Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-09-03
WATER supply
AND FILTRATION
Some Municipal Problems
of Interest at Present
Time

III the discussion OF water supply !
and filtration questions that have come
up to the Lewiston city council vitality
in the disposition of propositions now
before that body, the experience of |
other municipalities is Of keen interest |
not only to members of the council, |
but to citizens who care to keep in
touch with public questions effecting
the taxpayers. -.
The following report from an expert
who made an examination of condi-
tons in Spokane will be directly in
point in showing what the needs of a
great city are likely to be and what
will be the probable cost of installing
filtration plant. The interview quoted
is from a recent edition of the Spokes-
man Review, which says:
C. " Roberts, of the Roberts Manu-
featuring company, Philadelphia maxi
ers 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 10000 club and DR..
| -1N w q anu olneI physicians
who have been strongly advocating
the installation of a filtraGon plant.
| Mr.. Roberts is on his return from
| sacramento, Cal, where he has sub
mltted plans for the installation of
plant similar in size to one required at
I Spokane. These plans he exhibited to
, the persons interested yesterday.
! The Roberts company has installed
plants at Eugene, Albany and Ross
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 fl
ters. l think this system the only
practical solution for the pure water
problem for Spokane, after hearing the
conditions
i understand that at present about
| 2o,O00,OOO 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 approx
mately $4,000 per 100000 gallons
daily capacity, enta1ling $4Oo, 900 for
plant OF 2O,OOO,OOO capacity This is
merely an approximation, as the cost
of the mechanical plant is very largely
influenced by local conditions.
'The reason advocate a mechanical
plant is that you have here an abund- |
ant supply of water in the Spokane |
river. The mechanical filtration plant |
has been worked out to an exact |
science, and we can determine in 40
vance the cost of construction and |
maintenance, and it can be determined !
to certainty what the results will be.
When once the plant has been estab-
lished the city is assured Of lasting
supply of pure water.
Little Space Required.
For a plant of the capacity needed
in Spokane the ground required would
be about 400x600 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 plant of 100000 gall
Ions capacity 1000 tons would be re-
luired. The sand is graded between
certain sizes and placed in the filters,
and it is only Necessary to add small ,
portion of sand each year to COM
pensate for the wear on the cleaning ,
process. The cost of maintaining a
mechanical system is very small.
Basins. reservoirs and filters and
the principal parts of the installation
are of reinforced concrete. practically ;
The labor required to .
operate would probably not exceed !
.hree ordinary workmen, calculated as 6
'ne man on eight-hour shifts. |,
"The operation of the plant is prac-
trtcally automatic. The water under ,
proper control flowing by gravity from !
point where it first enters the coagu- ,
ating basins, runs by gravity through :
'hese basins to the filters. and from
here to the filtered water collecting 7
wells beneath the filter and thence de- :
ivered to the high-service pumps for .
to the city.
"The cost for coagulant would prob
IDLY average $1.25 per 1000, 900 gall
ons of water filtered. :
Cities Using Filters. ~
Mechanical hEers have been in OPP ;
ration the last 20 years. and they /,
ave been very much improved upon
M perfected In the last ten years. =
here are approximately ESQ cities and
owns In the United States and Cam :
da using these systems. among them :
'eing Little Falls, N. J., Supplying !,
'ataraop .nsax.,art,f f1.aas,.s "a NJ. -