East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-09-09

In the discussion Of water supply
and filtration questions that have come
up TO the Lewiston city council vitally
in the disposition Of propositions now
before that body. the experience OF
other municipalities is Of keen interest
not only 10 members Of the council,
but 10 citizens who care TO keep I'm
touch with public questions affecting
ihe taxpayers, reminds the Lewiston
Teller.
The following report from an expert
VINO made an examination Of condi-
lions in Spokane will be directly in
point in showing what the needs Of a
great city are likely to be and what
VIII be the probable cost Of installing
filtration plant The interview
quoted Is from a recent edition Of the
sr-okesrnan-R Review. which s9ys;
G V. Roberts. Of the Roberts Manu-.
featuring company. PHILADELPHIA.
makers OF filtration plants. one OF the
largest concerns Of the kind in the
country. was in the city yesterday. and
conferred with members of the water
committee OF the $50. 900 club and DR.
Henry Power and other physicians
who have been strongly advocating
the installation Of a filtration plant.
Nr. Roberts IS on his return from
sacramento. Cal. where he has sub.
mitted plans for the installation Of a
plant similar in size to one required
az spokane These plans he exhibited
TO the persons interested yesterday.
The Roberts company has Installed
pi~His Il Eugene. albany and Rose
burg, Ore, and Centralia. Wash.
In discussing filtration plants last
night Mr. Roberts said:
For Spokane the best system would
be the rapid mechanical. using the CO.
agulation in connection with the fil-
ters. l think this system the only
/ practical solution for the pure water
| problem for Spokane. after hearing
! the conditions.
Il understand that at present about
! 2o.O00,000 gallons Of water are used
| daily; therefore, a filtration plant Of
( this capacity, with provisions made in
the plans for economical extensions
as the city grows. would cost approxi-
/ mately 100000 per 1000. 900 gallons
daily capacity. entailing 100000 for
a plant Of 10000 900 capacity. This
is merely an approximation. as the
cost Of the mechanical plant IS very
largely influenced by local conditions.
The reason l advocate mechani-
cal plant is that you have here an
abundant supply Of water in the Spo-
kane river. The mechanical filtra-
ton plant has been worked out to an
exact science, and we can determine
in advance the cost Of construction
and maintenance. and it can be de-
| termined to certainty what the re-
suits will be. When once the plant
has been established the city Is as
sured Of lasting supply Of pure
water.
Little Space Required.
For plant of the capacity needed
in Spokane the ground REQUIRED would |
be about 4O0x60O feet, including the
two reservoirs, the clear water reser-
voir and the coagulating reservoir,
The silicate sand required be- |
lieve you have in this section in album |
dance. For a plant Of 2O,OOO,OOO gal |
Ions capacity 1000 tons would be re-
quired. The sand Is graded between
certain size and placed in the filters
and it is only necessary to add a small
portion Of sand each year to corr.
pensate for the wear on the cleaning
process. The cost Of maintaining
mechanical system is very small.
Basins. reservoirs and filters and
the principal parts of the installation
are of reinforced concrete. practically
indestructible. The labor required TO |
operate would probably not exceed
three ordinary workmen. calculated as
one man on eight-hour shifts.
The operation Of the plant is prac- |
tically automatic. The water under |
proper control, flowing by gravity
from point where II first enters the |
coagulating basins. runs by gravity |
through these basins to the filters, and |
from there to the filtered water col |
lecting wells beneath the filter and |
thence delivered to the high-service |
pumps for distribution to the CITY.
THE cost for coagulant would prob
ably average S1.25 per 100000 GAL
Ions Of water filtered
Cities Using Filters.
Mechanical filters have been in op- !
Grafton the last 20 years, and they
have been very much improved upon
and perfected in the last 10 years.
There are approximately $50 cities and
towns In the United States and Can
ada using these systems, among them
being Little Falls, n. j., supplying
Preston, Newark, Orange and Pas
sale, n. j. This plant has capacitv