The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-15

the best class and are kept in good , condition and as far as we know are producing good and wholesome water, stlll it is not a safe plan to trust altogether to the filter plant for pure water It IS a far better plan to give the filter plant pure water to work on, and It does seem from the above stated conditions that we are now playing around the danger line with our water supply from health standpoint.
 The present supply is supposed to be about 16OOOOO0 per day, but we estimate they could save about 5s,00O0O0 gallons.
 Professor Rays Gravity Plan.
 We next take up the Professor Kay proposition of obtaining a water supply for the city of Birmingham by gravity.
 This seems to have been proposition to obtain a supply of water for manu- featuring purposes alone, as the plans only contemplated turning one or two of the upper prongs of the Warrior river, from a point in Blount county, near Swansea and Altoona coal mines, on the line of the Louisville and Nashville branch road from Birmingham to Gadsden, through a canal or ditch, into Village creek at North Birmingham. water supply of this kind can only be of benefit to the large manufacturing plants that use sufficiently large quantity Of water
  their own pumping plants. All nlanufac- turing plants that use less than 100000 gallons of water per day would rather get the water they need supplied by a. water works company under pressure so i that they can wash out their boilers, etc., 1 without going to the expense Of in i stalling pumping plants, pipe lines, tanks l and like fixtures
 Out of all the manufacturing plants in | .f FIot nr1lN four pump their own water from the river, nearly all of them using water from the water works company.
 The drainage area shown in Professor Kays report is 140 square miles, which would give about 37,5O0000 gallons per day without allowing for evaporation or leak age from the canal
 TayIors Ferry Proposition. About 30 miles west of Birmingham, where the Little. Warrior and Big Warrior rivers unite.
 There is plenty of water at this place l and it will afford plenty of power. few miles below this point is located Souaw shoals which is rated by the United States government as the greatest nower-producing location on the river However the water from this point should not be used for domestic purposes as if receives the sewerage from the Birmingham district, also the drainage from more than 100 coal mines around Birmingham.
 Helena Proposition.
 The Helena proposition will not give over 25 900. GOO gallons of water per day. Summary.
 After a careful consideration and in vestipation of the entire water supply nronosition, your committee has reached inc conclusion that the North Brming ham water proposition. to supply the Br' roinqham district with pure. cheap ant i sufficient water to be brought from the Sipsev river as outlined in this report, Is the most feasible. practical and profitable that has been presented to this commit tee for consideration.
 The demand for water has become to De daily growth among us, and 1t should receive immediate earnest attention; anc this committee would respectfully rec ommend that such action as may be necessary to secure results be taken al once. without delay, to secure the water that may be necessary to meet the de mands of a great and growing city. sucf as we all feel and know the city of Bir mingham is destined to be, and not IT the very great future, but soon-in 1act before we can realize it.
 This committee would feel as havint