The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-23
M'CABE SPEAKS.
Officially Condemns Proposed
Small Sixth Ward Sewer.
Says Large Mains Will Be
Cheaper in End.
NOT ENOUGH WATER.
Small Mains Require Too ucWh
Flushing.
Now Only 39S Houses in the
Proposed District.
NOT ENOUGH WATER.

City Engineer James F. McCabe has
prepared a report on the Sixth ward
sewer situation which will have
good deal of weight with the city
council and with residents of the pro-
posed sewer district in determining
the fate of the project.
Mr.. McCabe's report is of especial
value because it discusses the question
in an entirely impartial manner; it
comedies advantages to both the small
sanitary sewer and the large storm
water sewer. Accompanying the re-
port are maps showing the best lOca-
ton for both the large or small sewer
so that the council can understand the
whole situation clearly and act ad-
visedly.
The disadvantages of a dry sewer
are not considered by the report
probably for the reason that such dis
advantages are too obvious to require
comment.
The report says in part:
4 submit two plans; one is for the
separate or sanitary system, and the
other contemplates building the con-
Quits large enough to take care of the
storm water in after years, when the
main sewer is enlarged, the idea being
some time In the future to build a
large trunk sewer from Sixth and
Morris avenue, following the low land
from this point in q nOrtherly and
north easterly direction, and emptyIng
into the river at Wards creek. 1t
would drain PotWin, Auburndale and
that portion of the city south of Fifth
street, north of Huntoou street and
west of Buchanan street also the
Keith tract. The outlet proposed for
the present is the 15-inch Potwln
sewer, and the largest pipe contem-
plated IN the sanitary sewer is ~
inches in diameter. The district pro-
posed to be severed under ordinance
NO. 24sO is composed of about 1000
lots. At present there are 39S houses
IN this district. Figuring on a basis
OF six persons to a residence we have
population of about 2,4OO people 1t
IS fair to presume that in the next
nIteen or twenty years this population
will double. This Will give a district
of about $500 inhabitants. Figuring
on a basis of 100 gallons of water per
capita "a city is very extravagant that
uses ms much water) we have total
consumption of 1900 gallons per
day of 4 hours. A 12-inch pipe on a
% per cent. grade will carry off 81
$50 gallons per hour, or 743,76O gal
ions every II hours, or in other words
nearly double the amount in 1 2 hours
Aat the district would use in "a
hours.
Figuring on a basis that 1000 lots
means some day 1000 residences and
1900 people, using 100 gallons of water
per capita, we have a total consumption
OF 100000 gallons of water every "a
hours. 12-inch pipe on a .O5 grade
cry "a hours. In this estimate 1 have
made allowance for leakage solids, etc.
GU can readily see that the sewer
as proposed viii be equal to all emer-
gencies as sanitary sewer.
The objection to this plan is that it
does not give sewer large enough to
carry any storm water. And some day,
q large drain would have to be built
Tor this purpose. This however is the
custom in many cities, and is advoca-
ted by some prominent engineers.
very important argument in favor
Of the separate sewer system and one
which has the backing of law in manv
states is the practical necessity for its
use where treatment of the house sew
age is Immediately necessary More
over districts too poor to put in the
large combined sewers can for one-haI1
or one-third the cost remove their
daily sewage alone. by means of small
pipes. Ventilation is also more rapid
in small sewers.
MY personal opinion, however. is in
favor OF. the combined, or large sewers
for the following reasons:
THE combined system is more eco
nomical in the first cost over two sep
arate systems The small sewer is more
likely to stop up than large ones. and
there is more difficulty in removing OBJ
structiOns from pipes. The separate
system requires large quantities of wa
ter for its perfect operation. For small
swers sleeper grades are necessary
than for large ones. There is ten
dency in using the separate systems tc
allow storm water to run for long dis
.tances upon the street surface and II
some instances to stand for days in the
cutters and low places where it be-
comes very foul The combined or large
sewer carries 1t away at once.
1T Is impossible for me at this tins