Page 14 - City of Cessnock Water Supply and Sewerage Service Utility

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In late 1921 Greta Municipal Council requested the Department of Public
Works for a design to supply water to Greta township only. But this design
was rejected by the Greta Council. In 1922 the Hunter District Water Board
prepared a scheme to supply water from the Rutherford Reservoir at Maitland to
Greta, Branxton and North Rothbury townships via Lochinvar. However the water
rates that the H.D.W.B. found it would have to levy was far greater that the
residents of the towns concerned could pay without hardship. On 5th February,
1929 Kearsley Shire Council inquired from the H.D.W.B. its terms to supply
water to Branxton and North Rothbury from the Cessnock mains. The Board replied
that the elimination of Greta for the supply of either Chichester or Hunter River
water would not make a scheme viable and this area should be looked at as one
total combined area. Further that the cheapest water route was from Rutherford
Reservoir, but the local water deficiency rate in addition to the ordinary rate
would make almost any scheme prohibitive. Once more the water supply question
to this particular area appears to have again been shelved.

The first H.D.W.B. office in Cessnock was a small depot office built in
1909. Towards Cumberland Street at the rear of the present office, now standing
on Lot No. 18, Vincent Street, Cessnock. This office was administered from
Maitland two (2) days a week. The tremendous growth of Cessnock and its
neighbouring districts, a continuing increase and advancement of its main
industry 'coal', plus a very probable prospect of a Cessnock Sewerage Scheme and
Cessnock's own somewhat isolated situation from both the Newcastle main office and
the field office at Maitland, were the many factors that influenced the H.D.W.B.
to replace the small office at Cessnock. A new building housing a fine office
was erected on Lot 18, Vincent Street, Cessnock by M~Grorey and Keewan,
contractors of Newcastle at a cost of £1639.0.0 ($7278.00). The building
was completed and opened for business in November, 1929.

The first officer-in-charge at this Cessnock Office was Mr. Joseph Risby.
The fnllowing list indicates the men, who succeeded him~-

JOSEPH RISBY November 1929 August 1946
GEORGE BUCKLEY August 1946 May 1953
GORDON GRAY May 1953 December 1954
ERIC (STAN) RAINE December 1954 March 1961
JACK MORGAN March 1961 September 1964
JIM HODGSON September 1964 June 1966
MILTON GRAY June 1966 December 1966
COLIN ADAMS December 1966 July 1969