Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-28
HOW IT is PUMPED
Over 5000. 900 Gallons Of
Water Is Nov
DAILY CONSUMED BY THE CITY
Il Tests the Capacity Of the Great Pumps
- Keep Up With the
Demand

One of the most interesting topacs
during this weather 10 the water sup
ply. Await To the pump houss OF the
city water works ois1losss scene OF
activity made necrssAry by the dry.
hot weather. The two sngsnss buiit
years ago by Buttsrwoftn 4 Love are
both running. one with daily capacity
Of 5000 90 gallons, the other with .
daily capacity Of 5.0oo.0oo gallons.
The sniIil-V4il pump, with its capacity
of z, SOC. 900 gallons. 10 also earning ih
board and keep In the twensy-fouf
hours ending At 2 p. M yesterday
oslo. AIS gallons Of water we're sup-
Piled To the city. yet ali the saioons and
50 Ia fountains we're actively engaged
In dispensing drinks. II can scarcely
be wondered at that water In Grand
Rapids 10 not = popular drink. for II 70
river water undisgussed snd unfiitered.
The filter that was placed IN the river
some time ago 10 y good crab Catcher,
but II 10 vaiusless tor the purpose
named. consequently CITY water 10 used
manly for Quenching flres and enrich
ing the lawns and gardens about town.
There 10 large increase IN the number
of consumers, 700 having been added
TINS season. There - now grand total
of $500 consumers IN the city. Addl-
tional pumping power has been badly
needed aud will now be supplied by the
new Holly engine, which has capacity
OF l4,000, 900 gallons per day. 1t 10 now
IN posiuon anu Will soon be started.
The north engine. whose capacity 10
5000, 900 gallons, has alone been de-
voted 10 supplying what 10 termed the
high service, toe hill and vicinity,
pumping water into the stAndpipe.
Pumps In the Low service.
When the new Holly 70 started the
south engine. whose capacity 10 $780,
600 gallons, will he attached 70 the Hill
service. the Holly and Smith-Vaii
pumping directly into the reservoir for
the low service. which includes ell the
business portion OF the city.
More water 10 being used now than
ever before. An average OF S.OOO. 600
per day has been pumped into the
mains daily since last Friday. Only
once before in the history of the water
supply OF this city has . mark OF S,O00,-
600 gallons been reached and that oc-
CURED one day last summer.
There Is . double system OF water
worKe, the division occurring IT the
we'll between the pump house and the
river. The water 10 in one we'll, but
there are two systems of pumps. pipes
and MAINS, one leading 10 the stand
piLe for high service and the other go
ing into the reservoir for low service.
The greatest demand for water In the
low service 10 toward the close of the
afternoon when the factories are all
running. The greatest draft on the
high service is in early morning and
evening, the water in this district be-
ing used mainly for sprinklinE. The
standpipe has capacity of only 400. 900
gallons. 1t 10 seventy feet high and
when the water 10 lowered . matter Of
twenty feet, or even less. the consum-
ere note An appreciable difference In
the force. The inefiiciency will be
modified when the new Holly begins
work and the north and south engines
are pumping for the hill.
Mey He Connected.
At any time in case of fire the two
systems may be connected by means Of
q main near the reservoir and stand
pipe. OF course, the pressure will not
Re great. bat it will I'LL the mains and
the fire engines will do the rest.
The water supply % furnished by the
river 10 practically insxhaustible. II
may not b - pure - mountain dew,
but il 10 wet IL may contain au oc-
casioual mass of sewage or bit of blue
cloth from the Soldiers' home. but
that does not destroy Its fire quench.
ing properties. Competent authorities
place the number Of gallons daily pass
ing down stream 1T it, lowest etaee ~
600, 900 900. Reeds lake could be ex-
haused by the city pumps and Cold
brook could easily be pumped from the
face of the earth BY the same method.
Four years ago when Reed'a lake was
tapped by the city mains the water in
the lake lowered one-haIf inch daily
and at that time less than 5000, 900
gallons were being consumed per day.
No water has been taken BY the city
from Coldbrook in i've or six years,
the entire supply coming from the
river. Nor Is The old settling bas,n
used. except for . fish pond by the
boys. The city has outgrown the
setting basin, Coldbrook and Reed
lake, but the resources of Grand rivel
arc equal 70 the demand of the pro