The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-20
WILL AERATE THE WA TER,
The Spring Valley Company Pro.
poses to Purify It's
Supply.
BAD DOOR TO BE REMOVED.
Placid Lakes of the Peninsula Need
the Agitation of Seasonable
Winds.

This season to date has been remark
able for warm weather and the absence of
wind. In 1878 there was similar high tenn
perature and dry weather, marked by
prolonged luIl of the winds. Then there
was general complaint concerning the
quality of water supplied to San Fran
cisco. This season the atmospheric con-
ditions which prevail in California extend
over vast area. In the Mississippi Val
ley and throughout the great Northwest.
from the Missouri River to the Pacific
Ocean, there has been an absence OF
seasonable winds and rainfall. Even the
water in the lakes high up in the noun
tains seems to be stagnant.
Herman Schussler, chief engineer of THE
Spring Valley water works, who has made
special study of water for thirty years, is
convinced that the purest water in the
world will become stale if the oxygen of
the air is withheld from it. The water in
lakes or storage reservoirs occupying high
places in the peninsula is usually fresh
ened by the winds, which sometimes create
waves so boisterous that navigation in a
small boat is dangerous. When nature
does not supply this agitation, which is re-
quired to keep water pure and fresh, artiti-
cial means must be applied.
Speaking on this subject last evening
Mr.. Schussler said he was preparing to
have the water at Clarendon Heights and
College Hill reservoirs aerated, and would
in time extend the system of aeratIon to
include all the water supplied to San
Francisco if the state of the water should
require it. "You have no idea." he said,
show water will be improved by exposing
it to the air. When the winds which tum-
BILE it about subside it lies without motion
or air, and acquires an odor of staleness.
Once admit free circulation of air and
the odor and bad taste disappear"
The process of aeration consists of pump
ing the water or permitting it to run
through standpipe by force of gravita-
ton to height of twenty-five or thirty
feet and then to descend, broken in the
fall by shelving boards. The volume of
water is thrown into thousand threads
There is gravitation sufficient to aerate
without pumping at most of the points.
AT Ocean View pumping will be required
to aerate.
Mr.. Schussler saws the water of Lake
MERGED has not been used since the middle
of last January. The company is now en-
gagged in extensive work to carry the sur
face drainage of the lake to the ocean.
The representatives of the water COM
pany assert that water was taken from the
Almshouse sewer and subjected to chem
ical analysis and the report made that the
water came from the reservoir. Mr.
Schussler asserts that the sewer is eight
feet below the reservoir and so no water
could, as reported, leak from the sewer to
the reservoir.
The large body of water in Crystal
Springs and Piiarcitos is pure. From Ala
me6 Creek, through the pipeline across
the bay, the company is taking about
eight million gallons day. The idea is
to freshen the reservoirs with this running
water. Everything is being done, so the
engineer says, to improve the water and
remedy the defect complained of. All over
the country there is the same complaint.
Few cities, he contends, are as we'll served
as San Francisco with pure fresh water.
Should the winds and cooler weather
hold off for two or three weeks longer
artificial means will be ready by that time
to freshen the supply to the districts from
which the most complaints come. The
experience gained in 1878 has taught the
engineer what should be done, and high
places exposed to winds have been selected
for reservoir sites. There are many good
points for putting in standpipes for aera-
ton.