The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-05-16
FILTRATION SCHEMES.
Engineer Vermeule Tells
Why the Specifications
Should Not Be
Changed.
ONLY ONE PLAN SUCCESSFUL
Mechanical Processes Could Not
Relieve the Situation at Belle
vile, Which is Constantly
Growing Worse.
ONLY ONE PLAN SUCCESSFUL

engineer who prepared the Specincatlons
upon which bids have been invited for a
new water supply, was seen at his office
in New York this morning and asked
for his views upon the advantages of
the various systems of filtration.
The most extensive researches into the
subject of filtrationp Mr. vermeule said.
'swere made by the Massachusetts Board
of Health. The board was seven or eight
years experimenting with the various
methods of filtration. Its only object was
to get at the truth and it had no par
ticular filter to advance. 1t reached the
Sonelusion that filtration performed its
work two ways One way is by straining
but the grosser Impurities and the other
and more important was the oxydation
of the impurities. This oxydation could
only be accomplished by giving the
water plenty of time to pass through
the filter. 1t is possible that the process
called oxydation is aided to some extent
by friendly bacteria, which become
dangerous ones.
'eThe reason that gravity filters are
necessary with large filtering areas is
to give the time needed to effect the
destruction of animal matter The me-
very rapid rate. in fact fire it through.
The sand method allows it to pass through
naturally by gravity, and in that way is
very similar to the methods employed
by nature to purify water by filtering it
through the earth.
.sThe gravity specifications adopted by
the Jersey City Street and Water Board
had clause headed Pollution must be
prevented" What was contemplated by
that was mainly the inspection of water
sheds. which would reveal any source of
pollution and the contractor could be
compelled to remove the cause. But in
the filtration specifications we knew he
couldn't prevent pollution and he had
to remedy it. So he was asked to furnish
a chemical standard which would in
dicate how far he proposed to remove
the pollution. He was also allowed to
avail himself of all the city's power to
prevent present and future pollution of
the Passaie. SO that by taking advantage
of this power he could reduce the nitrates
and chlorine. The advocates of filtra-
ton claim that much of the pollution
can be prevented If this is true in case
betty undertakes filtration then there
is no reason why It is not true in the
case of a contractor
IT don't regard sand filtration as en-
tirely experimental. I never said it was.
consider we know pretty fully what
that system of filtration will do But
know from experience that mechanical
filters will not do the work BY me-
clyanical filtration we understand the
various patented rapid filters put on the
market by filter companies Some of
them claim to be purely chemical in their
action. but they are all rapid filters.
The Passaic water in a dry time is one
third sewage, by actual measurement,
and must be treated accordingly The
heaviest burden that will rest on the city
in undertaking filtration will be to pre-
vent the Passaic water from becoming
worse and worse. The lower half of the
water shed is red sandstone country
q densely populated and has over 10000
acres of drowned lands. The upper nalf
yields very desirable water, but this will
be diverted during the next twenty-five
years to supply other places, leaving
Jersey City water that is and always
has been naturally undesirable, in addi-
ton to being terribly polluted. The only
safe plan I believe is for Jersey City to
secure water from the headwaters while
it is still to be had. She cannot prevent
diversion, because there will always be
enough water at Belleville for her needs
no matter how bad may be its quality.
'.The chief value of the filtrati ton speci-
fcations will be to determine whether
any one is willing to undertake and
guarantee what the city authorities are
not willing to permit the city to do. If
the authorities are wrong in their po-
sition. they will be convinced of the fact
when anyone is found willing to guar
antee the results of filtration by the
best method known
II examined recently town in New
Jersey where a mechanical filter was in
use and was absolutely failing to do it's
work and I was asked to report on
new source of supply which is now being
considered.
1T is absurd to ask the city to throw
open this matter SO that all mechanical
filtration companies can bid on something
the city don't want. There's are not
many cities in this country Which use
filters. Poughkeepsie and Providence use
sand filters satisfactorily. All the cities
in Europe that use filters use the sand
Those in London, however, are not work
ing satisfactorily. III spite Of all that has
been said about it. One of the London
Commissioners recently told a friend of
mine that Some other means would have
to ne devised to secure water for the
city
There are cases where mechanical
filters work wen and improve the water,
but it has only been where the water
was reilly and muddy, or contained some
slight impurities. but there is no case
on record like that of the Passaic, either
In this country or abroad, where me-
chanical filters have worked success
fully.
''The city authorities have looked into
this thing carefully and have done what
they think best for the city. There is
no reason why the city should make a
change for the purpose of allowing filter
companies to bid. Even if the filter COM
panies would furnish the bond for $500
900 the city authorities would not be
justified in making change for some
Thing they believe can't be done. They
don't want a forfeited bond; they want
pure water