Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-05-20
FILTER INSPECTED.
Delegates From American Water
Works Association Here to See 1t.
n Farty of Engineers and Water Works
Men Visit NorfolISs FILTER Plant-yyhat
They Said of 1t Pumpago for tho Last
Fiscal Year.

Norfolks system of nlterlng city
water came in for great deal of praise
and admiration yesterday from the best
authorities on the subject in all parts
Oh the country. a party of civil engi
neers and gentlemen connected with
various water supply systems visited
NORFOLK yesterday on their way home
rom the meeting of the American
, Water Works Association, which has
been taking place in Richmond.
The object OF the visit was to see for
themselves Norfolk's new filter plant.
which has gained for itself such Il wide
reputation. They saw, they said. for
the first time in their lives, anything
like 1t for completeness OF result.
AT the meeting of the American
Water Works Association in Richmond
MI. Edwin Is. Weston, of Providence,
Il. l.. who is connected with the New
York Filter Manufacturing Company,
read Il paper describing in full the filter
plant which was put in at the Norfolk
water works nearly Il year ago. So
much interest was manifested by the
delegates in the matter that it was de-
clued To make the stop over here for
the purpose of personally investigating
u system that was working such ex-
cellent results. Accordingly the party
NoS iidNc w, anu DE the courtesy OF
superintendent Herbert l.. Smith, of
the city water department, spent n very
pleasant time examining the filter. All
agreed in pronouncing it the best and
most complete cleansing system they
mad ever seen in any part of the coun-
try. Our water, in its natural state, Is
much more deeply cOlored than any
other city water throughout the coun-
try. The filter removes fully 81 per
cent. of the coloring matter. Such a
result as this the visitors had never be-
fore seen. and their admiration was I'M
bounded. And not alone the filter, but
the entire plant of the water works and
pumping system We're Inspected end
won much hearty approval. After
lunching ut the works. and enjoying n
very pleasant social time, the party
was driven back to the city.
Some of the gentlemen in the party
were Chief Engineer Harmany, of the
Louisville Oly.) water works: Mir.
Thomas n. Hooper, vice-presdent and
general manager of the Davenport Ga)
Water Company; Messrs. Charles Will
son and Edwin II. Weston. OF the New
York Filter Manufacturing Company.
PUMPAGE.
Tn this connection it is of interest to
mention that for the fiscal year ending
June 3Oth. 1899. the total pumpage was
l.562, 1861 gallons. an increase of 22.S
per cent. over that of the previous year,
of which COS per cent. was taken from
Lakes Lawson and Smith, 1913 per cent
from Lake Bradford. 17.5 per cent from
Lake Taylor, and 11.5 per cent. from
Lake Wright, no water having been
pumped from Lake Ballentine.
During that year also Il line of thirty
inch terra Gotta pipe was laid from the
pump well to the rain water reservoir,
with gate valve on the end in the
well. and Il similar line laid to the
Uttered water reservoir, so that either
rain or filtered water may flow into
the we'll Brick pillars were built in
the rain water reservoir to support
suction pipes. and brick walls around
the end of the thirty-inch terra Gotta
pipe. with brass wire screens placed to
prevent fish from getting into the pump
wei. ~ thirty-nch cast iron delivery
pine was laid from the end of the con-
duit. at the east end of the filter build
ing. to the filtered water reservoir, to
deliver the filtered water.