The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-10
m KEEP THE WATER PURE.
,,vrrR FTELEY ON THE POWERS
E W. THE AOUEDUCT COMMISSION

OF THE A0UEDUcT CoMAisSloM.
,ho Reservoirs IN Order. but
h.N.,.,.tiou - Necessary to Prevent the
n.,,,t,on or streams In the watsrshea.
=. Aro % the Aausduct Commissioners
oh '. resolution ordering Chief Engineer
80 .xamine into the contamination Of
i"e, ,,.r supply OF this city from the Croton
NV W.. os renorted by the health authorities.
H. r.port whether any measures could %
Nu :" ", tho Aoueduct Commissioners TO miti-
".e. ~. p,esent CONDITIONS and what could
gov, . ~, no legislation or otherwise II 1t were
-,,hin tho power OF the Commission to
a., In tho matter.
yns,nesr Fteley submitted his report yester-
day. he SAYS u...r.h.a ,or thu
..,,mpla, on OF the water. as well as Tor the
,'.,.,s,rs settlement Of the population. mas
..,ueht different conditions. The impound-
,asoI large quantities OF water necessary ior
,ss .oualization OF the water supply. lavors. TO
". ~. .,ent. the subsistence and diludon OF
sn N'ssn,s matters 70 suit the Importance OF
- nnst not be undsrvalued. but 1t causes
'. ,,rs. tho formation OF vegetable growshs
",nh imusir the taste Of the water. But OF
'" causes OF depreciation OF the Quality OF
- ,hs most impor ant 10 obviously. the FREQ
-, n ,hs wafer courses OF liquids charged
".h the refuse matters from the most
ar,o,.d por,ions OF the watershed. These
. .srr,ss Of pollutton have been thoroughly In
e.s,,,a,sd Mt divers times by tho health an-
,sorities. The report OF the State Board OF
Tssi,h Of 1850 especially presented the sub
Nv, .,,b creat thoroughnsss. and tho present
..,minatop OF tho Health Department OF the
VI, confirms their findings. They cover a
..,, extensive ground. from the nuts ,nces
,snna on distant farms and small initial water
.,rrsss to the factories and towns where the
..rare is concentrated and emitted into tue
main streams. There lies tho greatest danger
:, tho quality OF the city's water supply.
~ notice Messrs. Martin Il Beebe OF the
usa,,h Department report that the water in
IN, sodom reservoir appears TO be grossly
contaminated with organic matter OF vegeta-
&. origin This statement seems to impy
s,oss nrrlsct on the part OF the Aqueduct
commissioners and certainly gives to the pub
II, . vary erroneous idea OF the condition OF
,h,nys 1t is a TACT. we'll known to those con-
varsnnt with such matters that during tho
trs, year. which follow the flooding OF now
reservoir in our climate. the water Issuing
from /, always disencaee suiphuretted hydro:
authorities ds5 as as, 60 fae fa%sS 81
.ction VII CD produces that phenomenon does
not Introduce any dangerous element il the
S'' xas and i. rs freed ro% after 'G rum:
hing u few hundred ieet In tho air.
sdm reservoir has been treated as Is n nnd
PUSHES have been cut down to the ground and
the weeds anil hgn grass have Teen burned.
al tho surface soil from the 70 ;ervoir grounds
| and to leave only the gravel and sanu eNposeu.
bn.itis doubtful whether the lar re n1 I,sS
ny tho results IMPORTANT Reservoirs thus
treated are known 10 have shown the same
lnht, tsAA6
oth h S 1 generally attributed to
the presence Of decaying vegetation. more
is only aueson o. tm M Wns5 f toe@ ae
"On the whole although tho absolute neces-
/ sity OF checking tho contamination OF the
watershed must. be recognized. 1t is fact
mat the population in the Croton watershed
S thar tSs IN ansss Does
show the water to / 9 unwholesome. and that
i is not inferior to what 1t has been for years.
| more complete and more reliable as to Its
illness for drinking purposes i the Health
spddiion to It's Numerous chenss snsiyses
Although 1t is to be regretted that It has been
made to arpesr to the discomfo,t 81 map az OF
may Be- s Soped that the thus s1sst.d
The ast Ic6sDtsF 40 d ths Laws Of 1889
from which the A4ueduet Commissio e,Is &c ds,
The CONSTRUCTION Of the work under their their
otsn as s her sa 'arsd clio" IN sanitary
ters A number OF features. have been intro
in the degn % tire wo II
nent among them is the large scale on which
give iac,i.s Tor Il. selection Of water for tho
city s supply AT times when there may be local
l.
nations. 1t is calculated 10 prevent In dry
year an excessive lowering Of the surface OF
snond obviously be avoided. and 1t Increases
The chances OF dl lnto on and OF subsistence the
nay extend to the destruction OF tho germs OF
disease.
As an additional safeguard it may not be
STABILITY OF securing u id tional land IN the
plargIn the new reservoirs. Whatever may
p IS a that Td Gefsa af to nasS
the brains would facilitate the work.
have In tie preeeiing remarks touchsd
Health DEPARTMENT to the presence OF vegsta-
ton IN tho reservoirs. and on the large expense
"l-swhs . of exeavatins the most Shallow
naits o. the storage reservoirs and OF forming
ma this practice is tsnsheial. but it O., u d.
wholly curing il, Tor new shadows must form
when the wa er Is drawn doN n, and. rs In Q
.orncr case, it is doubtful whether the result
| would JUS lily the great cost involved Is
would be well. however, to examine those
POINTS IN all their bea' lngs.
II a IMPERATIVE that the flowing OF polluted
waters INTO the water courses should cea-e. as
ron that source may come the greatest
danger I" public heath. Proper legi -lation
only can stop the contamination Of the water
supply By tho Objectionable drainage which Is
thrown to the winter courses. You are con-
vsrssnt with tho previous attempts made In
nat he Wi h tho regulations promulgated by
me state Board Of Health under Legislative
authority, and with the Ieaotionary legislation
Whicn so' ped the in"ipient work OF reform.
Tbs interests OF New York on one side and
otthe town. established on the watershed on
ne ne otae In the matter OF SANITARY regulations
are ; OF wholly an ,agonistic. Tho towns must
rscogniz- tho fact that even II New York were
not procuring its water supply from their
= hslghi oihood thoy have some duties to pc
i2rhi rs TO their sanitary conditions which
n iMey must promote by their own sxertions
a Nitn, however. additions! obligations and ex-
q nsshWdtnres are !ouud necessary for the benefit
s. 81 New YORK. II IS only Just that the burden oil
n 'is same shoul d fall on the latter.
me policy heretofore advocated has bee n
81 one OF prevention only. as Indicated by tho
a regulations O. the Sla'e Board OF Health and
~, thought that 1t should be pre served for
i ,s1laed places and for small ssttlenen's dis
rant from TIVE watercourses. For large settle
,hrn,s especially those on tho watSrcourses.