Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-21
SECOND REPORT
ALSO FAVORABLE
Ex-state Chemist Davis Finds
City Water to Be Pure and
Wholesome
A LEAKAGE, HOWEVER,, EXISTS
Water From the Deep Wells Shown to
Be Remarkably Free From Organic
Matter of Every kind-Recom-
mends That all Sources of Supply,
Aside From Wells, Be Cut Off.

mends That all Sources of Supply
Aside From Wells, Be Cut Off.
Chairman Merritt Greene, of the
water committee of the city council,
received this morning from eX-State
the results of the analyses made from
samples of the city water supply taken
on Tuesday, April Z. Mr.. Davis report
is favorable and is TO the effect that
the three samples analysed show the
water to be pure and wholesome. He
says, however, that after the water
leaves the deep wells, there is evidence
OF vegetable matter, at present of a
harmless nature. He thinks there must
be a leakage somewhere, and suggests
that every supply, with the exception of
that which comes from the wells be cut
Off.
Mr.. Davis report to the water com
mittee is as follows:
The analyses show that these three
samples of water are pure n whole
some. The water from the wells across
the river is remarkably free from or
ganic contamination of every kind, and
it contains no more bacteria than are
usually found in the best ground water
supplies. The samples taken from the
pumping station, however, show some
vegetable extracts of a harmless ma
A.-- ~ w. 49,, - s11 A1S ~, %La ~,
creased free and albuminoid ammonia,
the oxygen consumed, the nitrates and
by the presence of nitrites, but the
amount Of this vegetable matter is not
sufficient to cause any alarm among the
water u I find no evidence
whatever to show any relation of the
water supply as it existed last Tuesday
to your TYPHOID epidemic, and l do not
believe that in number of analyses
would reveal sufficient impurity to ac-
count for the disease.
'These analyses show, however, q
leakage Of inferior water to that of the
wells somewhere into the collecting
system, and I am Of the opinion that
the river water seeps thru the gravel
into the large well by the pumping
station or that stagnant water gains
admission into the gallery located in the
park and used for storage purposes.
Neither river water nor stagnant pond
water should be allowed to enter the
system even IL 1t IL filtered by the
gravel or soil. for it acts as a source
OF contamination, and may some day
be 4; serious agency of danger. l be-
lieve 1t will be. greatly to the interest
of your city and its inhabitants to cut
from the water supply all sources *
cept the wells located in the gravel beds
beyond the river. and the sooner you
can perfect this change the better 1t
will be for all concerned.
LAS there is a difference shown be-
tween water from the wells and that
from the low pressure pumps it is evil
lent that there must be surface water
getting into wells located nearest the
station or that the pipeline takes in
surface water somewhere in its course.
Very small openings in the joints would
be sufficient to account for the change
in the analyses, and it takes but a
small amount of stagnant water to
make this difference on account of the
large proportion of ammonia which the
latter contains. Vacuum gauges will
not show this leakage with the certain
ty that 1t can be determined by chem
ical means or by coloring reagents. and
l would suggest that this matter be
determined by the use of salt in the
stagnant pools of water to see whether
the chlorine is increased in the water
at the pumping station. Experiments
OF this kind by using different chem
icals at each location will determine
in the most thorough manner any pos
sible defect in the system, and it can
be done in a short time and at a small
expense. When these small defects
are remedied your city will be supplied
with one OF the best waters in the
state. Very truly yours,
FLOYD DAVIS"
In tabulated form the report shows
the following chemical test in parts
per 1000, 900, together with the bacter-
Illogical results:
Sample from wells beyond the river
Total solids, 100000; loss on ignition,
$4,000; chlorine. 2.750; free ammonia,
.O66; albuminoid ammonia. .016; oxy-
gen consumed, (Kubel) 1900; nitro
gen In nitrites, none: nitrogen in nj
trates, trace. archaeological results:
One hundred eighty-four bacteria per
cubic centimeter: three species of bac-
terra; five li%quefyers per C. c.; no colon
bacilli.
Sample from low pressure pump
Total solids, 800. 90; loss on ignition,
$4,000: chlorine. 5000; free ammonia,
1874; albuminoid ammonia, .O36; oxy-
gen consumed, 1000; nitrogen in nj
trites, trace; nitrogen in %nitrates. 900.
Psychological results: One hundred
thirty-two bacteria per c. c.; three
species bacteria; three liquefyers per
c. c.; no colon bacilli.
Sample from high pressure pump
Total solids, 290. 900: loss on ignition,
sc. 1000; chlorine, $3.50; free ammonia.
.096; albuminoid ammonia. .O13; oxy-
gen consumed, 1900; nitrogen in nj
trites, trace; nitrogen in nitrates, 500.
archaeological results: One hundred
forty-one bacteria per C. G.; three spe-
cies bacteria: seven liquefyers per c. c.;
no colon bacilli.
Mr.. Greene a y hat the suggestion
of Mr.. Davis will be acted upon in
the effort to guard against any possible
danger, and hat the old gallery will
be securely cemented so that no water
can enter the pipes. Efforts will also
be made to locate any seepage that
may result at any point between the
wells and the pumping station.