Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-28
Hrarant water pefended.

SAVANNAH, June 27.--Editor Morning
Netcs: The article in your columns Of this
morning, headed "a Call for Clear Water, >
was no doubt indited by one who has but
a limited knowledge Of our water supply,
and the source from which it is obtained.
In his wholesale denunciation Of the water
he uses such strong terms as ''unft to
drink $50 full Of silt and mud as to be
practically useless" Please state where
and when any silt was found, as have
with the works, and the term mud might
as well have been left out, as our
tailed to discover any since my connection
river water Is not muddy,
but simply discolored By the red
CLAW lands in which the river finds its way
from its northern source. Eyaporate, say
1000 gallons in a tight reservoir, and the
residue left would not amount TO more
than a trace of the original. For instance,
take our tower reservoir, which was
cleaned some three months ago, and bad
not been for three years previously, and
but very small quantity OF mud was dis
charged from the same. Now this reser-
yoir holds 100000 gallons OF water and Is
comparatively in quiet state a very
great norton of the time-alloWing a ia
yorabia opportunity for the coloring mat
ter to settle.
1t is unfortunate that no means has, as
yet, been devised to filter our water. II
can be done by having settling basin OF
the capacity of l00,OOO,OO0 gallons, and
this would certainly cost something over
three or four hundred dollars, as esti-
mated by a former correspondent. Now
the City Fathers, and particularly the
Committee on Water Works, feel the me-
cessity of having pure and clear water,
for they are large consumers, and II any
positive device was known by
which a altering process could be
arranged, at a reasonable cost, they
No l~''ht wnnld stand point to meet II
having invested $50, 900 the present year
and Sl65,000 the previous year. An APP
preparation of $40, goo to $4,000 for utter
ing purposes will take some little time
for consideration. The general senti-
ment of the community is tor less taxes,
even if we have to swallow little mud.
Augusta is referred to as using water OF
the same character and color as we do.
Their filtering arrangements are on
limited scale and not thoroughly effect
i've, in fact not enough so for us here TO
follow their lead. Your wholesale de-
nouncement of our water does not exhibit
any extensive knowledge of what is being
done in other cities OF the United States
and Europe. New Ofk mas Il lilllleu
supply, and the CFoton in eertain dry
seasons Is unfit to drink. Aye, even he at
present who would prefer draught of
Croton water in preference to ours would,
no doubt, say the Thames water was SUI
perior to both.
Boston is not much better off, as the
Cochituate is at times Impregnated with
the cucumber smell and taste. The
Schuylkill water of Philadelphia is now
pronounced actually poisonous from the
many factories discharging their waste
water Immediately into it.
Baltimore, after an expenditure of eight
to ten millions, has pure water.
All of the above named cities, with the
exception of the last, have been spending
large sums to procure clear and wholesome
water, but have failed so farm fact,
all the large sums expended by other
cities for filtering purposes are only
partially effective. None asyet are per-
feet. Many, if they could filter the water
of pollution and poisonous matter, would
accept a discOloratIon without groWl.
The city authorities are not idle to the
necessity of pure and clear water, and
will readily adopt any means which will
guarantee success, In the meantime we
shall be compelled to use it as the river
affords it, with the exception ofsilt, that |
will have raked out as soon as found.
Yours truly, A. N. MILLER,
Supt. Savannah Water Works.