Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-08
LOCAL WATER SUPPLY
rTs PuRIFIcATIoE CONSIDERED.
BY HOUSE DISTRICT COMMITTEES

4
supply was the chief subject considered by
the District committee Of the House at its
regular weekly meeting today. Last Thurs
day the committee heard argumentsgfn Ia
vor of the bill providing for the prelimin-
airy clarification of the water supply
through the use of alum. Today the Mafg-
men, or scrubber system. which Is now In
satisfactory operation in Philadelphia, was
advocated by Mr.. J. p. A. Maignen of the
American Society Of Civil Engineers. the
Inventor Of the process. Representative
Morrell of Pennsylvania has introduced q
bill to provide for the adoption of the
Maignen scrubber system for use in this
city It has been understood that the ply
sicians Of the District. although not agree
ing that the use Of alum for Qualification
purposes is actively inimical to health, are
OF the opinion that a preliminary filtration
system If practicable would be preferable.
It became apparent today through the
production of report from committee of
the medical society that this is the view of
the members OF that organization. The re-
port says that Expert Hazen's chief argu-
ment In favor of the use of an alum coagu-
liant during periods of excessive turbidity
is that under existing conditions of water
waste and diminished storage capacity,
sedlmentation cannot be obtained by a nat
ural means. but must be FASTENED by the
use of coagulant, without which a clear
Only One Turbid Period.
He admits" says the report. that there
has been only one turbid period since the
filters started, and that only very slight
one In comparison with those which we
must have later. In other words, there
has not been turbidity enough in the raw
water to test the principles as yet. but that
the evidence in other cases is Overwhelming,
and he expressed the hope that his recon-
mendation be acted upon before the filters
becomes demoralized and the people of
Washington Disguised with them.
The report goes on to say that the COM
mittee3 has inquired into the efficiency of
the filter beds during the period referred
to and has found that the water was blush
in tint and looked rather turbid when
viewed in a bathtub. They say, however
that the bacterial efficiency of the filters
was very good under the circumstances,
eliminating very nearly 80 per cent of the
bacteria.
Ehe report says that the committee real
lied that preliminary sedimentation was an
indispensable condition to the success OF
the filtration system, and gave considera-
ton TO the question of what effect the in
creased water storage facilities had had
in the removal of excessive turbidity They
found that while theoretically the local
reservoir affords capacity for a ten or
twelve days supply, that matter OF
fact the waste of water in the District
has reduced this to four days. The ac-
emulation of sediment in the receiving
reservoirs which has been going on for
years also has something to do with this.
The report of the committee concludes as
follows:
ITO remedy existing evils the indications
are clear. First, to stop the waste of water
and thus reduce the consumption from 225
gallons per capita to about 100 gallons per
capita a day. which can be accomplished
by careful attention to leaky fixtures and
not allowing water to run to waste. While
we conceive this to be the duty of every
good citizen, the object will be more eff
fectually accomplished by the general in
PRODUCTION of water meters. AS the rate
now charged by the District government
for water supplied by meters is only cents
thousand gallons, with a minimum rate
of $3.50 a year. the system will work no
hardship, but prove of distinct advantage
to the majority of householders, and we
therefore unhesitatingly favor the INSTALL
ment of meters. :
Second, we recommend the prompt re-
moval of all sediment from the receiving
reservoirs which has accumulated for years
and which has not only seriously impaired
the storage capacity but also the period
for, preliminary sedimentation of the raw
water.
SIN view of these facts, and of the grave
responsibility which the situation imposes
upon the officers in charge of the Wash
ington filtration plant. your committee rec
ommends that the society suspend Judgment
with reference to the advisability or mad
visibility from a sanitary standpoint of
adding a coagulant to our water supply
for the purpose of purifying it, and that the
society take no action with respect to such
proposed addition"
Mr.. Maignen's Argument.