The Dickinson press., 1905-07-29
DEEP WELLS OR HEART RIVER SUPPLY.
Water Works and Sewerage System For
Dickinson.


In order that PRESS readers may have
a full knowledge of the water works
question now under consideration for
the city. the report Of the consulting en-
gineers, Loweth & Wolff, Isl given this
week. The citizens Of Dickinson will
be asked to vote on the proposition of
issuing bonds on the 9th of August and
they should take every means possible
to inform themselves in regard to the
matter.
The;report is necessarily lengthy and
is as follows: M,
The Honorable Mayor and Common
Council,
Dickinson, N. D.
Gentlemen: We herewith submit the
following report in the matter of the pro-
posed construction of water works tor
your city.
+. WATER WORKS SYSTEM.
Consumption. The domestic con-
), sumption of water per capita varies
largely throughout the United States.
This variation, while being partly due to
varying local conditions, is, also largely
due to the different methods of manage
ment and the enforcement or non
enforcement of regulations governing the
waste of water.
Records of the consumption Of water,
in the smaller cities are very scarce, but
in climate like that of North Dakota
the consumption win naturally be
large.
With proper regulations to control the
waste of water the average consumption
should not exceed 100 gallons per day
FOR each person using city water.
On account of the mixed character of
population of Dickinson, the consump-
ton will vary largely in the different
portions of the city, and it is quite un-
likely that the city water will ever be
used by all Of the people. For this
reason the average consumption, based
upon the total population, will naturally
be comparatively small, and for the pur-
pose of this report we have assumed the
ultimate average daily consumption
which should be provided for in the
present plans at 100000 gallons per
day.
The rate of consumption will of course
vary largely from the average, reaching
a maximum during the dry summer
months and during the middle of the
day, and the maximum hourly rate of
domestic consumption may be taken at
double the average daily rate for the
year.
The amount of water used for fire
purposes will not materially affect the
average daily consumption, but it will,
however, greatly increase the maximum
daily and hourly rates, and in city the
size of Dickinson will largely determine
the capacity of the pipe system and to
some extent the other portions of the
plant.
Efficient fire service under present
conditions would require not less than
three fire streams, each of about 200
gallons per minute for fire in the
business district, equivalent to rate of
10000 gallons per day. Assuming,
then, the maxamum hourly rate of
domestic consumption at double the
average rate for the year, the maximum
rate for both domestic and fire purposes
would be about 100000 gallons per day.
This rate would of course be reached
only at long intervals and for but few
hours at time, as in the case of severe
fire in the business district during the
middle of the day, when the consump-
ton. for domestic purposes is the great
est.s ss Ill
A liberal provision should be made in
the present plans to meet the above
requirements in such portions of the
plant as are not easily susceptible ol
future enlargement.
WATER SUPPLY.
There are three general sources Of
supply to be considered; first, from
shallow wells; second, from deep wells
third, from the Heart river.
Shallow wells. The water heretofore
used for domestic purposes has been
taken from small shallow wells scattered
throughout the city and is Of fair quality
and we understand has been found
satisfactory for domestic use. There
is no reason to doubt but that a limited
supply could be obtained from this
source which would be sufficient fol
your present needs, but we are of the
u opinion that supply from this source
n would be insufficient aftes the city water
has come into general use and that there.
fore shallow wells should not be consid
cred as a permanent source of supply.
If you should decide to use shallow