The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-07-05
HELMS BRANCH
PARTIAL SOURCE
Of the Water Supply OF
the City.
THE DISCOVERY MADE LAST WEEK
For Several Months Past the Com
pany Has Been Supplying It's Pa.
irons in Part With Sewerage Water
from the Branch.

For the past eight months, or more
the unsuspecting patrons Of the Colum-
bia Water Company have been using
water contaminated from Helms
Branch-the natural sewer of nearly
half the city.
This startling fact was brought to
light last week. Alderman Payne heard
street rumor to the effect that the
Company was getting part of its supply
from Helm Branch, and, with his
usual promptness and desire TO serve
the people, set about to obtain the facts
He told Aldermen Cant and McClana-
han of what he had heard, and these
three gentlemen, accompanied by Mr..
John B. Ashton, went down TO the river,
secured canoe, and made an investiga
tion. They were shocked at the dis
covery they made
According to their statements, their
investigation developed the facts that
the Com ,jany was not only taking water
from it's upper intake pipe, above the
mouth of Helms branch, and also from
its lower intake pipe, below the mouth
of the branch, (Which they ascertained
by the disturbance of the water and the
pulsationS made by pumping), but In
addition to this there was break in the
pipe directly at the mouth of the
branch, where they could see from the
suction and eddy that water was being
taken in.
The aldermen reported the matter to
City Health Officer Porter and Mayor
Cameron, who accompanied them on
another investigating trip Thursday.
DR.. Porter, being convinced of the fact
that the Company was pumping highly
contaminated water from the branch,
| Immediately served written notice upon
the management to that effect, and
ordered that the break in the pipe be
repaired forthwith.
1t is understood that the Board will
take some strong action in regard to the
matter. Some of the members are
much wrought up over it, as it has been
going on since the early part of last
winter-part of the time, at least, with
the knowledge of the company, who
have never reported the matter to the
Board, nor taken any action towards
stopping it,
Sometime ago the Board required the
Water Company to move the source OF
it's supply from below the branch, where
they had been taking water, to a point
above the branch. The Company re.
ported afterwards that they had not
only moved the source of supply above
the branch, but had placed filter over
the intake pipe, thus giving the city as
pure water as could be obtained from
Duck river. Since then the Board has
been under the impression that the
Company was fully complying with the
requirements and furnishing it's patrons
wholesome water.
Supt. Robinson's Statement.
A HERALD reporter called at the
Water Company s office to get a state
ment from Mr.. Robinson, Supt regard
ing the trouble. He said that the gen
tlemen were mistaken as to water belns
taken f ON the lower intake pipe, tina
what they heard was loose valve. Al
regards the hole complained of, he sale
it had been there six or eight months
but he did not regard it as any interfer
ence with the purity of the water
The mouth of the upper intake pip
from whence all the water comes, is 81
, much above the level where the hole il
the pipe is, that at this point the wa'e
, forces itself out of the pipe, rather thai
sucking any in He felt so confident o
that that he did not think it necessar.
to SPEAK of the break at all; how yer,
, was an ugly looking place, and he hat
, intended fixing it as soon as the higl
waters receded, and would repair tn
place as soon pcssible. He does not be
, lieve that drop of water from Helm
braLch has gon9 or can go into thi
, break in his pipe, but in Difference 7.
the opinion and wishes of the city off
, cials, he would use the low er intake pip
, until the repairs in question were made
: Helms branch flows out into the rive
and takes the current of the river, and
: in the opinion of Mr.. Robinson does no
come in contact with or any way cor
taminate the water taken III at the lowe
! intake pipe.