The evening times., 1899-12-22

A special report on the well water OF the
District has been made to the Engineer
Commissioner by A. W. Dow, who is en-
ployed in the Engineer Department to ex-
anime and compare the materials used in
the construction of streets and the chemi-
cal properties contained in the various sub
soils found in different parts of the Dis
trict.
The well water Of this city has often been
the subject OF much criticism, and the mu-
nicipal authorities have been called upon
more than once to close up public
pumps, on the ground that they breed dis
ease.
It is said that the germs of typhoid
fever and like malarial ailments lurk in
the recesses Of the street corner wells, and
that much of the sickness of the city can be
traced to this scource. The Health Ohicer
has had many gallons of pump water anal
yzed every year. and germs have been
found, but not to the extent that is COM
monty supposed. According to the report
Of Chemist Dow that are 101 shallow wells
and &c of what is known as the drilled
variety.
Wells a Boon to Many.
These public places where cool water can
be secured at almost any time are bcons
TO the poorer class OF residents who cannot
afford to buy ice and are forced TO use the
water that comes from the river through
miles Of dirt piping, causing the tempera-
ture OF the wafer to rise in the summer as
high as So degrees. thereby making II not
only unpalatable but unhealthful as we'll.
The water from the wells is aways cool and
always refreshing and many persons pre-
fer ii to the river water even when they
can AFFORD to use ice. The springs in the
city are generally clear and look whole
some, while the Potomac River watsr is
often muddy.
Nevertheless the chemist states that it
is TO be regretted that the conditions are
such that there is a necessity for wells in
this city, they do contain numerous i'm
purities and are in some instances un-
healthy. The shallow wells are mostly sit
uated in The sidewalks near the curb. They
are somewhat protected from the immediate
surface drainage by being bricked or ce-
mented over and the sides are bricked up.
They are OF various depths. varying from
IL 10 so feet. 10 per cent being less than
30 feet in depth. The depth Of the water
in the wells varies from nothing in some
wells. at times. 10 10 feet, the average be-
ing As feet. Chemist Dow states:
These wells are a continual menace to
the public health. as they are either pol
luted or liable to be so at any time. and
too much cannot be known about their
condition, even though it is not feasible 20
close them at once.
in former years we have DONE so little
work on waters that IL has been seldom
that We have made one analysis each on all
the wells OF the District during year. so
that our knowledge as to their true char
acter has been very limited. Another point
that has made it more difficult along with
our limited knowledge. to judge the true
character of the wells, was the uncertainty
as to the origin of the high nitrates and
chlorine. Various theories have been ad-
yanced to explain the abnormal quantity
of these ingredients. Some authorities wish
us to picture the city OF Washington as
built on the site Of a salt lake that was
left by the receding of the ocean. and In
course Of time dried up. leaving a deposit
Of salt in the soil. Others claim that their
presence is due to past pollution that took
place before the city was properly severed.
and that all injurious matter has been de-
stroyed in the course of time. The last
theory is not so improbable. and such
conditions likely exist in some parts of the
city and this is all the more reason why a
closer study should be made of the wells,
as there is danger of the remains of this
past pollution hiding indications of pres
ent dangerous pollution. This can only be
guarded against by a multiplicity Of analy-
ses on each well, go as to determine if there
is a marked fuctuation in the ingredients.
The Analyses of Wells.
''As the ammonias and organic matter
are almost invariably low in the wells
throughout the Distri t. these determina-
tions are seldom Of value in passing judg-
ment on a water This 1 have found true
in cases where the well was being freshly
polluted from an adjacent sewer. and is
evidently due to the rapdity with which
and oxidation takes place in
the subsoil. Marked instances OF this are
found. and analysis Of any one
of these wells. taken by itself. will look
perfectly normal for that district, but by
several analyses the fluctuations
of nitrates and chlorine cause their con-
demnation.
THE ammonia being invariably low and
fully appreciating the necessity of making
as many analyses of each well as possible
so as to note any fluctuations in the in
gradients. have discarded the determina-
ton of ammonia except in special cases. |
The nitrites, nitrates. chlorine, and oXy-
gen consumed can be made very rapidly, so
that in the limited time that We can devote |
to water analyses four times the number
Of wells as formerly can be analyzed.
This system of working has proved its |
value. and from the fluctuations OF the nj !
trates and chlorine it is doubtful il a sim |
gle shallow well in the city is at all times |
free from pollution. A curious state of af- |
fairs in relation to the pollution of these |
wells is worthy of notice here. There are |
two sources. and in some cases very dis |
tinct sources. Of pollution which produce |
effects on the constituents of the |
waters. One source is from the ground |,
water. which derives its contamination |
from house-drain pipes, surface water. etc. |
This source will cause an increase in the |
and nitrates. The other source |
is the sewers which, owing to the great |
ter used. is in numerous cases lower in |
chlorine and even nitrates than the ground |
water that feeds the wells. There have |
been several instances in which the chio- |
rine and nitrates Of water have dimin- |
shed in quantity and it was found that the |
we'll was being polluted from an adjacent |
sewer"
Deep Wells Unsuccessful.
In concluding his report, Mr.. Dow makes |
he following statement in regard to deep
wells:
For the past three ytars the Water |
Department has been sinking deep wells |
which it was hoped would take the place |
Of the polluted shallow wells. but owing |
to the great depth from which the water
must be pumped, in the majority Of cases.