The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1908-07-18
.ATFR AND
SEWERS

RoSwells municipal water works
and sewer systems are now in course
of construction, the piping for the
water mains being in the local yards
and being hauled to the streets where
it is to be laid. The digging of bitches
will start as soon as the contractors S
machinery arrives, which will be
soon, and sub-contracts are to be let
during the coming few weeks for the
drilling of wells, building of power
house, septic tank, etc. There are sev-
eral points that the general public
is not familiar with relative to this
immense enterprise and which will
be interesting information for those
concerned as to city affairs.
The water works and sewer sys-
TENS are to be completed within six
months from the day the contractors
bond was approved, July 16, or in O.
ther words by January 16, 1909.
The two systems will consist of (a)
a supply and power station, with ar
tesian wells, small tank and pumps,
which will be located adjoining the
railroad on South Grand avenue, just
south of the canning factory and old
ice plant, (b) the water and sewer
mains and lateralS, which will extend
over large part of the city of Ros-
we'll, and Co a septic tank, which
will be located about four hundred
yards east of the lot in the northeast
suburb now used as an outlet and
dumping ground for the present sew
er system.
The engine house will be made of
brick and will be of sufficient size to
house the engines, boilers and pumps
and afford shelter for supplies of
coal. There will be duplicate engines
and n11DnnC a11torO rnOII1atad
so that they will pump just fast en-
ough to supply the demand, and no
faster. The engines will keep a press
ure of so pounds in the mains, and
this will throw water with good
force into the seventh story of an
ordinary building. This great force
will hardly be maintained all the time,
as 60 pounds is really more than will
be needed, and will be greater than
any pressure any artesian well could
give, the average wells having prob
ably four pounds pressure. The en-
gines can give $50 pounds pressure
in case of fire. At first two artesian
wells will be sunk, and more will be
added when found necessary. The
wells will empty into a basin thirty
feet in diameter and twelve feet deep.
This basin will be used instead OF
pumping directly out of the wells in
order to get a steady stream of wa
ter through the mains and avoid the
friction caused by air bubbles. 1t is
known that there are some air bub-
bles in the artesian wells.
The mains will be built of iron pip
ing, we'll caulked with lead, and bu-
ried at varying depths, according to
the grade. Twelve-inch piping will
be used for water mains in the busi-
ness districts, ten-inch in the thickly
settled residence districts and eight
inch outside of these sections. The
sewer pipe also will vary in size,
ranging from eight to eighteen inches
in diameter, according to the needs
of the main.
The septic tank will be a system
of covered reservoirs through which
the water from the sewers will pass
before proceeding on its way east. In
these tanks will be placed chemicals
which will dissolve and destroy all sol
id matter. 1t is stated that the water
passing from the last reservoir Will
be as clear as artesian water. and
will be without odor.