Gloucester County Democrat., 1907-06-20
WATER SUPPLY.

cllf' Will show that the wafer c0mmlbtee
of that body is nearing the serious work of
the proposition 80 abandon our present.
water supply and install in its. stead arte-
sian water distributed through stand-pipe
at a cost Of about $60, ,O00
Reference to the same Proceedings twill
also disclose the official analysis Of both
present supply and the proposed supply,
from artesian wells.
Mr.. Shivers, in his report. invited public
criticism Of the proposition from members
Of Council. the press and citizens generally,
and we feel it a duty to accept and give
reasons which to us seem conclusive Shat
the proposition is unwise, and almost, II
not entirely, waste Of money.
In the first place there is no assurance
that we can secure better water than we
now have, from any source. The official
analysis shows that the present supply is
potable, which, according to Webster, means
that it may be drunk with safety TO health.
That is all we can get, is all we want, all
we can hope to have.
The analysis also shows that the sample
taken from the basin from which the supply
is drawn, is slightly contaminated. This Of
course is to be regretted. But has the
Water committee done anything to remove
that faint? Not that we have heard Of.
Instead, the committee proceeded to ex-
pend 1888 to sink trial artesian well-to
experiment. Would not that money have
stopped the slight pollution of the stream
between the source and the pumping basin?
To be sure, that slight pollution did the
people no harm, because the official analy
sis shows it is removed before it reaches the
consumer, but wouldn't it have been wise
administration Of this department. to have
purified the supply at the basin-or made
some effort to !?
And the Committee is aware shat GER
tain farm on the line OF the stream is pol
luting the water. Has any effort been made
TO cause this man TO cease such illegal pro-
cess We say illegal advisedly, because we
have. not only had legal advise on the sub
iect, but we haye published that portion Of
the law which makes it misdemeanor so
to do.
While City Solicitor is kept busy writing
opinions on TRIVIAL matters without num-
ber, why not turn him loose on something
with possibilities Of saying the city $50, 600?
and stop this slight pollution Of the stream
at the pumping basin.
There is another argument the Water
committee advances for the artesian stand
pipe system and that is fire protection.
Mr.. Shivers promises that with the new
system we will have pressure of so lbs. to
the inch at the base of the stand-pipe.
We recall that when the water was turn
ed on the present system the pressure at
the Court House was at least as strong as
is prophesied for the new. But what Is the
pressure now? The city paid something
like $40 a few weeks ago for a new kind of
meter TO test the water pressure at the hy-
drants. We have heard no report Of its use
as yet. It is due the city to know how that
machine works.
Again, it is urged that because former
Council proposed to spend $4,000 for an
additional main from the water works on
the assumption that the old mains were
worn out and liable TO give out, that of me-
cessity something must be done.
We would like Mr. Shivers to inform
Council next Tuesday night if he has bad
the mains examined, to ascertain their con-
dition; will an expert say they are worn
out? Are they liable to collapse and de-
priYe us Of water supply How long since
one of these mains has burst, and new
length of pipe been required
Councilmen have not hesitated to say
that our water is bad, but the analysis
does not show it. They have not hesitated
to say the pipes were weak, but they haye
not reported any breaks recently.
But the water is bad in summer, they
say. Have they had an analysis of it in
summer?
We have been told by citizens in towns
near Woodbury. that have artesian water,
that their water has dissgreeable odor IN
summer. Has any one ever discovered a
disagreeable odor in Woodbury. water? Not
a Bit Of it.
But the last year or two there has been,
occasionally, an annoying moss. That, we
are informed, comes from the pumping ba-
sin. and that the hydrants have not been
freely flushed. Certainly, local difficulty
like that can be easily remedied if she dis
position is present.
Again, is there member Of Council
having private water supply that for years
has been a source Of health to himself and
family, that was praised by all who visited
his home, who would abandon is on first
suspicion of contamination, without effort
IN aeaarkaiu fhe causa and mn pffork tn a n