The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-02
rFor the Dispatch
"Pure Water.''


"Pure Water.'' - Fl
"Let it console all who drink muddy wa
ter to know that when muddy the water is
probably mitch more free from dangerous
Impurities than when clear. Especially is
this true after it has remained muddy as long
as our river water has now been in that con-
dition." Dispatch Of Wednesday.
Ergo, suppose it would be very unwise
to resort TO any means of making the water
clear, and we ought to he thankful for its
resemblance to the contents of dIck~pud-
die. This reasoning, like the water itself, is
"dS clear as mud. .....s Et
Your correspondent, Mr.. Harris has sug-
gestcd one means of making the river-water
clear before it is furnished to consumers;
and as | believe in clear water | will ask
leave to tell your readers of the mode adopted
in st. Louis of obtaining clear ordter from a
nauddyrtuer, and of which | witnessed the
operation with great interest during recent
visit to that city.
A few hundred yards from the bank of
the Mississippi river, and at a trifling eleva-
ton above it, are four reservoirs called /" SET
tIing reservoirs" Into these the muddy
water is pumped from the river. and after
standing long enough to become clear by
the settling of the mud it is transferred by
an enormous steam-pump "a wonder to be-
hold. having capacity of 1S,00000O gallons
per dien1) to the distributing reservoir, five
miles distant. This reservoir, Of course, is
situated on high ground, and from it the
clear water Is distributed throughout the
city.
The settling reservoirs are pumped out by
turns. While one is being emptied the water
is settling in the others; and while they are
being cmptied in succession, the first, bavinS
been retiIled, is settling, and 50 on i'll con-
tinued alienation. By-and-by, of course, Il
great accumulation Of mud takes place at
these reservoirs; then laborerS go in with
Shovels and remove the filthy deposit. As
only one is cleaned out at a time there Is no
interruption to the regular course of the
water-supply.
learned from Colonel Rennick, the su-
perntcndeut, that ttirty-ttro hours settling
is sufficient 10 render The water clear enough
for Use. | cannot affirm that by this plan
the water is rendered as clear and pcllucid
Us water which has been We'll filtered; but
it is freed from all offensive turbidity and
discoloration, and retains only slight opa-
leScencc.
Now. would suggest to our city officials
that the feasibility Of this system here in
Richmond be matureIy considered. When
the new reservoir is completed-a consum-
nation to be hailed with joy by our citizens
why may not the two be used alternately as
settling reservoirs, so that we may ut all
times get water at least tolerabIy clear? 1t
will not be necessary to have, as at st. Louis,
distinct distributing reservoir, nor two
distinct stages of pumping; because the
| water is raised at once from the river to a
sufficient height for distribution, and can be
made to pass at once from both reservoirs
| into the distributing mains.
cannot forbear rcmarking, in conclusion,
| upon the increasing deficiency of our water
supply, resulting from the increased de-
| mand. Residing very near the highest point
on Shockoe Hill, have experienced this
summer (and my neighborS have expert
enced) difficulty in obtaining regular sup,
| ply OF water which has not been heretofore
cqualled. This inconvenient scarcity with
us is no doubt due to the increasing con
sumption Of water in the lower parts Of the
| city. 1t is high time the defects of our wa
! teriug system Were remedied, so that an
ampIe supply should be furnished to every
portion of the city. L. S. j.
! RICHMOND, july 81. .