Evening star., 1905-10-01
CLEAR WATER FOR ALL
FILTRATION PLANT WORKING AT
ALMOST FULL CAPACITY.

All Washington is now enjoying the bene-
fits Of filtered water. This announcement
was made from the filtration plant yester.
day afternoon In connection with the state
ment that another filter bed had been
placed in operation. and that total OF
twenty-five filters were running without in
terruption to their average capacity ol
100000 gallons of water each and every
twenty-four hours. Besides carrying the
information that the plant is now &c per cent
completed, this statement also means that
approximately 66.00o,oo0 gallons of purified
water is being turned into the mains each
day. Previous estimates made by the
United States army engineers in charge of
the construction and of the supply system
extending to Great Falls indicate that this
supply of pure water is equal to the average
daily consumption in the District. Twenty
two of the total of twenty-nine filter beds
are completed. 1t had been anticipated that
twenty-four of the filter beds would be in
working order by October /, but unexpected
delays have OCCURRED, and according to in
formation secured yesterday from the Of
fee of the engineer in charge, ii is thought
that the remaining seven beds will be put In
service, with an interval of about five days
between each, by about November 4.
As has been explained many times before,
were opened on August 15-thts action and
the subsequent addition of other beds as
rapidly they could be completed being
inspired by an effort to check the severe
ravages of typhoid fever-the United States
engineers in charge at the same time re-
lfnquishing their intention of completing
the whole plant before putting any of ii to
use. Not one of the twenty-five beds has
been shut Off from the system at any time
since water was first introduced into them,
and it is thought that all will remain serv-
iceable until such time as enough add-
tional beds are in readiness to permit of
nit of the necessary cleaning, without
making it necessary to ever again turn un-
filtered water into the mains.
Authorized by Congress.
The filtration plant was built by authority
from Congress. An appropriation of $780,
600 was made. Just how much of this has
been expended will not be known until ac-
counts are closed after the last bed is put
into working order next month. The de-
crease in number of new cases of typhoid
fever has not been as marked as was
hoped for by the advocates of the plan of
opening the filtration plants at once as
soon as completed, but it is not possible
for even an estimate to be made concerning
the number of persons who might have
been stricken had not this idea been put
into execution. The indiscriminate mixing
of filtered water with the raw, or unfiltered,
has been severely condemned, the point be-
ing made that the purified product should
have been given first to those sections of
the city worst afflicted with typhoid.
Reported prophecies of the authorities
that filtration of all the water supply
should cause an immediate decrease of
90 per cent in the number of cases of the
malady-will be put to the final and abso-
lutte test three weeks hence, by which time
all persons who have imbibed germs of ty-
phod with Potomac water will either have
fallen victims to the disease or unknowingly
will have demonstrated their immunity.