Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-11-15


Gentlemen: Complying with your in
structions I have considered the ques-
tion of plan Of waterworks for your
city. designed to provide for both sides
of the river; the present Ceutralia
plant being merged into the new
works, and would report as follows:
Capacity of Plant
The pumping records of the Cen
tralia plant show a consumption for
the west side during the past month
of August of an average of 2,1OO
gallons daily.
l assume that a reasonable basis
for the near future would be an aver
age daily use of water equal to four
times this amount, or say three-quar-
ters Of million gallons daily for do
mestic supply alone.
Efficient fire protection demands not
less than five fire streams, each Of 200
gallons per minute, roughly equal to
one and one-half million gallons a
day. The combined consumption for
domestic use and fire protection is
then two and quarter million gallons
daily. The demands for fire protec
ton are, of course, infrequent, but
must be considered in determining the
caps city of the works.
The Centralia consumption of 1872
600 gallons is an average for the
month, some days it would much ex-
ceed this amount, and the maximum
| for short periods of a few hours will
again much exceed the maximum daily
| rate.
as to meet these maximum hourly de-
. | fS or fnr -,
and fire purposes. Part of these f1uc-
'uations are to be provided for by d
| water tower.
Mode or Supply.
The present Centralia plant is oper-
ted on what is generally termed the
'direct pressure PLAN and requires
continuous operation of the ma aclllnery
and constant attendance at the pnmp-
ing station.
The rate of pumping f1uctuates from
the minimum of domestic use during
| the night hours to the maximum for
| fire service, and thus for = quite large
portion of the time the pumps are
operated at a speed much below their
economical rating, and the result is all
| Increased expense for fuel.
| If an elevated reservoir is provided,
|
| for1nly at its most economical speed,
and the fluctuations between the
amount of water used and that pumpe
| would be compensated by the reser-
| voir.
| If this reservoir is large enough, it
would be practicable to pump inter-
,nittently, and saving in attendance
re thereby affected. Intermittent
pumping permits of keeping the en-
| tire steam plant in better condition by
| allowing time for minor repairs, etc.
| The reservoir has the further ad-
vantage of insurance against an in
!erruption of the supply. due to an
! 'ccident to the machinery. A dupli-
cation of the steam plant results in
| measure in some of these advantages,
| put not to the same extent, nor to all.
| 1t has been, doubtless, due both to
GOOD fortune and good management
| hat the Centralia plant, with but a
>lngle boiler and pump, has so far
| Deen operated without serious inter-
rupt1on to the supply. Notwithstand
| ing this experience, it is unwise to
| place so much dependence upon a
steam plant which must be operated
continuously, and the larger the risk
| and the greater the number of water
consumers, the less justification
there can be for such dependence.
l recommend that an elevated reser-
vor be constructed, because it would
add largely to the reliability and eff
| cheney of the works, and would result
m d cons >iderable economy in the cost
of operation. This reservoir must be
| either a water tower or standpipe on
account of the low elevation of the
ground, and for the same cost the
| over is much more efficient.
| 1t should have d capacity ample
| enough to permit of intermittent
pumping and to furnish a supply for
| fire purposes during the interval of
time which may elapse after a fire
alarm before the steam plant could be
put into full service; for this latter
purpose it must be at such an eleva
ton as will give pressure, at the hy
drants, sufficient for fire streams. The
location, description, size and cost of
d tower will be considered later.
| Water supply
This has already been practically
determined by the purchase of a strip
OF land west of High street near the
south city limits, through which is a
strong flow Of good spring water.
| I attempted to measure this flow,
but was not able to do this satisfac-
torily, as part of the flow was held in
| the pond on the east side of the road
and the recent heavy rains further
interfered. There is probably suffi
cient water here for the immediate
future, but more will doubtless be
required at All early date and Can pro-
baby be obtained by sinking one or
more open wells nearby, or from the
many springs along the foot of the
bluff and south of the city tract, or
from both sources combined. River
water taken from below the city, even
occasion ally for fire purposes, should
! not be considered.
much less rate than the maximum
which would be required by the city
at times of fire, or even for such rate
of pumping as would be most econom-
ical and desirable, and reservoir Is
therefore necessary. This should
have d capacity OF about $4,000 gal
Ions, an amount which would supply
four fire streams, each of 200 gallons
per minute, for about one and one
half hours. This Capacity Can be
most economically obtained in a reset
voir of circular form, like a large
we'll; it must be deep enough to hold
the required amount without raising
the level of the water much above its
present level, and this, together with
the necessity of raising the walls up
to high water level of the river, will
make 4 we'll about 10 feet in diamter,
and II t. deep An additional res