The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-04-21

pass through filters Which We're assumed,
lection.
I'VE are the more easily led to reject the
inferred waters OF the polluted Merrimac
factory water in the South Branch of
the Nashua River above the city or
Cllnton.
Also, the following quotation from their
Consulting Engineers Report, page
xxxvi. of the same volume:-
ut is plain that, with pumping station
on the Merrimac, filters at Wilmington
and a second pumping station at Woburn,
at each of which places a considerable
force OF men must be employed, efficient
administration would be more difficult and
service would be greater than with a
gravitation supply. The cost would be
greater than gravitation supply. The
cost od operating per million gallons sup
pied would, of course, be as high, as the
water must be both filtered and pumped.
Experience abroad, and for one year
with the supply to the city of Lawrence
in this State. seems to demonstrate that
water which has been considerably con-
tamnated by sewage may be rendered
reasonably safe for domestic use by fl-
must be thorough; that is, II must be
carried on conscientiously and Under skill
ful management. The consequences Of
carelessness or ineff1ciency may be SO SER
icus that ii appears quite unWise to se-
lect for supply polluted water that
must be filtered, when sources yielding
uncontamlnated water can be utlilzed al
1 wish to call your attention particu-
larly to certain lack of confidence in
ths practical operation of filter beds
and a supply thus obtained as against
supply of naturally pure water. The
objections noted are the exacting require
ments of careful and slsillful operation,
the possibility of failure ar critical times
to prevent disease, and the higher operat-
ing cost. The Board also points out the
preference which should be given to an
uncontaminated supply over one purl-
fled by filtra Qon, even though the latter
may cost less. You must also keep in
view the fact that if you continue to draw
your supply from the lower Passaic, the
purest and best of the. head waters OF
that stream will be diverted to supply
neighboring communities, and IN the
course of a few years you will find that
you are drawing your supply entirely from
of the water shed. This win leave you
not only a water which is naturally in
ferior, but danger from pollution VIII
continually increase because Of lessened
volume of the stream as will also the
proportion of sea water which reaches
your intake.
These consideration are presented to
make it clear to you that, while purifi-
cation to a certain degree is possible,
there are doubts about the Wis
dom of committing your city to
cred at this time at all, it should be un-
der such circumstances as will relleve
the city of the risk of financial loss
through failure. These, also are are me @ rea-
hausting all reasonable means of pro-
curing a pure gravity supply from a dis
tance on the lines Indicated Dy sSpeclnca-
tions A and B.
Specification is prepared for the pur-
pose of calling out proposals from any
parties who are sufficiently convinced
OF the efficacy of filtration to be willing
| to guarantee its results to your city: 1t
calls for an entirely new pumping plant
and new mains to the city, leaving the
SO that they may be used during con-
struction of the new works. They will
also remain a safeguard against. possible
failure of the contractor to perform his
work after new works are installed. The
city. plant has reached the. limits of its
sible.. bidder would attach value TO the
privilege OF using any part OF it, while,
possibly. H It is offered for such use his
responsibility for safe delivery of the
water to Bergen reservoir might be less
ened. Delivery of this water will, there
| fore, be exactly similar to that called for
will be able to determine the telative
merits of bids under these two stecifca-
| tions The contractor nHlst proyide the
site for his filter beds, the pumpihg plant
to raise water to the same. and right of
way for conduits where ground for the
purpose is not already ow'ne9 by the
| city. / submit specification G and the
plan of calling for proposals for filtration
| and delivery of water from the lower
| PasSaic by pumping for the considera-
| ton of your Board. believing this to be
| the only proper step to be taken with ref
erence to filtration at this time. or until
! it is clearly demonstrated that gravity
supply cannot be obtained at reasonable
.cos.-
We have omitted the chemical stand
| ard In the specifications for an unfiltered
! supply and substituted therefor a require
ment which we believe can be more read
ily enforced, which clearly requires moth
Ing impossible of the contractor, and
,irI -sx,s,
| ton allows the city to apply all known
tests as to the purity of the water, and
| It does not cohdne us to. chespteal test
Owing to the advancing condition OF
/ science on these points I believe the
clause substituted will prove more valua-
| Bile in future.
| ing the efficiency of filtration is by chem
ica1 and microscopic analysis and it is
necessary that we should know at pres
tractor proposes, / have retained tbs
chemical standard in the specification foi
filtering. and have added to it a micro
I have also considered the advisability
\ of preparing a form of contract to be sub
nltted with the bids, It must be obvious
tract should be drawn with special ref
erence to the accepted plans and source
Of supply. It does not seem to me to be
are definitely known. cannoi
admit that this Involves any hard
ship to the contractor. 1t is
clear thar ne cannot he compelled to sgr
any contract which does not strictly con
form to the Specifications and to his owr
i PROPOSAL and plans.
The clause which pvescribes by whom
the contract shall be drawn conforms tt
the requirements of the city acharter
| The specifications call for works of 9
capacity of thirty-five million gallons
million gallons daily whenever such in,
crease shall he needed Thirty-f1vp mil.