The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-20
NEWARK'S TURN
That ! City Has Had a
Taste Of the Pol
luted Passaic.
MANY ILLNESSES CAUSED
Expert Analysis Again Re-
veals Bacilli- Protests
Are Plenty.

Since a water famine was averted IN
Newark by the turning into the city
mains of Passaie River water last Week.
MANY cases of intestinal troubles have
been reported by physicians from all
parts of the city. There is grave fear
that there will be an epidemic of such
troubles and that typhoid fever cases may
also result.
The Passaic has for years been grossly
polluted stream. that condition causing
the necessity for Newark to obtain an IN
dependent water supply. This was done
through the East Jersey Water Company,
Newark paying it s6,OOO,0OO for a pure
water supply from the Pequannock River
water sheds in the northern part of New
Jersey.
Owing to the protraeted cold weather
recently there was much waste of water
in Newark. and though the city is en-
titled to only 27.oOO,OOO gallons of water
daily from the Pequannock pipe lines, the
draught on some days was as heavy as
thirty-two to thirty-five million gallons.
When the water in several small reser-
yoirs began to get low alarm was felt,
and as the severe weather did not abate
and there was danger of lack of water Tor
drinking, manufacturing and fire pur-
poses. it was decided TO pump water from
the Passaic River and send it into the
city mains to mix with the Pequannock
water in all that section of the city east
of High street, which comprises about
two-thirds of the city.
This was done for five days, beginning
on Monday with the pumping of 100000
gallons. In the five days 60. 100000 gallons
were pumped from the river, and the aver
nge daily consumption in Newark OF water
of all kinds was 3S. 900 gallons.
On Friday morning the pumping OF
Passaic water was stopped, but it will pc
several days before the mixture OF water
in the Believille reservoir and the city
mains will be entirely exhausted and the
Pequannock water again be clear.
At the request of citizens William VIE
ner last week made a thorough examina-
ton of sample of the water drawn from
the Passaic River and of sample OF the
mixed water flowing through the city
mains. AS result he has made TINS
statement
"a careful study of the analytical data
is sufficient to convince even the layman
that the mixed water supply, consisting
of the Pequannock and artesian water,
diluted with the river water, is very simi-
lar TO the Passaic water. The latter IS
exceedingly filthy and contaminated with
unwholesome organic matter Wnlch
makes the diluted Pequannock positive
lv dangerous mixture. From the condi-
ton of the supply that came into the city
I am inclined to believe that the guam
tity of Passaic water in the mixture was
greater than one-fourth, which latter l
,ll1f w
proportionate quantity
1.-THE use of this water for drinking pur-
poses is certain to increase intestinal and
diarrhoeal troubles. To diminish to
great extent the harmful properties OF
the diluted Pequannock it is best to Doll
all water intended for drinking purposes.
"a hasty biological examination OF the
Passaic water was made, and though the
number of colonies of bacteria obtained
has been somewhat fewer than would
have been the case if the weather mad
not been so cold there is sufficient evil
dence of the existence of the colon bach-
lus and possibly of its close companion
the typhoid bacillus"
If there had been storage reservoir
in Newark there would have been no need
for the sending of Passaic water into the
city mains. There has been agitation Tor
such reservoir for fifteen years, but not
until last weeks crisis arose was action
taken. Then the Board of Works resolved
to build storage reservoir. ~,
The site proposed is basin on the
road running from reat Notch to the
Pompton turnpike above Cedar Grove
and IS about one mile and half south
of Great Notch The basin is drained by
a stream of water that flows into Pack
mans brook at Cedar Grove.
capacitv of ZOO 900 900 gallons can be built.
With an average daily consumption of
thirty or forty million gallons, the new
storage reservoir would supply water for
three or four weeks.