The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-13
THE BILBo CANAL.
Some Suggestions Relative to Dis
posaI of Sewage.


Editor Morning News: The perennial
question of the abatement of the Bilbo
canal nuisance is again before the public,
and let US hope for the last time before
its ultimate disposal.
There is a general consensus of opinion
that the canal, in its present condition, is
nuisance, and the prevailing opinion APP
pears to be that it should be abated in
such manner as to still be retained as
the outlet for Sayannah's sewage by being
formed into a properly constructed
sewer
The objections to using the Savannah
river as an outlet have gradually faded
away and only one remains of any con-
sequence and that is easily Obviated.
The idea that the discharge of sewage
into the channel of the river might in
some way effect the bottom of the same
by the deposit of solid matter and form
silt or bar is very plausible, but could be
easily overcome by the introduction of a
properly constructed settling tank near
the mouth of the outlet; in which the
solid matters could be deposited and per-
iodically removed.
Whilst the general opinion prevails
that the sewage should be discharged
into the river, some objection has been
raised against allowing it to enter in a
crude state. This idea appears unten-
able when we consider the fact that
every gallon of sewage entering the
river is diluted by being mixed with some
1000 gallons of river water. This intini-
tesimal proportion of sewage would be
hard to find except by very careful
analysis and microscopic observation.
The suggestion was offered in your pa
per a few days ago that the sewage of
the city should De treated on sewage
farm before it's ultimate disposal.
A sewage farm is body of land laid
of for agricultural purposes upon which
the sewageis allowed to flow andpercolate
through until it find its way in clear
condition to the outlet by natural or ar
tihcial means.
Sewage farms are Of two elasses-"sur-
face irrigation, =" in which the sewage is
allowed to flow broadcast over a large
area of land, and intermittent fltra-
ton, +" in which the land is laid off into
small areas on one of which the sewage
is allowed to flow until the land is sur
charged, when another area is brought
into use.
The former requires much larger
area of land, whilst there is considerable
expense attached to preparing the latter
for use in the shape of understanding
same. The prerequisites for sewage
farm are a suitable location, which in
this case must be near the river. or some
other water or outlet; an appropriate
subsoil for the iltering process; not TO
have spring water within ten feet of the
surface, and to be some distance removed
from any settlement.
Special reference was made in your
article to the city of Berlin, and ii is in
teresting to carry out the plan for Sayan-
nah on the basis of the Berlin informa-
tion. The population of Berlin is 1900,
600, that Of Savannah 10, 1000, or less than
one-thirtieth. The discharge of sewage
at Berlin is "a, 900 600 gallons a day or
80 gallons head that of Savannah is
1000, 900 gallons day or 1855 gallons
head, being five times more per head
than Berlin.
The area Of the sewage farms at Berlin
is 10000 acres, which answers
for 40, 100000 gallons of sewage. Savan-
nah would require to dispose of her ,000,-
900 gallons farm of 3, 100 acres TO carry
out the same plan as Berlin.
Can suitable location be found con-
venient To the river, removed from Settle
| ments, containing 3,l00 acres and no
spring water within ten feet of the sur
facel Surprising il could be found, let us
consider the details more fully. If it is
to be found at al! it will be above the level
of the sewer outlet, and it will be neces-
/ sary to pump the sewerage up TO the
higher level Here we have an expense
which besides the first outlay to cost of
| farm would be an annual drain of prob
ably $4,000 for running and maintenance.
Would it pay2 The cost of the farm,
based on the Berlin figures, would he
| 81 100000 Whilst the figures given by
| MIR Shaw in his article might lead one to
| believe that the Berlin farm will event
| ually pay handsomely, he states
| specifically that at the present time it
| does not pay its full interest, also that a
! sewer rate or tax is levied annually for
| the expenses incurred.
The experience of most all the sewage
| farms in Europe is that they have hard
| work TO pay expenses, and whist many
| of them have heavy deficit only know
! of one which clears as much as 4 per
| cent on the outlay, and that is a gravita-
| tion farm where pumping is not required
| The reason for the small return is not
| far to seek since the idea of the great
! value of human excrement for fertilizing
purposes has been exploded. In Europe,
where the solid matters in sewage are
! treated in various ways to produce COM
mercial fertilizers, they almost all are of
/ such small value that they are given away
/ for the hauling. Another great Considera-
tion is the cOncetrated form of the sewage
in Europe as opposed to the great diiution
here
Taking Berlin as an example. For every
gallon of dilution there we have five gal
I luis LUIS BICdJ disparity III Lub quantity
of manurial matter to the whole bulk of
liquid would render our sewage almost
| worthless as a fertilizer.
If the Bolton street sewer were dis
charging sewage as highly concentrated
as that of Berlin habitation anywhere in
the neighborhood would be impossible. 1t
is only this great dilution of our sewage
that has "made our calamity of so long
life" Is the climate adapted for this
kind of treatment ! think not.
l have never heard of sewage farm in
! India, in any Of the African settlements
I or in the southern part Of Europe They
4 are all in the cooler regions of the tenn
/ perate zone. The average temperature for
/ the year in Berlin is So, against that OF
I So at Savannah.
The putrefaction Of animal matter in
I this climate is so much more rapid that
/ what would not be Objectionable in the
vicinity of Berlin In a week would create
rank nuisance here in a day. The only
conclusion TO be arrived at is that if the
Bllbo canal is a nuisance il is very ques-
Z tionable If we should in any way better
our condition by establishing sewage
farm near the city, and we might only
abate one nuisance 10 create another
| A sewage farm is never established
only as last resort when the outlet IS
( into stream the water Of which Is used
NJ some lower point for domestic pur-
poses There is no instance on record Of
a seaport town or city on a tidal river
having the expensive hobby OF a sewage
/ q. D A.s.