The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-07-10
Mr.. HERING'S final. REPORT
On the Sewerage Problem in
Roanoke.
He Recommends n Direct Discharge Into
the River or Tinker Creek as tho Most
EcOnomical-The Situation Reviewed
in Detail, and Recommendations ade
mittod.

some time ago submitted plan OF
sewerage for Roanoke, has submitted to
the sewer committee of the City Coun-
oil his final report of recommendations,
which 10 printed in full below:
To the Committee on Sewers, Roanoke,
Va; John Shcchan, Esq, chairman.
j. A. Mcconnell and j. II. Skinner.
GENTLEMENI herewith present to
you final report upon design for
system of sewerage for your city, and
which will supplement my preliminary
report, dated April 10.
AS stated therein the consideration of
the storm water removal should decide
the main features OF your works. The
natural outlet for storm water is Lick
Run. But unless it is converted into a
smoothly-lined artificial channel, which
would require very heavy expense at
the present time, no sewage should be
discharged into this run. l have,
therefore, considered plans for separat-
ing the storm water and sewage, as well
as for conveying them in the same
sewers Plans were also considered for
intercepting Orm-watcr on the line of
the old Lynchburg road, and carrying
it in Tinker Creek and for intercepting
1T by tunnel or drain in order to dis
charge 1t into tho river at one or several
points. Together with the consdera-
ton oil the relative merits of these pos
sibIe plans it was necessary, also, to
consider present needs and present
economy, as well as future economy.
Tho conclusions have reached las
already partly reported to you) are as
follows:
1t has been found practicable to inter
cept storm water and sewage from a
large portion of the city and to carry it
directly into the Roanoke river. To do
this will so much relieve the present
Campbell street drain that flooding dur
ing heavy storms can be prevented for
long time and the existing rainfall
sewer will be largo enough to carry off
all the sewer reaching it, like wise for
long time. The means now at your dis
posal are sufficient to carry out this
work. While, with the same means,
that portion which could be built on the
other plans would not accomplish as
much for your present relief. In my
first report and plan | have described
the work which should be built now. 1t
remains for me to describe that which
should follow in due time Before
doing this, however, it is necessary to
make some remarks upon the ques-
tion of
THE FINAL. DISPOSAL OF TIE SEWERAGE.
send you copy of paper prepared
by mo at the request of the president
of the State board of health of Cali
fornia, on the subject Of sewage dis
posal, which will save repeating much
OF the substance at this place. When
you consider that the average sewage
p OF American cities, and probably of
that which now flows down your in
tercepting sewers, contains only about
one-fifth of one per cent. of organic
matter and possibly as much inorganic
matter, and that the rest is sim
ply water, any question of utiliza-
ton for profit, other than for pur-
poses of irrigation, needs not
moro than q moments attention to
discover the practicability The only
question to be considered by you is one
OF publication.
From practical standpoint sewage
can be completely purified in two WAYS,
according to our present knowledge.
One is by slow intermittent filtration
through porous material of mineral
character; the ether is by high dilution
IN running water containing an excess
of oxygen in solution Decentralization
in both Gases is accomplished by the
presence of micro organisms and there
fore under conditions OF temperature
and suiiiciency of oxidation which will
support their life
The most rapid and perfect purifica-
ton is found to be contained by inter-
mittent filtration through sand GRAINS
the size of mortar sandy at q rate not
exceeding possibly 10000 gallons per
acre day. Where sufficient land of
this nature is not availa BILE. it is neces-
sary TO go to the expense of subit citing
the sewage to chemical treatment, in
which lime, salts of iron or alumina are
tn nj;
tation of the suspended and at best
about onc-third of the dissolved organic
matter. The clear liquid, still containing
putresclble matter, can then BIS COM
pletely purified at tho rate of possibly
as much as three hundred thousand gal
Ions per acre of sand per day.
In Roanoke there is Mother the terri
tory available for economical sewage
publication, nor is it necessary at pres
ent to completely purify the sewage
The other, much less expensive
method, is and for long term Of years
will be, equally good in its results. I'm
less the water OF the stream is to be used
for potable purposes at places not far be-
low the city, it is prac ticable to use it for
dllutlnS the sewage to such degree
that the micro-organisms can effect the
purihcation in similar manner to that
by which they accomplish it in sand. 1t
is found that by this method dilution
In current of from three to four cubic
feet per second will take care of the
sewage Of 200 persons without allow
ing putrefaction to take place, and
therefore causing no nuisance, but per-
hitting rapid oxidation Of the organic
matter. When the stream gives insult
hcient dliution, its power may be in
creased by first straining the larger
n mo tnr %f ~