Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-09
THE CRY FOR CLEAR WATER.

So long as James river continues as
muddy as IL is at present. "the water
question" will remain an important one.
And the more It is discussed the more apt
is the City Council to arrive at a correct
conclusion as to what should be done TO
furnish our people with clear water in
stead Of the nasty-looking red stuff that
now oozes out of our hydrants.
We are under the impression that Rich
mond would have been better off than It
IS now If we had more thoroughly dis
cusscc the matter of building our new
water works. We know" that we might
have saved hundreds of thousands of dol
lars if there had been a frecr discussion
of the City-Hall plan and work.
In the present case we ought to inform
ourselves thoroughly before we make any
decisive movement. our city is now as
near to her bondeddebt limit as it ought
10 go, save for the accomplishment Of a
great good as to which the community are
agreed. Whether or not the enterprise I'm
question would justify the absorption of q
great part of that margin, largely de-
sure we shall have the thing we want
after we have spent our money!
Three methods have been suggested to
give us clear water at all seasons of the
year-to-wit: BY boring Artesian wells:
by using some sort of mechanical filtra-
ton process. and, lastly, by providing
ourselves with large storage reservoirs or
settling baslns.
Quite a 5umber of Ertesian wells have
been bored IN or near Richmond OF late
years. But not one OF them is a flowing
well. The water from each has to be
pumped TO the surface from depths that
are much greater than the depths of the
Which OF these Artesian wells afford
pure water and which do not we are un-
able to say; but it is certain that the
waters of some that have been analyzed |
do not show satisfactory constituents. |
They are supposed TO be contaminated |
by surface-drainage. Again. the geologi- |
cal formation at Richmond. where granite |
IS soon struck in boring, does not seem
TO encourage the idea that we could get
large water supply from Artesian wells,
So called.
A number OF cities in this country are
using mechanical filters, and there are
many. intelligent persons here who think
filters are precisely what We need.
But we believe our water-works officials
are of the opinion that they would not do
the work expected of them. They favor
the storage-basin system. ON the other
hand. gentlemen here who have had much
to do with clarifying James-river water.
are Of the opinion that the settling-ba-
sins wouldn't settle the water or this
question either.
1t seems 10 us that there would be risk
n any sort OF plan that we might adopt
without elaborate investigation. James
liver water is a peculiar water, and
Methods that have been effective in clear |
ng other waters might fail here.
The first and best thing for us to DO
. TO discuss this question freely. 1t is
! public question OF vast moment. in
'olving the expenditure, first and last
4 an immense sum OF money, and we
'nght 10 satisfy ourselves that we are c
light before we go ahead with the outlay.
But how can we satisfy ourselves? We r
NOV OF but one way and that is by ex- I
'erimenting with the different methods v
suggested. Better 10 spend ten or fifteen \
housand dollars In experiments than 20 {
,nnge into this business on faith. After I O
We have satisfied ourselves as to what
$ the best plan and how many dollars it a
gong To cost, we do not doubt that our &
'eopie will strain point 10 raise the [,
noney--if the sum required be within | n
he bounds OF reason C
Let us add that there is one feature Of b
MS muddy-water business" that Is h
~ very serious import. and It is this: a