Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-05-28
PURE WATER SUPPLY.

The necessity for pure water supply
for all purposes is brought forcibly to
public notice by a statement published
in the San Francisco Chronicle bear
ing on the recent typhoid epidemic at
Stanford University The document is
signed by all the physicians of Palo
Alto and has special local interest in
consequence of plans now on foot for
developing or adding to the water sup.
ply of this city. These timely para
graphs appear:
The entire trouble has been traced
TO two sources, polluted mountain |
stream and an unclean surface well. |
The water from these contaminated |
sources was used by two dairies In
washing cans and, thus contaminated,
the milk was distributed along certain
routes in Palo Alto and it is to these
routes that the fever has been con-
fined The physicians of the town are
unanimous in this opinion.
such an epidemic as this might fall
upon the healthiest town in the United
States. AS a matter OF fact Palo Alto
is an exceedingly healthy place and It
Is mistake to say that II is in an I'M
sanitary condition. The water supply
is not derived from the mountain
streams nor from surface wells, but is
pumped from the earth from a depth
of 700 feet and stored in immense
tanks. and the results Of the tests Of
this water made recently in San Fran
cisco show il to exceptionally pure.
The records of these tests are on file In
San Francisco and can be seen there
any day"
The experience at Palo Alto with
mountain and surface well water has
been repeated so often in other locali-
ties that a water supply obtained from
surface streams is properly regarded as
vastly inferior to that from driven
wells as II threatens ut any time to be-
come an actual source OF danger.
! When considering expenditures to
provide this city with water, Legislators
should bear the two prominent factors
q. In the PalO Also experience carefully
, in mind; the unquestioned source OF
, the typhoid fever epidemic was in sur
face water: careful tests showed that
the chief water supply from driven
wells was absolutely pure. Members
, of the Legislature for oahu county will
, be called upon to decide whether $780,
: 900 shall be expended in developing
the Nuuanu surface water or half that
amount spent for an artesian supply
which will fully satisfy the increased
r demands made upon the water depart
: ment. The Nuuanu water has been
4 repeatedly condemned by physicians OF
{ the city as unfit for household pur-
:. poses. In a petition recently presented
to the Legislature, good majority OF
Z the leading physicians of the city sub
: scrlbed to the following statement:
e 1T Is a notorious circumstance, free
: ly commented upon throughout this
Q District, that a large proportion OF the
drinking water furnished the residents
thereof is gathered In ponds underlaid
Il with mud and oyergrown with veg
e etable matter and containing the acc,l'
= mutations OF the washings Of the slopes
Is OF Nuuanu Valley adjoining the ponds
e or so-called reservoirs, and such watel
Is furnished to the citizens Of Homo
lulu, filled with green scum and othel
J. vegetable and eXtraneous matter. 1t !!
&c believed that large portion OF the pre-
h valent illness and debility is caused Il
D. the residents OF this district by drink
s. ing such impure and contaminated
/. water"
The claim may be made that tn,
70 $3.50, 900 is to be used in improving thu
lie character of the reservoirs, but whei
81 this Is done. the impounding Of impur
10 water Ii the only result. II will still
N be necessary to boil and filter the Nuu
e anu water before IL Is III for household
purposes. Furthermore. the experience
OF residents at Waikiki and Palam
1t during the time when pumping plant
S. were shut down shows that in order I
IS make the Nuuanu water available 70
IN these sections n large expenditure 10
Is larger water pipes will be required.
at II Nuuanu water we're the only avail
Id able source for additional water tn
~ arguments In its behalf might hay
more force. With a first class suppl
Of the purest water at the command c
o. the county at half the price OF merel
st preliminary Nuuanu Improvement
n every consideration Of expense and th
w character OF water to be secured point
tn TO the Nuuanu program as u useles
at expenditure OF public funds.
n There Is not a business man in tn
n Legislature who, II he were develoDin
ly water for his own private use. woul
not take the artesan we'll supply q
double the price of surface watel
IT. Judged from Stanford's experience It
ry worse than folly to pay out the tax
he payers good money to furnish ther
a and require them to use impure surfac
rs water.
T.