The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-07
Water Committee. ana a press repre-
sentative.
Stupendous Project.


OF the dimensions and general plan,
location and prospective operation OF the
clear water plant. much has been writ
ten. and tLe people OF Richmond are Ia
miliar with tho details.
The entire project is stupendous, ana fhe
contamination OF it has consumed
over three years. while the great fume.
now being constructed 10 connect the
basins with tho pumping station. VIII
hardly be completed before May 1. lvJi
The cost of the basins, exclusive OF the
fume. viii approximate S3Oo.000 and the
humo viii add about $500 to the total
cost. These figures. large as they are.
viii not impress as excessive any person
who makes the detailed inspection OF the
work as was done yesterday. Many Of
the Councilmen themselves had no ade-
Quate conception of tho magnitude OF the
plan or Of its splendid execution. and
expressions Of wonder and enthusiasm
were very general
Beginning at tho Five Mile Lock. where
the head-gates or orifico through which
the water TO be clarified is received from
the river, the four basins composing tho
plant extend eastward along the margin
or James River for nearly a mile and n
half TO Korah Station on the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad and occupy practi-
cal all the area lying between the
foothills. at the base OF which the James
River division OF the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railroad ru-ls and the river bank.
The site was once a great stretch %
bottom land. owned by the r. Q. vii
liams estate. and was purchased for
$4,000 nearly four Years ago. But that
IS not all Of the plant. Extending fur
ther eastward alons tho river edge from
the outlet Of the coagulating basins. for
even-eighths OF mile, 70 the new pump
house. IS the great dume, which VIII de-
liver the clarified water. free from pol
luton from any source. 70 the pumps.
when Il is driven into the reservoir and
sent thrObbing and coursing through tho
III miles Of mains which rldiate through
out the city. Tho settling basin and nume
altogether constitute a superb piece Of
engineering, and tho finished work VIII
provide public utility worth every dol
lar expended.
Difficult Task.
The hume Is being constructed I'm the
very edge OF the r'ppling river. making
the work slow. expensive and exceedingly
difficult under the most favorable condi-
tons, but pracncally impossible OF COM
pleuon during the prolonged rains Of the
past summer. eliminating in the disas-
trous freshet Of the late autumn
Imagine n pipe made OF concrete mould
cd and hardened about a cOiled netting
Of large steel wire. five feet In diameter.
and running for mile along the waters
edge. and one has "a fair comprehension
Of what the term fume means IN THIS
work. In its construction it is necessary
10 cofer-dam small sections II the dis
lance ia be tTaversei pump out the water.
fashion the huge concrete tube and lot
IL harden. This process must be rcue4ted
hundreds OF times before tho giant task
is finished. in some cases bed must
be hewn out of the natural stone bed in
order 20 get tho required level for this
artificial stone pipe. IL IS difficult 20 see
how the work can DO nrohtably done for
tho contract price. $4,000. So much FOR
the iume.
The clear water plant or settling basin
by which term the entire project is gen
orally described. consists OF twin scdirnen-
taton basins OF $4,000 gallons each d.
vided by "a partitioniug embankment. the
two combined forming an acute triangle
with apex at Five Mile Lock. and twin
coagulatiug basins. each Of 5000 en- gal
Ions capacity, forming a quadrilateral.
Both the triangle and quadrilateral are
bisected by the partitions which IN case
Of the ooagulating basins IS a heavy wall
OF concrete. The aggregate capacity 90
the four basins is 9O000.00O gallons OF
water. or more than two weeks supply
or water.
The southern embankment of both
basins is heavily rip-rapped embank-
ment made OF the earth removed by OK
cavation. and broad enough ut its summit
70 afford room for double tracks for the
railroad, which by removing thither VII
afford a considerable saving in trackspe
and cut out 81 large curve
The city had TO have somewhere to de-
posit this eNcavated earth. and the con-
struction Of this great earth wall. rim
raped on both sides, was the most con-
venient and Inexpensive method OF dis
posing Of 81. Besides. much OF the cost
or IT IS betrayed by the railroad as CO.
beneficiary.
Protected From Floods.
The height Of the walls Of the basins
IS sufficient o. guarantee that they will
never be reached bv any food or freshet
IN the river. nor can they be damaged
thereby. being two feet or more above
tile highest level registered by the river
The two larger of the sedimentation
basins are lined on every side with a
heavy layer az stone or rip-rapplng. as
it is commonly known. A total Of more
than $1,000 yards Of stone had TO be
crushed and utilized in this work. All
this stone was secured from the great
quarry just across the railroad Mem
hers Of the committee wondered how aU
the stone i'm sight ever came out of the
unexhausted quarry. The bottom Of the
two larger basins IS Of earth il IS estf-
mated by expert calculations based on
actual experience that the deposit OF sodi-
ment or mud VIII hardly exceed half
an inch n year
Tremendous sluice gates connect ths
larger basins with the smaller or coaau-
iaung basins. which are built Of heavy
reinforced concrete walls and bottoms.
and are as clean as floor and quite
as smooth
Superintendent Boiling pointed out to
the committee the possibility OF further
augmenung the water supply i'm the
future If the necessity arises therefor.
The water can rise in the basin only to
the level from which it is drawn in tho
river. but if additional water is demand
ed. the installation OF pumDing plant
viii provide forty or fifty million gallons
more in the same basins. He pointed out
the workings OF the sluice gates through
rl-LL.n fIn ia raraIA-aI In.