The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-13
THE WATER, SUPPLY.
None of It is Coming Direct
From the River.

city Physician Judd has submitted
samples of the city water to ]. T. Love-
well for analysis, to determine whether
or not the water which is being
pumped into the mains from the Har-
rison street station is contaminated
by the Potwin sewer and the asylum
sewer, which empty into the river a
mile and a mile and a half, respect
lively, further up the river.
The water company abandoned the
Harrison street pumping station some
years ago for the very reason that the
water secured from the river at that
point was not considered safe from a
sanitary standpoint because of sewer
age. The company at times during
fires had pumped direct from the river
The water company claims that the
water from the Harrison street sta
ton is now all pumped out of a well
sunk in the bed of the river. The city
health officials are inclined to believe
that the water company has a pipe by
which it pumps water into the n aims
direct from the river. If such be the
case, the analysis of the water is quite
likely to show that something is
wrong.
said one member of the city board of
health today, speaking of the situa-
ton:
7 feel confident in my own mind
that the water company is pumping
direct from the river at Harrison street
into the city mains. If this is being
done, the water of the whole city is
inpregnated with disease and filth
and is rendered very dangerous for
The board of health realizes that
the situation IS very critical The city
must keep its water supply pure, and
yet it must maintain a pressure sum
cient to be effective in case of fire. The
board of health is not inclined to per-
secute the water company and add to
the difficulties which the company is
Obliged to encounter during this ex-
cessively dry period. But we think it
our duty to protect as far as possible
the city from danger of contagion and
disease due to infected water"
The report of the chemist on the con-
dition of the water will likely be ready
within few days, and when it is re-
ceived the board viii determine on its
future action.
NOT PUMPING DIRECT.
1.-THE report that the water CON pany
is pumping a supply from the old sta
ton at the foot of Harrison street d.
rect from the river into the mains,
said Supt. Jesse Shaw this afternoon,
lis entirely without foundation. We
are not pumping direct from the river,
do not intend to, and do not need to do
so. The old connection which was used
many years ago is not now in use, anu
we could not pump direct from the
river if we wished to at this time
stA11 the water which is pumped into
the mains from Harrison street station
is pumped from Well the water being
filtered through the sand into it from
the river. The water is clear and
believe is pure and wholesome 1 be
lieve there is no cause for alarm IN
order to be on the safe side in case of
fire. it is necessary during this diy
spell to reinforce our present plant.
The boilers at the old Harrison street
station are fired up, and the engines
are going. We are pumping water
constantly from the well and throwing
it into the slough which enptieS into
the river. In case of fire we turn u
valve and pump it into the mains"