New-York tribune., 1907-09-12
FILTRATION TESTS END
TO MIKE REPORT SOON.
Jerome Park Experiment ProUes
Successful, Says Chief Engineer.

A report the result Of the filtration expert
ment at Jerome Park reservoir will be made to
Commissioner o Brien in a few days A meeting
was held in the office of Chief Engineer De Va
yesterday to prepare it. There we're pres
ent Mr.. De Varona Health Commissioner Oar
lington and ". p. Fuller. the consulting engineer
of the water department. About $1,000 has been
expended in the experiment 80 far Mr. De Va
roma. while declining 10 give the proposed re-
port, said the experiment had been a success and
that the kind of filter that would be used had
practically been determined upon. AS soon as Com
missioner o Brien receives the report he will con-
suit with Mr.. Mcclellan. If the Mayor is in the
city at the time. and the whole matter will be
laid before the Board OF Estimate
The Board of Water Supply Gas and FIectrYcftv
wants a preliminary appropriation OF s4OO1N Ns
which Mr.. De Varona said would enable It 20
make a good beginning. 1t IS estimated that the
whole cost will be about s120oOCo that Il Will
require about seoO.oOo year TO take care Of H.
A reporter for The Tribune called on Controller
Metz yesterday TO learn the result his nvestigs-
tions of filter plants abroad. Mr. Metz is fully
primed with statistics. He knows all about filters
now, and will spring his knowledge upon the off
ctals when the request for his approval Of the
first appropriation is made He said that filtration
necessary adjunct to a water supply But he was
not ready to approve the system wanted by the
water department The cost ia what Is botherine
the Controller He believes that the figures pre-
have to be expended He is prepared to prove
this. Mr. Metz still has much faith in his copper
sulphate scheme. The cost Of treating the water
chemically, he says. would be small compared
with the expense of the sand filter
There are several experimental patented nItra-
tion plants in at Jerome Park reservoir. and
20 these the report OF Mr.. De Varona will give
attention. One would cleanse the water with
ozone. another would the supply through char
COAL and at Brewsters Is what is called the cleo
trozone method. That IS being used expert
mentally on sewage. None of these systems will
be recommended.
There has arisen a strong movement against Je-
Park the site for the proposed plant. The
Burr Herring Freeman commission. after thor
ough investigation. reported in 1903 that there
were only sites that should be considered one
at Gould's Meadow. two miles southeast of Tarry-
town. and Elmsford which is three miles south
OF the same place. Their estimated cost was
So 500 600 for the plant. and operating expenses of
S7660O0 year. The objections the site At present
proposed its proximity the city, the lack Of
headway and the dust and general danger Of
pollution.
It was intimated yesterday that the Aqueduct
Board might make a demand that il have the au-
thorfty 70 build the filter. II was said that the
work in the province OF the water DEPART
rnent About two years ago the Aqueduct Board
consulted the Corporation Counsel as 10 its au-
thority He said they did not have II, and imme-
diately the department. OF Mr.. OBrien took up the
work II is said that the A4ueduct commissioners
are contemplating making an effort 10 get
change OF opinion from the legal department
The great Croton reservoir Is slowly filing UP
since II was decided draw for that purpose from
the other water basins. From more than twenty
five feet below the spilIway. the water mas risen
70 10 o. on nearly six feet II IS expected tnat IN
about six weeks the reservoir will be full