The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-02
WATER COMPANY
IMPROVES PLANT
Various Improvements to be
Inaugurated.
IT'S CAPACITY DOUBLED
ITS CAPACITY DOUBLED
It Will Be Able to Furnish Two Mil.
lion Gallons of Water Daily.
WILL HAVE ALL MODERN IMPROVEMENTS
Il VIII be Of the Gravity" System Instead Of
tho Pressure" System, and viii
Have a Improved "Set!l-
Ing Tank"

The Raleigh Water Company are
adding materially to their plant. Inc
improvements will not only double
their capacity in filtered water per
day but will enable them to concen-
trate the entire supply upon any
point in an emergency. When they
have completed putting in the new
arrangements they will have a plant
similar in operation to the water
works at Norfolk and Washington.
The chief improvement lies in the
fact THAI the water passes through
what is known as a SETTLING TANK
before going into the filter. This tank
has a capacity of 100000 gallons and
here the grosser quantity OF sediment is
taken out and the water passes on IN
to the filters. where the purifying pro-
cess is completed and from where it
passes on into the reservoir, which is
to be known as the clear water tank
Under the present system the water
is forced from the ''intake" pipe Just
as it comes from the creek, to the HI
ter and from there to the reservoir
This is known as the pressure
method and requires the water to take
two lifts" from the intake to the
filter, and from the filter to the res
ervoir The method to be adopted by
the company is known as the gray
lry'' method. The water is forced
with only one lift to the settling tank.
from which it descends to the filter
and then to the clear water tank,
each being a step lower than the
other.
The whole system is of the class
known as the gravity type, and is SIM
liar to the one in Norfolk, and Wash
ington, and a number Of the larger
cities, except of course, these have
much greater capacity than the plant
here. The three filters already in use
will be used by the company and
they will be reinforced by two addi-
tiona1 filters of five hundred thousand
gallons each, thus increasing the ca
pacity of the plant by one million
gallons of water daily. When this ar
arrangement has been perfected, the
company will be able to furnish two
million gallons of water daily. The
company from which the new part of
the plant was bought, guarantee this
capacity.
The settling tank, which is an entire
" new feature, is on the rotative set
ting system, and catches the greater
part of the dirt. 1t will be necessary
to clean it out frequently, but it is
built with an especial view to this
matter, the drainage being ample.
The connections are also SO arrang-
ed that the water may be sent by di-
rect pressure to any desired point.
The new equipment is manufacture
cd by the New York Filter Manufac-
turing Company, one of the most
widely known firms of its sort 1t is
of the very latest design, containing
the most modern and up to date i'm
provements.
The contract for the improvement
has been taken by Mr.. A. f. Board
man, a civil engineer of Brevard, who
will have full direction over the affair,
and who will have the giving of all
contracts. The Improvements are TO
be complete by the first of next Jan
uary.
Mr.. Balm. the recently elected super
intendent, will push the matter as rap
idly as possible.