning, or for eXami-
nation faster than the surface of the
water in the saturated plane would be
reduced by seepage through the SOIL
or the crack in the wall.
The supply discharge and waste pipes
leading to and from the reservoir, and
the gates controlling the same are Sc
curely laid and strengthened by con-
crete and were i'm perfect condition at
the time Of my examination. Concrete
and cement construction being perfect
~ rigid the slightest settlement would
cause a crack. The men employed on
the concrete and cement work were Mr..
Abbey and Peter Jap, both of whom are
known to be slkilful masons. The
strength of the cement used can only
be obtained from careful tests of the
concrete and cement Innings now in
place in the reservoir.
In my opinion the necessary repairs
can be readily made and at a small cost
The total cost of the Wailuku and IA
hului water works, including water
rights, rights of way, main and dis
trbuting pipes, reservoir site and reser-
voir, is approximately $4,000. These
works are one of the best investments
of the Government, yielding an annual
income of between three and four thou
sand dollars. besides furnishing an
abundant supply of pure mountain wa
ter for all purposes. The few hundred
dollars necessary to permanently re-
pair the reservoir is a small item and
could be easily arranged.
/ will say in closing that the appear
ance of the reservoir in its present con-
dition would naturally give a wrong i'm
preston and tend to greatly magnify
the actual damage, and especially as to
the cost of repairs in the abs ance of a
knowledge of the methods used In con-
structing the reservoir.
Yours respectfully,
JAMES T. TAYLOR,
Member of American Society Civil
Engineers. Consulting Hydraulic
Engineer.
Haiku, Maui November 2 1901.