Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-09-03 00:00:00

tion to increase the wages of Thomas Formby, Assistant
in the Library, from 20, to 25s per week.
Mr. STEA.INS moved that the tender of Messrs. Holme
and Nicol, for constructing the superstructure of the
New Public Library and Museum, be accepted. He observed
that several tenders were sent in, and that that of Messrs.
Holme and Nicol was the lowest. The Surveyor approved
of it ; and as he was anxious to get on with the work,
there having been much delay in regard to it, the con-
tractors were instructed to proceed with it at once. There
were twenty-five workmen employed on the site that
morning, and the work was proceeding rapidly.
Mr. KITCOEN seconded the motion, which was unani-
mously adopted.
The other recommendation was postponed in accordance
with the standing order.
On the motion of Mr. Steainq' seconded by Mr. Kitchen,
Mr. Charles Mozley was elected a member of the Committee
in the rcom of Mr. Fleming.
The general proceedings were then confirmed.
WATER COMMITTEE.

The proceedings of this Committee were read. They
comprised the following reports from Mr. Duncan and
Mr. Spencer, and letter from Dr. Angus Smith :
REPORT OF MR. DUNCAN.
To the Chairman 54, the Water Committee.
29th August, 1857.
Sir,—At a meeting of the Water Committee, held on the
Ist instant, a communication from Mr. Fordred, respecting a
process of filteration and discolouration which he desired to
bring under the notice of the committee, was read. It was
resolved—" That the engineer be authorised to test Mr.
Fordied's plan of filtration. and report."
In compliance with the above resolution, I have, for the
information of the committee, to report as follows :
Mr. Fordred has three methods
First, by mixing pounded chalk with the water to be filtered,
precipitating with the chalk the colouring matter, and then
passing the water thorough a filter formed of sand and lime-
stone.

The Second Method is similar to the first, the material used
for precipitation being limestone, ground to fine powder and
mixed with the water. The water being allowed to subside,
is passed through a filter similar to that already described.
The Third Method is to filter the water through granu'ar
limestone.
Another Method of filtration has been tried by myself.
which consists of passing the water through sand, pounded
cinders, or coke, and the lower part of the filter of a thin layer
of limestone gravel.
• It will be out of place to give more than the results obtained
by the different methods. I shall therefore describe these as
succintly as possible.
First Method.—Results.—The water being allowed to
remain at rest for twenty hours, after mixing with the chalk,
was drawn off and passed through the filters. The brown tint
of the Rivington water had almost passed away ; the water,
however, presented an opalescent appearance ; this, in some
measure, disappeared in twenty-four hours after filtration.
Second Method.—Results.—In a less space of time than
by the former method the pounelt•d limestone was precipitated,
when the water could be drawn off and pissed through a filter,
as in the case of the chalk mixture. The colouring matter
had also, in a great measure, disappeared, and the water pre-
sented a very similar appearance to that obtained by the
method first described.
Third Method.—Results.—This has not been prosecuted to
the same extent as the methods described above ; but from a
small experiment the water obtained appeared fully equal in
quality to that by methods 1 and 2.

Fourth Method.—Rcsllts.—By this process, the water,
after treatment, was equal in apparance and taste to the best
quality by either of the three of Mr. Fordred's methods, with
this advantage, that it contained less lime, and consequently
maintained nearly its original softness, with an equal degree of
absence of colour.

First Method.—As respects the first method of Mr. Fordred,
a few statements will be sufficient to show that it is altogether
impracticable on a large scale. From the experiments made
I deduce the following facts :
Ist. The rate of precipitation will not be greater than three
feet deep during twenty-four hours; consequently the depositing
tanks could not be advantageously made of a greater depth than
from three to four feet. The area for settling ponds for one
day's supply would be equal to nearly fifteen acre?, and that
thirty acres of land would be necessary to construct such works
as would be required to comply with this proposition.
Secondly. That the weight of chalk required for one day's
supply, taking it at one-fourth of the quantity used by Mr.
Fordred in his experiments, would amount to 87 tons ; and the
cost would amount, at a moderate calculation, to from al) to
£7O per diem, or an annual expenditure of about £23,725.
This is altogether apart from the labour required.
More need not be said on this head.
Second Method.—The second method may, with the excep-
tion of the land necessary for the works, which I set down as
one-half that required by the chalk process (the rate of precipi-
tation by that process being twice that of chalk) would, in
other respects, be very similar, the daily, cost of material I
believe, from observation, to be equal to that required for; the
chalk process, and, therefore, its further consideration is an
unnecessary waste of the time of the committee.
Third Method.--This third proposal would involve an entire
reconstruction of the filter beds at R:viugton, as it is there the
new works are suggested to be placed.
I estimate an outlay of £30,000 to be necessary before the
works could be rendered available for process No. 3.
With the fact before me that the water so treated would
become harder by several degrees than the Rivington water in
its natural condition, I have concluded that this scheme is not
such as recommends itself for adoptiop.
By the Fourth Method, the filtration would be carried on
without disturbing the Rivington works, the operations being
proposed to be carried out in Liverpool, adjoining the present
reservoirs.

