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Story: Irrigation and drainage

Tile drains

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Tile drains

Clay tile pipes are very hard and long-lasting; they continue to be effective as long as they are not blocked by mud or plant roots. The pipes are usually covered with a coarse material such as gravel to allow water to easily enter through the joins between pipes, and to filter out soil. These pipes were being laid in Southland in 1948.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: AANR 6329 21 DA38,508

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Terry Heiler, Irrigation and drainage – Drainage, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/19650/tile-drains (accessed 25 June 2026).

Story by Terry Heiler, published 1 March 2009.