The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-22
THE GREAT NEED OF CLEAR WATER
AND HOW MAY BE OBTAINED
Some Valuable Suggestions Pointing Out the Meth
DDS By Which Richmond Could Enjoy Good
Drinking Water Instead Of the Ugly
Fluid Now Used.
Fluid Now Used.

,ny bacteria. as to be very dangerous. This
| has many times been proven 10 pc an
| erroneous theory. Settling basins are only
artificial lakes, and lakes are agreed cy al
| scientists to be the ideal water supply loi
large communities. DR.. Levy eAPeii-
! ments, made at the same time anu VIZ. VIZ.
! the same water as were DR.. Ma1lets, snow
| that the number of bacteria was reduced
! in twenty days from ls5 per cubic Genuine
ire to 10 per cubic centin1etre.
| THE FILTRATION PROCESS.
Filtration is the separation Of suspended
matter with or without the use of chemicai
coagulant Experimentation with the
latter. i. e., a filter constructed OF crushed
! granite, gravel, coarse and fine sand, IN all
six feet ten inches thick. did not render the
water perfectly clear, but reduced suspend
ed solids from us parts to IL parts per mil
lion. The primary object of treating our
water, namely. that Of rendering 1T clear,
was not obtained. and moreover the Ultra
ton process was so slow and irregular that
the result was considered far from satls-
factory This is due to the very snlali
size of the suspended particles OF soma
matter passing through such a litter. Inc
efficiency of such filter in removing bac-
terra was decidedly below what is consd-
cred requisite for good filter. The Amer
lean system, which is known as chemical
hi;rat ton, is the method by which salts OF
alum or iron are added to the water
This combines with lime and masne-
stun compounds which exist in the water.
forming a gelatinous mass. This mass
gathers up the solid particles. no matter
how minute they are, and makes them
readily separable by a filter. Experiment
with such a filter reduced the suspended
solids from 1sa parts to parts per million
The water was changed from very mud
dy'' TO brilliantly clear" and 80 ss-leO per
cent of all bacteria were removed. Inc
cost of running such filtration plant Is
IN proportion to the degree of nluddiness
of the water, as the amount OF coagulant
IS less for clearer water.
THE SETTLING PROCESS.
Hero is shown the great advantage Of
the preliminary treatment OF the wafer py
the settling process. During 1889, James
J,iver water was clear e1ghty-hVe days,
slightly turbid fifty days, turbid one hun
|; 5,sd aud siyty-eight days. and very mud
DIV sixtv-two days. What has been said
above with regard to the effect of sedimen-
tat;on will immei lately show how much
is ACCOMPLISHED by this process. The
Every muddy" water applied to the me-
charical filter took up twenty-eight grams
of alumina sulphate per gallon. win
sedi,nentation very muddy water would
never be applied. and though large por-
ton of the year it would not he necessary
to filter at all
DR.. Mallet said, 'I have no hesitation in
recommending that whatever further &C
ton may be decided upon afterwards, the
first step taken should be the construction
of a large storage reservoir. in which the
river water may be allowed to clear Itself
as far a possible by natural sedimenta-
ton. Chemically the water would be i'm
proved during storage by the gradual
progress of oxidation Of organic matter,
end the condition would favor the destruc-
ton of harmful bacteria. and if better,
more nearly complete Qualification should
be demanded, the establishment of such
a sedimentation Reservoir is beyond doubt
the essential prerequisite to the adoption
of any successful and reasonably econo-
mical system of treatment. whether by
means of liberation or coagulants, or. both
The adoption of these suggestions will give
Richmond a water that is not surpassed
by any city in America for purity and
pleaSantI:ess, both in color and taste.