Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-02-05
THE WATER QUESTION.
REPORT OF THE WATER COMM TTEE
WITH VARIOUS SUGGESTIONS.
The Subject Considered at IA special Meet
ing of the Board of Aldermen-Hines-
burgh Pond the Most Available
Reports of the Chemists.

men Alger, Booth, Kelly, PIERCE and
Walker were present. The meeting was
held for the purpose of having the report
of the water committee on the city water,
but the report was so long that it was
finally decided to have Alderman Alger,
chairman of the committee state the
main points in the report and allow all to
read it for themselves in published form
Alderman Alger began with a sketch of
the various steps in the agitation
of the question which led to the authoriz-
ing of the water committee to make an
exhaustive investigation Of the whole
question so that the Board might have an
intelligent basis Of action. He stated that
the committee had awaited themselves of
the services of some of the most eminent
chemists in this country, including DR..
w. r. Nichols of Boston, DR.. r. A. Witt
haus of Buffalo, Prof. H. M. Seeley of
Middlebury college and Prof. A. II. Sabin
of the University of Vermont. Between
20 and 30 analyses were made, the water
for the purpose being taken from the
reservoir, the pumping station from differ
ent depths at the break water from a point
1900 feet beyond the breakwater, from
Marks's bay and from the Hines
burgh pond and from some of these points
water was taken at different periods Sat
lsfactory results were obtained, but to be
conclusive an analysis Of the water at
each of the points most in question should
be made every month in the year and
under varying conditions. The samples
taken in the winter from Marks's bay and
from the breakwater were found satisfac-
tory The water taken from the pumping
station at an ordinary time was pro-
nounced good drinking water, but that
taken from the same place when there
was strong current from the south was
dad
taken 1900 feet beyond the break
water was found not to vary ma
terially from that at the pumping sta
ton. Two samples, the location of
which the chemists did not know at the
time they reported, were pronounced 'un-
tit for human use" and these were taken,
the one from quite depth at the point of
the breakwater to which it was proposed
to extend the supply pipe, and the other
from a melted cake of ice. The sample
taken from the IIinesburgh pond was
pronounced good. And If a change
was to be made that source of supply
would offer many advantages. The level
of the pond was found to be $50 feet above
the reservoir So that water could be run
from it to this city without pumping.
Water from that place probably could be
obtained at an expense OF 500, 600. the inter-
est on which at per cent would be 5000
ana this sum would not vary materially
spstem. Marks's Bay water was pro-
nounced equal to any but it would at
some time in the future us the city eX
tended. he open to the same objections on
the ground Of close proximity as source
of water supply as that at present.
The committee do not advise going
away from the lake for water till a
thorough series of analyses has establish
ed the purity of the proposed source. They
are satisfied that a change has taken place
in the water since $1,000 was spent to con
vey the sewage from Maple street to the
ravine sewer, allowing it to discharge near
the drawbridge. This is argued from the
partial disappearance last year of smelt.
The fish commission at Washington was
communicated with as to the habits of
these fish and the answer was that they
frequent those spots where decaying ami
NAL matter is found and when the supply
is exhausted they seek other feeding
grounds.
AS to the currents Alderman Alger
stated the committee were convinced that
while in winter there WAS no rerceptible
current, in the summer, with strong
south wind blowing, there was a strong
undercurrent to the south which carried
the sewage III an opposite direction from
the pumping station When the wind
blew strongly the water was purified at a
more rapid rate, so that even ii a portion
of the sewage did work down the lake
SuOTc inc TDlllllS Vi inc waves DuTIlitt IL
more rapidly so that when it reached Il
point mile away the chemists could not
detect great impurities.
A table was then read showing the com
parative proportions OF albuminoid am
moHiu in the water supply of twenty of
our principal cities, Out OF one hundred
thousand parts of water the water
of New Haven contained 3-thous-
andths of one part of ammonia, WOr-
cester Il, Burlington 1874, Philadel-
phla 49, Baltimore 20, Cincinnati 24
Washington and New York n, Spring
field, Mass, 81, and Boston and Detroit
Co. Burlington being seventh in the list
of 90, OF total solid residue Springfield
40, Burlington 3d. New Haven rs Wash
ington ll5. Philadelphia l4.3, Cincinnati
1872, New York Is. Authorities differed
as to the amount of impurity which good
drinking water could contain, the Eng
lish cOndemnlng all with over Is, while in
the Western States with from 20 to 30.
The speaker then stated that 4 well on the
hill in this city which was regarded as
having excellent water was found To con-
tain 1873 grams Of impurities to the gallon,
while the well from which irof, sSeeey
used water contained 30. IN comparison
with these our city water was excellent.
The committee rcfrained from making
any recommendation as to the desirahility
of changing the source Of water supply
and would not be until they knew where
they were gOlGfB ana why, out several
changes in relation to the present sys-
tenn suggested themselves The water
station as now situated was liable to be
cut off by the first contlagrGtion in the
lumber yards around it and leave the city
with two days supply of water on hand,
The city should either acquire larger
space around the water works or they
should be moved. The pumping station
should be separated from the wharf so as
to allow the free passage of water instead
of the connection being continuous and
acting as dam.
AS to the reservoir, upon consultation
with various authorities, the committee
had decided not to modest it the past year
except to remove the weeds which it was
discovered impaired the "fishy" taste
complained of to the water. There should
be another reservoir of the same size as
the present near by it with cement bot
tom and paved sides to he ready in case
of an emergency or when necessary to
clean the old one. The committee had
correspondent with various parties in rela-
tion to the driven well system, but had
abandoned it. Alderman Alger said
that he would be pleased to see ex-
70 ,i,