Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-11-08
THE WORK FINISHED.
NEW WATER SYSTEM FOR MIDDLE
BURY PRACTICALLY COMPLETED.


Only "a Few Connections Remain to BE
Made Before Water VIII BE Turned
into the Village Mains-Character and
Advantages of New Supply.
Wednesday afternoon at ! 80 o'clock
connection was made between the reser-
voir of the waterworks and the mains
leading to Little Notch, end the reser-
voir is now being filled.
Although number of connecting
mains remain to be laid before the water
supply will be given to the village from
the springs, the connecting of the reser-
voir and springs marks the practical
completion of the undertaking. Some
thing of the history of the new system,
the work accomplished, and the advan-
tages to be derived will prove interesting
at this time
The old source of supply has been the
Otter river, from which water has been
taken by means of pumping station.
Every analysis of this water has indcat-
ed impurities, going far to indicate the
probable source of some of the sickness
in the village, and in addition great in
convenience has been experienced dur
ing low water in summer, clOgging of
the intake by anchor-ice, and the not in
frequent breaking down of the pumps.
This condition of things became un-
bearable year ago this summer, and at
a village meeting it was determined to
change to gravity system, drawing the
water supply from some of the numerous
spring fed streams of the mountains.
AT meeting held Sept. "a, 1900, the
following committee was appointed to
investigate the available sources of wa
ter supply, with reference to purity and
sufliciency DR.. B. f. Sutton, Prof. f.
G. Bryant, DR.. l.. f. Mellen, +. p. Cush-
man, Prof. f. A. Burt and President C.
S. Murkland. There were also three
Others on this committee, who shortly
afterwards resigned. The committee
then made a thorough investigation of
every available source and soon handed
in report which commended the system
which has been adopted. This was &C.
cepted and the committee was empowered
to purchase seven miles of 6 inch pipe, but
the selection of the source of supply was
left open until this spring. Feb. 4, at a
special village meeting, resolutions were
passed locating the source at Little
Notch and giving the committee the
necessary power for the construction of
the system as laid out in their report.
After calling for bids for laying the pipe
they engaged Taylor & Tylee of Worces-
ter, Mass. The services of Louis E.
Hawes of Boston, an expert hydraulic
engineer, were also engaged to design
and direct the building OF the pipe
system and the reservoir on Chipman
Hill, with j. K. Buttolph of this town
acting as superintendent at the latter.
The source of supply of this water is
from springs at Little Notch, situated
seven miles from the village at height
of 375 feet above the level of the reser-
voir. For purity the water can hardly
be excelled. 1t is not contaminated by
sewage; and can be used for laun-
dry and other purposes as we'll. The
constancy of the supply is also a great
advantage. During the investigation
from Sept 27, 1900, to April "a, 1901,
covering two exceedingly dry seasons,
the quantity of water flowing from the
springs never fell as low as 100000 gal
Ions day; that in the brook never fell
as low as 100000 gallons per day. The
variation in the flow of the spring was
surprisingly small. The quantity of
water flowing in the brook was at times
over 1000, 900 gallons per day. With
this flow and the water retained in the
reservoir, a village of this size should
never be without supply far exceeding
any imaginable use to which water can
be put.
The system as it now stands consists
of temporary intake from the spring,
% miles of 6-inch pipe from the spring to
the foot of Chipman Hill,i l0-inch pipe
up the hill to the reservoir, S-nch pipe
connecting with the present inch main
going down Washington street and con-
Meeting with S'inch pipe at the town
hall, 6.inch pipe leading westward and
connecting with 4-inch main on High
and Pleasant streets, and the reservoir
with capacity of 100000 gallons stu
ated on the summit of Chapman Hill.
The bottom of the reservoir is of clay
puddle covered with cement, while the
sides have a clay puddle lining, protected
from the action of water by stone paving.
Ihls clay puddle Is mixture OF clay, sand
and gravel and was chosen because 1t is
elastic, and any settlement of the back
ing will be accommodated by the puddle,
whereas a cement lining would develop
cracks, causing leaks. The paving Is
necessary for protection against frost.
By the arrangement of the system
most of the water used In the village will
come direct from the mountain springs,
the surplus passing into the reservoir,
which acts as reserve supply in case
the water is used faster than the springs
are supplying it. The pressure in the
village main is due only to the height of
the water in the reservoir. which will
produce pressure at the centre of the
l0-inch main at the present pumping sta
tion of l30 pounds per square inch.
The entire cost of the new system will
} not exceed 80, 900. The village at for
mer meeting voted TO issue bonds TO the