The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-10-30
water.Works improvements at
Washington, ID. {.

" a. -
Washington City takes its suupls of
v-ater for domestic and other uses frc 10
the Potomac river. To one unacquaiof ed
with the many ways in which watgf is
polluted, it would seem that this vast
source OF supply must be sufficient and
unexceptionally good. That, however.
is not the case. The Potomac river water
is thoroughly saturated with sewage.
and is probably as impure "a is supplied
to any city in this country.
The Secretary of War recently ordered
careful survey Of the water supply
source of Washington, and the report,
concise and copious. has reached US. 1t
is as follows:
Capt. T. W. Sy mons, of the corps OF
engineers, who prepared the report, says
in the opening pages, that those who
clamor at the expense of purifying the
water supply of city, should consider
that the amount of money expended in
domestic filters and substitutes for the
water, would go far 10 meet the cost Of
perfect Qualification Of the entire supply
OF the city.
Dealers in mineral waters take advan-
; tage of the contaminated condition of
most city supplies of water to impress
upon the minds of their patrons the dan
ger of drinking Potomac, Croton or Pas
sale sewerage as the case may be. The
fears of people are easily excited, eener-
ally, however, with good reason, and q
great expense OF purchasing drinking
water At fifteen cents a quart (the prics
of siphons) IL incurred, which would be
averted il the city could supply = water
which was clear, bright and above sus-
piciol.
The problem TO he solved at Washing
ton is TO filter about forty millions gal
Ions daily with facilities for increasing
the amount to sixty millions whenever
il becomes necessary.
Two methods of filtration presented
themselves, that by the ordinary filteriDg
beds, and that by mechanical means.
From estimates made by contractors it
was found tina. filtering beds to purify
forty millions gallons of water daily
would cost s., 200, 600, and for mainten-
ance $40. 600 4 year.
Capt. Symons found mechanical fiji
tratiOn cheaper, and he thinks better.
He SAYS in his report " The filter | have
selected as most desirable and which
forms the basis of the proposed plan OF
filtration is made by the Newark Filter
ing Company, of Newark, \. j., and in
many of the features Of which J. W.
Hyatt claims patents"
It is estimated IL the report that the
entire cost of everything needed to carry
into effect the mechanical filtration 10y
the Hyatt plan was 5000, 900, while the
cost OF maintenance would be SIS, 600 a
year.
1t will thus be seen that the cost Of fl
tering by filter beds is twice the cost Of
mechanical filters both IN original outlay
and maintenance
BY the Hyatt Rystem Capt. Symons
calculates that the whole amount Of
maintenance and interest on capital
would be $2.46 per 600, 900 gallons, sup
posing 40, 900 gallons be used daily.
This represents the yearly cost of sup
plying TO every body in the City of Wash
ington, to rich and poor alike, for every
purpose, thoroughly filtered clear water.
instead Of the impure and muddy water
now in use.
The benefits which - Guild result from
the adoption of this plan of filtration
seems to Us to lie incomparably greater
than the objections which could be
raised on the score of expense.
These facts and figures may be o. ser
vice to those who desire TO estimate on
the cost Of filterirg water in other cities.
The estimate given by Capt. Symons is
certainly very reasonable. and is Ger
tainly far less than that at which any
other CRY has ever had a water supply of
the same magnitude properly filtered by
artificial means.
If this question Of water supply for
Palatks is not taken under mere careful!
and dispassiOnate advise ment, we shall
be in pretty box in short order. We do
not advocate, neither do we condemn,
the use of filters for TIE publication Of
municipal supply Of water. VIII it not
be best to be sure that we shall get a good
and plentiful supply of water from the
ground, rather than put in little squirt
gun incapable of furnishing but a small
supply of water so BAD that people living
along its course do not dare to allow
their horses or cows to drink it from fear
OF evil effects.
=--------~
Brother Broad Comes TO the Defense