The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-19
AN UNLIMITED WATER SUPPLY.
TO BE HAD BY CONNECTING THE
WORKS WITH THE RIVER.

Connect the Old Well with the New
| WouId Give "A supply of 11,5OO,O0O
Gallons, which Could BE Doubled
II Desired, by Connection with the
River-The Total Cost of the work
| Estimated at $I39.S10. or, without
| Reservoirs For River WATER, S121,-
S10-SOme Suggestions Made For
Increasing the Pumpnge at the
Works.
The report of Civil Engineer Sugden to
the water commission on the subject of
extending the conduit of the water works
from its present terminus to the river and
connecting the wells a [ the old works, con-
tains much interesting Information.
Mr.. Sugden, as already stated, made
the survey at the request of the water
commission, with a view to ascertaIning
the cost of such an extension and the
advantages which would result from it.
The fact that the flow of the wells at the
new works shows slight tendency to d.
minish, and that the city has been sew
eral times during very cold weather with
out sufficient supply of water to MAN.
tain a sufficient pressure for fire purposes,
has made it advisable to take some prac-
teal steps towards increasing the supply
of water
Mayor Meldrim is firmly of the opinion
that it is a matter of great Importance
that the conduit should be extended to
the river. This was the part of the or
iginal plan when the works were built,
but it was not thought that 1t would be
RI 3 60
of years to come. Superintendent Lotion
recommended that this extension be made
in his first annual report, and the water
commissioners are a unit as to it's desira-
bility.
Mr.. Sugden was engaged by the COM
mission to furnish an estimate of the cost
of the work, and also to make sugges-
tons for increasing the flow of water at
the works. The results of Mr.. sugden's
investigations. as stated in his report. are
as follows:
The distance from the end Of the pres
ent conduit to the Savannah river at the
site of the old water works is $3.50 feet
following the line of Schwarz avenue and
the water works road. The present con
duit is about $500 feet in length. The in
vert or bottom of the conduit is laid on a
dead level, which is equal to the line of
mean low water at Fort Pulaski, or sea
level The wet well at the water works
is one foot lower than this grade line but
| the tall is not distributed over the entire
length, but is absorbed in the first 100 feet
by the change in size and section of the
conduit. The level of mean low water in
the river at the old water works is 2 40
feet above the sea level BY extending
the conduit its present size and along the
| same line of grade, there would be at mean
low water in the river, a depth of water
of 4-l0 feet at it's mouth. Owing, how
ever, to the grade of the conduit being
| level this depth at the mouth would not
| supply sufficient water at the water works,
distance of 21s miles, for the purpose, in
case 1t should be necessary to use river
| water alone.
L would suggest in that event." says
| Mr.. Sugden, that reservoirs be con-
| structed on the grounds of the old water
! WORKS. and by automatic valves the wa
| ter from the river be admitted to high Tide
and he'd there to supply the conduit by
| 'ioing this, hItering beds could be con-
| structec and the water delivered compar-
attVely pure and clear. In no case would
l recommend a permanent direct cunpec-
tlon with the river, as that stream carries
so much solid matter in suspension that
the water In travelling through two and
| one-third mics of conduit, at the very
| small velocity 1t would attain, wo.t!d de-
| post a, large part of the solid matter
Ahich would in time materially affs t the
| rai acity of the conduit. The Ieyel OF
| mean low water at the old water works
| is only 7-lO feet above the mouth of the
! suction pipe at the new works If the con-
| duit were extended to the river the wells
| at the old water works could be connected
and ewould form a valuable addition TO
| the present supply
The area of the wells at present used by
| the city-thirteen in number-Mr Sugden
states, is 1,470 $40 feet. The area of the
wells at the old water works, % in num-
| Der, is 9i2 39-100 feet, or "a of the area now
In use. BY combining the flow of the two
sets of wells, 100000 gallons from the IL
new wells. and $500. 600 gallons from the 25
| old wells, the city would have a total daily
| supply of ll,500,000 gallons. In extending
| the conduit to the river Mr. Sugden says,
connections could be left for 25 new wells
of similar size and the same distance
| apart as those now in use. These new
! wells could be constructed when and as
| needed, and when completed, should
| double the volume of water now supplied
| This would give an ultimate supply from
all the wells of 100000 gallons daily, as
| Stunning that the present flow was main
tanned. As IL is more than probable that
| the flow from the wells will continue to
! diminish, Mr.. Sugden considers 1t well to
| estimate upon not more than 1900 900 GAL
| Ions as the ultimate daily supply.
There Is always the possibility" saws
| Mr. Sugden, that at any time a seismic
disturbance may shut off the supply from
! the wells completely, so it would be we'll
! TO have a connection with the river. to be
used in case of emergency"
| He estimates the cost OF this work ex-
| tending the 6-foot conduit distance Of
| $3.50 feet, including all expenses Of engi-
neering, superntendence, construction
etc at Sl10s16. being S2.27 per foot. This
is less than the bid Of Messrs. Weaver &.
! Robertson for similar work in 1891. their
| bid being 49, 20 per foot and that of the next
highest bidder 81. 96 per foot The cost of
| connecting the IS wells at the old water
! works with the conduit. Mr.. Sugden esti-
mates at 5000 These wells are already
] connected with each other he states, but
] the present arrangement would not suit
| the new work, and the wells would have
to be tapped much lower in most cases
! He places the cost of valves at the river
| at $1,000 and for the construction of a
reservoir. filter beds and necessary valves
for the use OF river water, $4,000.
This would provide a reservoir for