The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-04-04
PASSAIC FILTRATION
Joe Bears Mr.. Hazen Dis
sected By the Engineer
ing News.
DOLLARS VERSUS SENTIMENT
Chsapness OF the Sand Bed Plan
Not Srficien* to. Outweigh
Natural Rspulsion.


the filtration report of Mr.. Allen Hazen,
prepared at MT. Joseph A. Bears in
stance as q boom for h Evening
~Journsl's'' latest obstructionfsu FAD.
After an exhaustive discussion OF the
results of filtration and its cost, the
conclusion is reached that "the senfi-
mental reasons in favor of q pure noun
tain supply might readily enough out
weigh all others in the case of Jersey
City and lead to its adoption"
This must be truly d~iscouraging to the
great combination which is endeavoring
to hamper the city officials i'm procuring
a new water supply.
In commenting on the report. the En-
cheering News says
Jersey City is generally credited as
having one of the worst water supplies
of any city in the country. 1t is satc
that at times the water is SO laden with
organic matter from sewers as to give
rise to offensiv odor and taste. Such
the gravest dangers of typhoid epidemics.
If this water can be rendered not only
tolerable to the senses, but perfectly
harmless as well. then there is scarcely
a water supply in. the- country that
would not yield to publication, maxine
the seeking of new and pure natural
sources one of financial expediency
rather than of health.
THE Passaic River water is evidently
considered by Mr.. Hazen as being at
times nothing more nor less than a
highly-diluted sewage, and the facts
seem to bear out this assumption. 1t Is
therefore proposed first to treat the
water much as weak sewage would be
treated-thst is, subject it to intermit-
tent filtration at what would be a high
rate for sewage, 100000 gallons per
acre per day, in uncovered filter beds.
This process would probably reduce the
liquid in question to pretty fair drink
ing water, so far as freedom from or
ganic matter Is concerned. 1t would
also remove most of the sediment and
a large percentage of the bacteria. That
1t should do this is evident from the fact
that the water does not contain suffi-
Gent organic matter to bring the rate
of filtration down to less than ten or
twelve times that employed for sewage,
while, ais compared with the rates en-
ployed for other water, IT is only from
40 to so per cent. of that practieed on
some very bad waters where great re-
auctions have been made in the typhoid
death rates.
Having dome this much for the water.
1t is proposed ITO subject it to a second
hatration at only a little over a fair nor
NAL rate for water-that is, to put it
through another set of filters at a rate OF
100000 gallons per day per acre. These
filters would be constructed with the
greatest care, and to avoid all risk OF
a lower winter efficiency they weuldsbe
covered with q vaulted masonry roof.
The combined ffsterins area would be SO
acres. giyiHgsa rate for the whole plant
of less tkan 100000 gallons per acre per
day, and aaakang. MT. Hazen states, a
larger area "a proportion to h water
supply 'thsp any other fiitratten plant
~pnridicataSa. ss6ufsa shoald be Fnore conn
piete.' pazhe 4lt1ti0u, the report
states. fiasFkeen used ~ one Of the Lon
o ostn Matsr s3psy COMPANIES and by the
CITY takes Ats supply from the River
Mas q xshHr,t distance below the point
w'nere q teoSxes the sewage of the
nj cbty. Of Eottefdasp. Single filtration,
the Passaic water at all times and would
PROBABLY yield ap4 e~fflueat which would
not be paEticularly injurious to health,
But 1t is not considered safe to rely upon
this alone.
No one familiar with the recent adj
vances and present status of sand Ultra
!lon WIFI accuse Mr.. Hazen of lacking
~ conservatism On his report or of re-
commencing a plan which. if carried
gut faithfully, both in CONSTRUCTION and
maj operation, would endanger ithe lives
81 any community. Intermittent sand
nltratlon removes practically ali t,he or
ganac matter and bacteria from sewage.
me more diluted the sewage. the easier
the task. The same process is remoTsno
pracnically all the bacteria from drinkine
wafer IN many places throughout the
moIid today, as is testified both by bac-
saaeh en~aIninauons and the low typhoid
9eath rates in those cities. If single
Ihtratron will do this for waiter and
ssMase, unen double filtration along the
INES proposed by Mr.. Hazen must he
dsnandy Aosoluteiy safe as any process
nnIelu!ng IN part upo the faithfulness
alu skill or human operatives can he
lie article goes On to discuss so-oa
Inconsistenctes of public Sentiment IN ~
yara 70 s9e use of polluted and uttered
az some length. it goes on:2
Far De 1t from US to beittle the fee1;ngs
OF tnose m ask for the puresf ~ n,,Sa
tin,sn mere IS room for an honest SEN
.aan an artfhcially purified water A.
some one has well expressed it we wan3
haossnce not repentance" in the matfar
cI public water supplies. But If nav 81
fact in scores of Communities toa nay, n
!, Inc case that grossly impure wafer 10
oeing drunk largely because mere sant Z
cation plants. = Purin-
me legitimate place for this sentiment
q 10 rser iuiI play is in choosing between
sun raIger expenditure for a naturally pure
ficttapIiyv h,a e smaller one for water arti-
uollars q million gallons is this sentimant
70 you, taxpayers, is the ouestion
tor Ely y authorities to ask and for the
There are some cases whera - aaaswer.
Involves no great expense IN cost an5
SeneTs where a naturally pure SUNNY ~
tory in cost. se pronfDi-
a concrete illustration, let us %
each from this general discussion to the
siLuatlon In Jersey City. Of course oniv
are enln1sbe nsu res are possible, but there
sides to afford a basis for COMPARING fha
reiatIvS costs of publication as aesinst