The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-14
Unsatisfactory.
City Council Not Pleased With
Water Company Service.
Will Investigate Causes of r.
regular Water Supply.
THE PLANT SHUT DOWN
Topeka Was Without Fire Pro
lection Last Night.
The Source of Supply Will BE
Examined.


ing plant of the Topeka Water COM
pany, of the water which is being fur
nished to the people of Topeka and of
the causes of the irregular and unsatis-
factory water supply is forthcoming. At
Monday nights council meeting a reso-
luton was adopted, directing the water
works committee to find out the source
of the present water supply of the city,
Another resolution directed that the
board of health have made a thorough
chemical analysis of the water furnish
ed for domestic consumption in Topeka
For several weeks past the water sup
ply of the city has been of inferior quail
ity and subject to sudden and unfore-
seen suspension. The trouble all dates
back to the flood of a month ago, and
understanding some of the difficulties
which the water company has had to
overcome in furnishing the city. the
council has showed no disposition to re-
monstrate. At 8 o'clock Monday after
noon the water supply was suddenly cut
off from the city. The fire department
was left almost helpless, the Kansas
City steamer having been sent home.
and fire pressure was not resumed until
between and Q o'clock this morning.
During the night the Santa Fe pumping
house furnished little water for do
mestic use.
At the council meeting it was con-
cluded that the condition of the Topeka
Water company's plant ought to be
looked into and a satisfactory explana-
tiOn for the situation secured The in
vestigation order was turned over to the
committee on waterworks and will pro-
badly be carried into effect sometime
this week. In explanation of the reso-
luton to investigate, Councilman Swend-
son said today:
While have not personally informed
myself about the workings OF the water
plant 1 understand that the driven
wells, from. which the supply is sup
posed to be drawn, have been abandoned
and that the water company Is pumping
from a large open well or reservoir.
That would account for the dirty water
which we have found coming from the
mains. One of my resolutions requires
that an analysis of the water be made
at once in order to find If it is suitable
for domestic use. At this time of the
year a pure water supply is one OF the
things most necessary to the health OF
the city and if there is any disorder at
the water company's station which can
be remedied by the city's Intervention II
ought to be attended to-.
FURNISHED BAD WATER
On several occasions since the water
company resumed pumping from its
plant west of town, after the flood
which filled it's engine room and washed
out a considerable length of main, the
water in the city hydrants and domestic
supplies has been noticeably dirty. This
was to be seen Immediately after the
pumping plant resumed operation,
again about ten days later and again
during the latter part of last week Inc
water on these occasions looked ike
common river water such as was tur-
nished by the Santa Fe pumping sta
ton during the two weeks that the
water companys engines We're qulel:
-
supervision of sanitary conditions in To-
peka have continuously recommended
the boiling of drinking water and by
some people this has been complied
Water was cut off from theleity about
two weeks ago when the company was
putting in place its eighteen lncn man
which had been washed out during lhe
flood The fire pressure was suspended
ali day on that occasion. For some un-
accounta BILE reason the water supply
was again suddenly cut off yesterday
afternoon. No satisfactory explanation
could be secured for some hours as all
the officers of the company were at the
plant west of town Superintendent
Jesse Shaw of the water company was
reached by telephone this morning. he
exclaimed that he had been engaged in
moving a section of the eighteen 1nch
main Monday afternoon when it broke
and the entire city supply had to be cut
off until morning.
The special session u TIE iSa5 lSlet luA
granted to the Rock Island railway
new right of way through the insane
asylum grounds where switch to the
buildings is laid The old tracks were
washed out and a part of the right OF
way carried clear away by the fiooG.
In moving over the tracks to the new
right of way it was found necessary
to lay them directly above the water
main of the Topeka Water compan5'-
To avoid this the water company
moved its main over a few feet. This
work was being done without cutting
off the water supply, until break
city supply had to be stopped. The
Santa Fe pumping house endeavored to
keep up a supply for domestic use
through the night
WHY WATER IS DIRTY.
In response to a query of the reporter
Mr.. Shaw gave an explanation for the
dirty water that has been discovered in
the pipes of his company on the sue
cessive occasions referred to. Mr. Shaw
saiG:
while our plant was shut down dur
ing tie flood the water in the city
mains was furnished by the Santa Fe
pumping station. Their well was over
/ flowed and they were forced to pump
river water direct The city was GLAD
/ enough to get that at that time OF
course some dirt was pumped into our
mains at that time, and the action of
/ the Santa Fe pump forcing water in a
direction opposite to that in which it
customarily flows, stirred up the sedi-
ment in the mains. This dirt and sedi-
ment was still noticeable for a few
days after we resumed pumping, but
/ in 4 short time the water became as
clear as ever Probably ten days after
our station began pumping 1 discovered
dirt in the water again, and upon in
vestigation discovered that one of our
submerged pipes had sprung leak and
was admitting river water. This vas
stopped at once, and the water again
became clear and remained so unth
last Saturday when the roily appear
ance was again discovered. One of our