New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-12
NO WATER FROM TIE LAKES.

Z
The suggestion is periodically made that New
York should settle its water supply problem
once for all by tapping the Great Lakes. Some
times Lake George IS suggested Us source ana
sometimes Lake Champl8in. but more often
Lake Ontario is looked 10 for supply ample
for all time not only for New-Nork City ana
the whole metropolitan region. but also Tor
great chain Of cities reaching clear across the
State. There IS something inspiring in the pro
posal. until It IS looked into closely. An en-
thusiastfc correspondent I'm Yesterday tribune
wrote OF the lakes as containing the sweetest
..purest water on the face of the globe. an mn
limited srnplv that for all time Will be mex
"haustihle" That sounds well. But let us look
at some concrete facts IN the case.
Nev-York wants q supply that will be o.
pure enough to use without tiltering 90 avail
able without pumping at an elevation OF 800
feet above tide level I'm this city. and 81 sui-
hcient TO provide at least 5O0000O0O gallons a
day IN addition 70 the present supply from the
Croton. The new supply ought 10 meet all of
these requirements. one that failed TO meet a
single one of them might, In some circumstances,
be acceptable. But certainly one that failed on
two Of them would be scarcely worth consider
ing and one that failed on all three should be
summarily rejected
We may. then, at once eliminate Lake George
from consideration. because its water would
need altering. would have 10 be pumped to
suitable elevation. and could not furnish much,
II any, more than half the amount required.
Lake Champlain may also be dismissed, for,
while 1t might furnish enough water, that water
would have 10 be filtered, and it would have 10
be pumped 10 an elevation Of 500 feet or more.
There remains Lake Ontario. There IS no
doubt that 1t could supply all the water New
York reeds, and will need. Considering the
vast arG steadily increasing amount of sewage
that is being poured into It and the lakes and
rivers above il, from great cities and industrial
plants. IL would be dangerous TO attempt 10 use
il without itering. The elevation Of Lake On
tario is only pa feet above tidewater, or 80
feet lower than the elevation at which water
should be delivered in this city. Allowing for
the necessary descent for a flow by gravity
through the aqueduct, It would evidently be
necessary to pump the water, If taken from that
source, at least 300 feet Not even Lake Erie,
with its elevation Of $50 feet, could deliver
water TO New-York by gravity.
Talk about water from the lakes. therefore
is fallacious and misleading, unless this city
is willing to go 10 the expense and, still worse
the risk Of pumping and hltering the supply.
If 1t IS willing 10 do that there is no use in
going so far as to the lakes The Hudson River a
few miles above Poughkeepsie would do Just
as well. at much less cost But It would be a
deplorable thing for New-York 70 be constantly
dependent upon the proper working Of pumping
engines for the quantity OF its water supply,
and for its quality to be dependent upon the
efficiency of filters and the faithfuIness Of those
IN charge Of them. A pure supply delivered by
gravity is what this city wants. That IS what
# can get 81 It is permitted 10 do So We do not
think it viii be or should be satisfied with any
thing less.