St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-08-23
OUR DRINKING WATER.
A Statement from the IT. JOhnsbury
Aqueduct Company.

Aqueduct Company.
Editor CALIFORNIAN:
At the last,,village meeting-June 80
when the water question was under con-
sideration, in response to request,
endeavored to faithfully present the stu
alton as it appeared to me.
explained that the vegetable growth
-algae, anabena-which appeared last
winter in Stiles Pond came upon US all
unannounced; that we had no warning
of it's appearance; that l had the water
analyzed by competent chemist and al
though there was discoloration and
odor, it was pronounced perfectly safe
for use.
While we have large filtering area for
our water supply, yet because of the ex-
cessive amount that was being wasted
at that time, we could not properly filter
the amount of water that we were
obliged to bring here, some 100000
gallons day. An appeal was made to
consumers to lessen this waste, but
without avail, and we were obliged to
force through this amount without
proper filtration.
l predicted at that time that we were
liable to have repetition ofthis growth,
from the fact that this had been the ex
perience in other places, for this growth
is r5t by any means confined to this To-
cality, but has appeared in many sources
of water supply in Massachusetts. 1t is
well-known fact that during the sea-
sons OF 1908 and 1904 there was great
drought throughout New England
while this year we have had an unusually
large amount of rain. Now, whether
these conditions have contributed to
this growth, think no one is able to
state with certainty. Among the many
places that have recently been troubled
are Newton Center and Springfield
Mass, and experiments have been made
by treating the water. Representatives
of the government have become inter
ested and have advocated the treatment
while the Massachusetts State Board o
Health have been quite conservative
awaiting the results Of other people,
experiments. The New England Water
Works Association, the membership o
which is made up OF water engineers ant
representatives of aqueduct companies
and which considers and discusses all i'm
portant matters pertaining to water
supplies, hold their annual convention II
September, and it is planned to devote
an entire session to the discussion OF thi
SabJect, III the light OF recent investiga
ti0ns. ---.
Considering the fact that tho Fedora
Government are continuing their expert
ments, that the Massachusetts Stat
Board of Health is awaiting develop
ments, and that the New England Wate
Works are having the subject under
discussion, it probably is no
strange that the Aqueduct Com
pany are not able to reach the prope
solution of this problem at once. w
have the advantage over most of th
average water supplies in smalle
centers in New England in that ou
water passes through 40" of sand ant
gravel, eliminating much OF the growtl
that would appear in less favored
places.
This is to assure the water taker
that we are sparing no pains or expens
to improve the conditions at the earlies
possible moment. large daily ex
pense is incurred in keeping our filters il
the best possible working condition, ant
we are seeking information from ever,
, source conceivable where similar con
ditions exist. 1t is probable that th
discoloration and odor will pass ava,
within very few days, but every mean
will be used to avert repetition o
present conditions.
From this explanation, taken il
connection with the fact that the waite
has not been made unsafe because of th
vegetable growth, it will be seen tha
there is no cause for great excitemen
or alarm.
St. Johnsbury Aqueduct Company.
HIN. TURNER, Manager.
St. Johnsbury, VT, Aug. 81, 1905.