The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-12-19
Our 0io.
The Water-supply for our Villages.
" aExL. J. v. rarLrs, or vnnAosr.

The supply of good, wholesome water fol
our growing country villages, presents a
question Of the first importance. This fact
doubtless seems indisputable, yet, like
many other simple truths, few find time to
give it that attention which it merits
Many of our villages are SO situated that
the wells and natural springs which once
served their purposes, when their popula.
ton was small now fail to meet the de.
mand Other sources must therefore be
looked for.
In some cases dams or dikes have been
thrown across ravines in order to make
them reservoirs Of the water which flows
there, partly from springs, and partly from
the surface-wash but unless great care is
taken with these structures, the water
gathered by them win prove to be impure
and unhealthy. No small part Of the fe-
vers which afflict the inhabitants of the
country, is suspected of being due to i'm
pure drinking water. Springs that flow
from grave-yards, or from near slaughter
houses, or from other sources tainted with
decaying matter, animal or vegetable, are
not generally regarded as favorable to the
health Of those who habitually use them.
And leaden pipes, as means Of conveying
water to our houses from springs or reser-
yoirs, are known to be poisonous to many
persons, affecting their vital functions in
various ways, and completely destroying
their health.
Besides the amount Of water necessary
for large population for the various uses
Of drinking, cooking, bathing, etc, large
supply is needed for extinguishiBg fires,
cleansing water-closets, mopping floors,
washing windows and Sidewalks, ETC., and
1t is usual to make no distinction in the
kind Of water for these different uses, but
to draw for them all from the same source
IL is very true that water which is ct for
the nicer purposes oflife, Is also fit for all
other uses; but the reverse Of this is not
true. The quality Of the water-supply,
therefore, is matter of consequence; and
in this case, as in all others, the purest is
the cheapest and best
The water furnished from brooks and
rivers, although most abundant, cannot be
regarded as pure, because they are gcner-
ally polluted by manufactures, and the
wash from filthy streets and sewers. The
of filth from these sources is
small, especially during full
stages Of water, but when the streams be-
come low and sluggish, it would be pro-
increased. Even the large
natural ponds which occur in the vicinity
of some villages, though seemingly as pure
as smaller springs, are not always free
from decaying organic matter.
One of the best sources of water supply
for our larger villages, every thing CON
sidered, is the rain from the house roofs
Of these villages themselves; and especially
If these roofs are covered with clean slate;
for rain water is the purest of all water.
The underground cistern, made for collect
ing rain from the roof of house, may be
regarded as an artificial spring, formed in
\ similar manner to the natural spring
which flows from hillside, the cistern
bearing the same relation to the house
That the spring does to the bill.
Every building in village might be
regarded as small hill, and its artificial
cistern as fountain off pure water flowing
from IL. Each dwelling house might thus
be made to yield water enough for its own
tenants, while public edifees could yield
a supply sufficient for extinguishing fires
and some other purposes. As a general
rule, probably in most parts Of the United
States, one barrel Of water might be col
lected from every two square feet Of space
covered by the house. For instance; the
roof Of house 25x4O=l0OO square feet,
would yield ive hundred barrels Of water,
nr perhaps some fifteen or twenty thousand
gallons The amount at any given point
Of the earth's surface could be very accur-
ately ascertained. All that is necessary
to do this, would be to know the amount
Of rain fall at that point, exclusive Of snow
water, and thenumber Of horizontal square
feet covered BY the house. A good water
tight ciztern, Of any desired capacity, Is Of