The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-08
DISTRICT WATER SUPPLY
The Filtration Project to Be OFF,
ciaIly Considered
senate Committee to Act on the Re-
port of washin~ton PhySieians
at Its Next session.

The Senate Committee on the District
OF Columbia viii al its next meeting
consider and act on a report received
by Mr.. Gallinger from a committee of
physicians on the necessity Of the FL
tration Of the water used for drinking
purposes in this city The report is
signed by Samuel c. Busey 6. ". Cook,
G. NJ Koher. T. T. Sewers. and William
c Woodward, all members CT the Lis -ricC
Medical Society. and their conclusions
were adopted By that bodysby q unali=
nous vote.
The report states that -hftTatien of the
Potomac water on 4 large scale is i'm
perativeIy called for N order TO dimin-
ish the excessive typhoid-fever dsath rate
in the National Capital During the year
ended June 80. 1900 there were 22I
deaths from this disease. and probably
not less than 2.206 cases, which. at a
conservative estimate. represent hnan-
ciai loss to the community OF over 81
0e0. Gee per annnn- The number OF deaths
which have occurred in the District dur
ing each OF the past ten yeaEs from ty-
phoid is 1,1S7 The number thus far in
1890 IS 22I-
wherever a proper system of slow
sand filtration OF the water supply has
been installed the mortality from typhoid
fever has been reduced from 50 to IS per
cent, and there is every reason to assume
thai the same result can be aecompH he'd
in this city. II We reduce the mortality
only one-half, every year over 1Ge lives
viii be spared, the number OF cases viii
be reduced fToA upwerd OF 2,0e9 to about
1 600, and the community viii save over
S5G0, coo and an incaIculable amount of
human suffering and distress That this
may be accomplished is Indicated by the
fact that tie experimental sand Filter
eliminated 50 per cent of the colon bacilli.
which are an accurate index Of the pres
enee of disease germs and By many classed
as such.
This result may be accomplished by
the expenditure Of s., ,464 .93S for the in
stailation of the sard filters, with an an
EGal operating expense, including interest
on cost Of plant and deterioration, OF
S1S6, ,402.27. Indeed, the first cost of the
plant may be safely reduced by 1885,. $40
by omitting the covering Of the dlter beds,
| as suggested by both of the experts en-
ployed ny the War Department to inEesti-
gate the subject. And this reduction in
the first cost would effect a reduction Of
about So. .9S0.10 per annum in the opeTat-
ing expenses by diminishing the amount
TO be charged against iatsrest On Origi-
| nal cost of plant and deterioration OF
plant. Moreover. apart from the saving
| effected by constructing open instead OF
/ closed filters, il is believed by your SOM
mistee that the geTmicidai effects Of s. n
/ light operating on the open filters viii
render them far more efficient than il
| they were covered.
Whatever the merits Of the mechani-
/ cal system OF water purihcation mas
/ be, the burden OF proof as 10 its capabil-
ity of diminishing typhoid fever cIearIy
rests with this method, which, we regret
TO say, has so far failed 10 sustain this
claim. and your committee in view OF tbs
evidence in favor of sand filtration
which has stood the test with increasing
/ ly good results for over half a century
| furnishing now the daily supply of water
/ to more than twenty million of people
would deem it an unwise experiment Il
resort to mechanical filtration OF oul
| city's water supply.
Quite recently other methods for the
sterilization of water by chlorie peroxide
and by ozone have been proposed by tht
French scientists, which from sanitar!
point of view promise most excellent re
suits. But since the needs of the Nationa
Capital for pure water are so very urgent
| and as within the past ten years LIS
persons have Derished from typhoid ant
| typhomalariai fever alone in this city
which from our standpoint means a need
i less sacrifice of at least 993 lives an(
| $3.50 cases of sickness, with a fnancia
loss to the community of over s., ,000 60G
| we appreciate that the gravity of the sit
! uation admits OF no further delay and ex
periments, and therefore earnestly ane
| Unhesitatingly recommend the prompt in
stallation of the natural sand filters