The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-26
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Ahe new water WORKS unstructlua, clui.
tucnced la 1891. has bern iu progress during
The year, with the result tnat wRtcr fftln
TIE new wells Is now being supplied 20 the
city under pressure and tn quantity
much exceeding that which has been az any
time attainable for some years previous.
The importance or this work 10 the welfare
or the city suggests the propriety or a brief
review 81 IT'S history In order that a record
may exist that may prove useful when the
works
Tne pumping machinery had become ina
dequate Tor the service required, so that
no more artesian water could have been
pumped ifit had been available. 1t has re
suited from this fact that even by using
river water, only very unsatisfactory water
pressure has been maintained previous to
sartlng the new pumps. II the old pump
had become disabled at any time the city
would have been seriously Aforementioned
ana II must be said to the credit of the sup
erlntendent that he has done exceedingly
well to keep the old pump in continuous
action under the adverse circumstances
mat have existed. The old works being re
mote from the centre Of the water demand
ana the pipe through which the water has
been forced from pump to city being small &,
a large fraction OF the force applied to
pumping has been wasted in overcoming
lrlctlon, thus operating to produce a dt-
mintshed pressure and large fuel bill.
inadequate capacity ofeXisting wells, and
their poor arrangement with reference to
making extensions, inadequate pumps and
inadequate means for passage OF water to
the city all proved facts, cOnspired TO create
the unsatisfactory supply then existing, and
| forced the city government to take steps
having an improved supply in view.
Experience at home and elsewhere gave
encouragement to the idea that the city
| could expect much enlarged supply of
| pure artesian water, and engineering advice
| was sought in quarters where successful
| experience in this direction existed. Exam
| nations was made of the history, flow and
! pressure ofall accessible wells In the vicinity
| ofSavannah, with the result that favorable
| opinion was obtained as TO the judiciousness
| of undertaking Improvements looking to an
| exclusively artesian supply. The conclu-
| sion was reached that q vast volume of
water flows continuously under Savannah
| toward the ocean and from the uplands.
| This water is fed to the ground by the rains
| on the geological outcrops TO the northwest,
| ana being as continuously fed as rainfall is
| continuous, the flow endures continuously
and will do so as long as rain continues TO
| fall. The water supply problem could be
solved If the flow could be intercepted at
| reasonable cost.
A suitable location for the intercept on
OF the artesian flow was first sought pub
| lie highway, being desirable as giving free
and readily available location. Such a
| highway being at the old water works and
| extending southwark along Stiles avenue
| existed, A line of wells may be distributed
many miles along the highway. Present
purposes however, req uired the occupation
| of only part of the highway.
Considering the cost of new water pipe,
| or force main, TO convey the water to the
city, IL resulted that a location In. that part
| ofStiles avenue, nearest the center OF demand
| would occasion less expense than any other
! location, and vet yield all the advantages
! desired. The loss of the Springfield well,
| and the temporary abandon ment of all the
old wells were fully considered in these
| computations. Accordingly the pump
| house location at Stiles avenue and Gwin-
| nett street was decided upon.
A line of wells three hundred feet apart
| extending northward frOmtGwinnett street
and on side of stiles avenue to the Louisville
| Road and thence to near the junction OF
| this road with the Augusta Road were re-
! commended with the other things as follows:
a. A brick conduit having six feet in
| ternal diameter on the opposite side OF
| Stiles avenue and at depth corresponding
| to the ocean level. The depth of the conduit
was determined, first by the consideration
| that the deeper the conduit, the greater OBJ
tatnable flow from the wells; second, the
deeper, the greater the expense of constitute
ton. 1t was also considered that to go deep
er than ocean level might lead ultimately
to some danger of draining salt water nom
the ocean.
O. Pipe connections from the wells to
the conduit. through which the water
might flow from the wells TO the conduit
49, The extension of the conduit to an
open rectangular wet well at the pump
house. from which the water might be
pumped without the necessity of a trouble
some vacuum or the Inconvenience ofvapors
or gases.
a. The wet we'll.
81 Two pumping engines, with proper
boilers, each having a capacity 90 per cent
in excess of present requirements, thus pro-
viding reasonably for growth OF the city,
and also eliminating the long existing men
ace of having the only available pump dis
abled with the result of leaving the city
without safe supply.
o. A building to contain this machinery.
a. A force main to deliver the water to
the city and having size enough to not only
eliminate friction loss at present. but for
some years to come.
These plans were laid before the council
in June, 1891 and the work was authorized
at the council meeting July, Sth, 1891.
The necessary plans and Specifications
were ordered from the engineer previously
employed. The contract for we'll boring
had been previously authorized by council.
This and other contracts were entered into
on dates, with authority and for work set
forth in the following table.