Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-03-02
BOARD OF HEALTH's REPORT.
Does Not Make Any Unqualified Recommends
tons as to Water Supply.
To Board OF Water Commissioners,
Rrnttlahoro VI

To Board of Water Commissioners,
Brattleboro, Vt,
James F. Hooker, Esq. Chairman:
At your request this board has visited
the sites of two proposed reservoirs for fur
nishing your village with water and has in
1 spected in general way the brooks ant
| lake, together with their watersheds, which
would supply these reservoirs. From the dstG
thus collected, together with the reports OF
different analyses made of the water from
these sources we regret that we do not feel
warranted at this time in making any un
qualified recommendation of either source
Two distinct sources of supply were con
sidered % the Pleasant Valley supply and
| (2) the Halliday brook supply.
The first is planned to be taken from a
reservoir in Pleasant valley, made by dam.
ming the stream of that name and rein.
forced by water taken from Stickney brook
to the Pleasant valley brook by pipeline
Stickney brook water is really that from
Sunset lake, of which the brook is the out.
let.
These are all surface waters of undoubted
natural purity, their actual purity being at,
feced more or less by the presence on the
different watersheds of buildings of various
kinds farm houses with their outbuildings
and summer cottages. With reference to
this supply we would refer to report made
to previous committee by us under date
of Oct. g. 1905 as follows:
In compliance with your request we have
examined the watershed of Stickney brook
and Sunset lake; also that portion of a
stream which you propose to use to take wa,
ter through Pleasant valley.
Sunset lake is a beautiful body of water
its purity is indicated by two examinations
of water recently taken from it, Other speci.
mems should be taken as hereafter indicated.
Upon the north shore there are at present 12
summer cottages with several stables and
dry closets At the present time there is
no evidence tending to show that the proxim-
ity of these cottages has in any way affected
the purity of the water. At least four spec.
mems from the lake in front of these cottages
should be taken for analysis. Most of them
have dry sinks, throwing their dish water
onto the surface of the ground One or more
have cess-pools into which their sinks dis
charge, and one at least has a conduit which
discharges into the lake.
The closets are all dry, and ashes or dry
earth are evidently used freely and we are
informed they are frequently cleaned and the
contents taken away. The great care that is
taken of the sink water. garbage and dry
closets explains why their occupation in sum.
mer has not polluted this body of water If
this water is to be used for domestic pur.
poses sewage from any of these cottages
should not be discharged or garbage thrown
into the lake. Bathing in it should be pro.
hibited
At the present time this water is safe, ac.
ceptable water for domestic use The time
may come when it will be necessary to clear
the shores of this lake from all dwellings,
The only outlet is what is known as Stickney
brook. Within three fourths of a mile after
this brook leaves the lake, we find the farm
buildings of the Stoekwell farm near its
banks, and so located that in the spring and
during hard rain the wash from these
buildings must flow into this stream
This brook received considerable portion
of its water from springs and small streams
that discharge into it at various points and
ravines.
We believe the first one on the north side
comes from near the Stoddard and Bixby
farms. Samples from these two brooks
should be taken for analysis in order to de-
termine their freedom from any form of pol
luton. UDon the south bank above this point
is small brook which discharges into the