The materials that wound effect the discolouration of the water
are cheaper and more easily applied than by any of the other
methods suggested—but even this method would ba attended
with a large annual cost. It would, however, possess the
advantage of simplicity, and could be worked more economically
than either of the others suggested.
From my own observation, and all I can learn, I have come
to the following conclusions respecting the state of the water at
Rivington.

The water has now been impounded in the Anglesark Reser-
voir for nearly 20 years. On my last visit to the works I
observed, with regret, that the water was as deeply tinged, if
not more so, than ever I had seen it before.

I also observed that the, water passing through the filter-
fteder into the filter beds was in colour as dark as any I had
previously noticed.

When the upper works are completed, the average quern), of
the water may be mended ; but I cannot conceal from the
committee my conviction that the water will not be so much
improved by time as will render it agreeable to the inhabitants
of Liverpool, in so far as colour is concerned, so long as its
treatment is by simple sand filtration;
Doubtless the water, by standing in the reservoir, does to
some extent improve, and the time may come when it may
improve more than at present ; but the scource of impurity
are on the hills from whence the waters come, and not alone
in the reservoirs where they aro stored. Therefore, unless the
scources are purified, the streams f om the hills must continue
to send into the reservoirs coloured waters, which ordinary
sand filtration is ,only capable of modifying, and not of
remedying. _ _ _

=, Another point which I most respectfully beg to direct the
attention of the committee is, that in consequecca of the dis-
tance between the works at Rivington and Liverpool, the
water assumes an appearance more brown than when it leaves
the equalising tanks at Rivington. IVfr. BouloB letter to the
chairman respecting the presence of animalcu're leads me to
notice that the open reservoirs aro favonrablo to the develop-
ment of organic life; and that, in spite of the utmost care
that can be exercised, aninialcu'ms do and will find their way
into the cisterns and pipes connected with the storage and
distribution in Liverpool. These facts lead me to state further
my conviction that if anything is to be done to improve the
Rivington water, it must be accomplished at the Liverpool
end, immediately before it is passed from the home reservoir
for the use of the inhabitan's.

The committee are aware that, from the introduction of the
Rivington water up to the present time, the water distributed
has been mixed (slightly varying in proportion), the state of
the Rivington water and the unfinished condition of the works
rendering it unadvisable to supp'y the town from that source
alone. A larger quantity of the water from the local wells
has been pumped than would have been necessary had the
colour of the Rivington water been less deep—consequently,
the contemplated saving on its introduction, however desirable,
cannot be effected ; at the same time the Rivington
expenses remain unaltered, except in a very insignificant
degree.

It appears to me to be highly desirable to adopt one of the
courses which present themselves for election, so as to enable
the committee to supply to the inhabitants water in i.s best
possible condition, at the same time to reduce the expenditure
on the water account.

Recommendations.—First. I beg, therefore, to point out
for the consideration of the committee, and I do so after having
examined, to the best of my ability, till various bearings of
this most important question, to institte such a system of
filtration at Liverpool as will improve the colour of, and render
the Rivington water alone sufficiently clear and palatable for
all purposes, domestic, public, and manufacturing; or.
Secondly. To adopt the alternative of laying a separate
system of pipes for the supply of unmixed water from the wells
for table uses, preserving the Rivington water for those pur-
poses for which it is best adapted, and thus place Liverpool iu
the foremost rank as respects a water supply.
My views as to the latter scheme are already before th?
committee and the Council. and I see no aeason for changing
the amounts necessary to carry it out.
In conclusion, I beg to remark that, in my opinion, the
latter is the best of the two plans; for, doubtless, the time will
arrive when all the water which can be procured at home and
from Rivington will be required, The end desired in mixing