The record-union., 1891-06-29
SEWAGE DISPOSAL-THE PROPOSE.
TIONS.

SEWAGE DIsPOSAL-THE PROPOSE
TTONS.
The RECORD UNION of Saturday con-
tanned a report of contemplated proceed
ings of local health and other officials
that look toward plan for the early set
tlement of the vexed sewage disposal
question. Further than appeared in that
report the RECoRD-UN is not advised as
to what is proposed. But it notices with
qualification that the idea is to adopt the
precipitation plan as explained in and
suggested by the RECoRD-UNIoN elabor-
ately few days ago.
A study of all systems of sewage dis
posal and thorough examination of re-
ports of trials of several methods re-
suited in the conclusion that but one
method is possible for Sacramento, that
is, disposalsby training the sewage to one
point, and there precipitating the solid
matter, discharging the effiuent into the
river, which can be done without the
slightest injury to the stream. This is the
plan that the health officials are about
agreed upon, as indeed are all the people
with progressive ideas and any fair
knowledge of the sanitary systems of dis
posing of sewage. The local conditions
prohibit a gravitation method; lifting to
q pipe line and placing the latter is too
enormous a task and too costly; sewage
farming is prevented by the location and
the absence of proper soil for sewage
farms; the further use of the drainage
canal is out of the question, for it does
not drain, and if it did, we have no
right to send polluted fluids through it.
1t is said that the Health officer is con-
WINGED that the present sewers can be
used to collect the waste matter. The
RECoRD-UNIoN has so held throughout
the debate. Not that the sewer system
we have is what it should be, but that for
the purposes of a precipitation system
they can be utilized until we are able to
substitute better instrumentality. Ger
tain it is, that if the precipitation plans
We're rejected, because we cannot put in a
new sewer system at once, we would still
have just what we have now. Instead
of the absence of new sewer system
being an objection, therefore, it is really a
reason for the inauguration of aprecipi-
tation system.
AS we understand it, Health Officer
Nichols proposes TO the Trustees the
establishment of precipitation pits on the
plan of the Worcester system as sketched
in the RECoRD-UNIoN. These will be
eXcavated at lowest water so as to give
the greatest possible fall to them through
the final or collecting drain. That, then,
all sewage shall be trained to these tanks
and treated, and the sludge disposed of to
phosphate company, which will furnish
the necessary chemicals in payment for
the sludge, which it will also remove
That in the meantime the discharge pipes
of the Eighth and Y-street pump shall be
enlarged, and the drainage pumped to
the river. 1t does not appear that the
Health Officer has as yet decided whether
the pump should be removed to Front
and streets, an economy of power, fuel
and length of discharge pipe that we are
convinced should be adopted, as the
RECoRD-UNIoN long ago suggested
Some correction of the sewers it is pro-
posed shall be entered upon at once and
the work continued from year to year
until the system is satisfactory.
AS to the plan proposed to raise the
money for the first years expenditure, it
il to be fairly considered and given all
the importance it deserves. 1t would
seem that if city creditors are willing to
advance the $4,000 on the personal Sc
Curity of twenty citizens for six or eight
years time, that the city could well afford
10 guarantee the safety of such sureties.
Certainly no community would fail to
hold such public-spirited men harmless
after availing of the benefit of their act.
New taxation is out of the question; in
creased revenue from licenses and bor-
rowing are, therefore, the only means re-
naming. But as we are not advised as
TO the details and conditions of the pro-
posed loan, the RECoRD-U UNION reserves
its opinion until the plans are fully dis
closed. This much we do believe, that
the Inauguration of the new system of
sewage disposal will so fully justify the
expenditure of the necessary money to
be raised in excess of the increased rev.
enue of the license fund, that the question
of repayment of whatever agency may
advance the coin, whether as proposed or
by other means; by personal loans or issu-
ance of certificates of Indebtedness, will
really be very trif1ing matter, and that
such repayment will be made long prior
to the maturity of any obligation found
necessary to make. For we must dispose