Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-09-27
WATER WORKS
City Council Has Plans For
New Water System.
COST WILL BE s275,ooo.
Will Consist of Pumping Plant, Fill
ter System, and 81 Miles of Pipe
Special Election on Proposition May
Be Held This Fall.
From Wednesdays Daily.

From Wednesdays Daily.
Two hundred and seventy-five
thousand dollars is the amount the
water committee is figuring on ex-
pending for a system of water works
to be built and owned by the city and
it is altogether likely that special
election for the purpose of determin-
ing whether or not the tax payers de-
sire that it be built, will be held yet
this fall, altho it may be that it will
be deferred until next spring.
City Engineer Brady has the plans
about completed for the proposed new
system which, roughly, is to consist
of pumping plant located. outside
the city limits in the west end with
capacity of 100000 GALLONS, twenty
seven miles of pipe, about one hundred
additional hydrants "a filter system, a
reserve basin, with water taken from
| wells, if practicable, and if not, then
the supply will be taken from the
river.
The water committee seems deter
mined to install another system of
| water works which they say will, give
much better satisfaction than the
present company does or can. They
| figure that the present system is an
| tiquated, too small and inefficient
| They say that Ottumwa may own her
own water works with practically the
same outlay that the corporation
makes in rentas. They figure that d
two mill levy, it is said, will provide
a sinking fund, provide for the expens-
es of the plant and in the end the city
will get it's water for practically moth
| ing.
City Engineer Brady is now engag-
ed in making a map of the city and
| figuring out where the pipe lines will
be laid. He outlined the plans for the
new system and says he will have
/ them completed this fall.
| At the present time a line of drive
/ wells is being driven from point
near Fairyiew addition, with view
of determining whether the supply of
water comes from the river or from
the hills. If it comes from the river,
thru strata of gravel, the supply will
| be ineXhaustible and by the time it
reaches the pumps will have ben fl
/ tered. Several hundred of these wells
I will be driven between Fairview adj
dition and the four mile bridge as
soon as the weather permits. A
steam pump will be installed and SET
to work for say "a hours, and if the
water in the wells above is not re
duced, then it can be safely figured
4 that the water comes from the river
thru the strata of gravel that is sup
i posed to underlie that portion of the
country between Fairview addition
and the bridge. If it is found that the
water comes from the hills, then that
portion available will be used together
/ with water from the river.
4 The pump house will contain a high
duty engine, capable of about 6,0O0,00G
gallons capacity, supplemented by
cheaper engines to be used in case
of breakdown or when necessity de
mands. Nearby will be located a re
serve basin with a capacity of 5000,
900 gallons, which will have been fill
tered before being pumped in. This
water may also be used in case O.
fires, provided the supply from the
wells is insufficient, and will avoid the
necessity of pumping muddy water
thru the mains. A system of flltra
ton is also being considered, some
thing after the Jewell system now il
use.
A large main will extend from tn,
plant to about Clay street From thi:
point smaller main will be laid il
Main street; one will girdle the hill.
, down to the packing house; other!
, will branch off from both mains, ant
altogether there will be twenty-sevel
miles of pipe, as against twenty-five
miles now in place owned by the Cit,
Water Supply company.
Down town, near factories ans
school houses and large buildings
three-nozzle hydrants will be placed
and instead of placing but one a
such street intersections, there viii
be one on each of two corners |
has been determined, also, to increas
the number of hydrants, 1856, the nun
Der now in use, to 275, and judiciousl,
distribute them where they will d.
the most good.
Such, in brief, are the plans which
+ will assume definite shape within
| few weeks and may be submitted t
, the people yet this fall for their az
, prevail, altho, as has been stated,
may not be done until next spring
/ That the city fathers intend to fun
:. Their the municipal ownership schem
is well known. That they also inten
t to install another system, even tn
the charter is given another company
5 with municipal ownership as the uit
: mate object, is also strongly suspect
! ed. The people are the court to whic
: the evidence will be submitted, an
. IL is for them to render a verdict an
pronounce sentence.