The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-21
EXPERTS
TO SOLVE
PLAN
Water Supply Board
Has Two Schemes 1t
Tells Governor.
Ispee.al to the Evening star.l

iopSS4dl ~ II GNcHlHH 1NdiJ
TRENTON, Jan. Elm the report o.
the State Water Supply Commission
which has just been handed to the
Governor. the commission fails to de
eide upon whether the plan advocated
by the Passaic Flood Commission o.
the State geologist for the prevention
of floods and preserving the water II
the better scheme. Both plans. the,
say, have merit.
Besides covering the flood condition.
in this State. the report sets out thu
schemes and workings of similar com
missions in other States. The follow
ing is a part of the report:
lou own State has at its very doors
an additional water supply, which, IL
it had been allowed to remain i'll lis
original purity. would ave been sur
flcient and satisfactory for the needs
of the population now centered about
the Passaic River. Fifteen years ago
the waters of this river were sum
cient without any storage to supply the
population in this portion OF the state.
But, as these waters gradually became
polluted the largest two ommunitles
in this district have found conserva-
tion of the headwaters to be impera-
THE Flood Commission's and the
State Geological Surveys plans each
contemplate the conservation OF prac-
tically an equal daily yield OF the
waters of the Passaic River at nearly
the same total cost. The waters so
conserved will meet the needs. for a
considerable time to come, of the vast
population now dwelling upon the
banks Of the Passaic. The location OF
either of the proposed reservoirs would
be less thar twenty miles from the
- &c H. a.@.,l- to- u ha sum
piled. The yield of either would be not
less than 200, 900, 600 gallons per day.
'Tnasmuch as either scheme will flood
large areas now rapidly developing In
value by reason of the construction OF
large and expensive summer residences
the necessary land to be taken for the
reservoir construction is therefore
rapidly enhancing in value and an
State for either project is essential for
economical construction.
1.-THE State Water Supply Commits
sion has carefully studied the localities
OF both suggested reservoirs, and it has
decided to call TO its aid the best
engineering talent Of the country which
has not been identified with either
project. together with q representa-,
Survey. The result of it's further in
v~estigation will be made the subject
for a supplemental report to the Legis-
lature.
iNhi WI TIC 80 - III
and growth it is noted that il is fair to
assume that at the present time there
is a population OF over $4,000 In the
Passaic valley now being supplied with
potable water from the Passaic River
at different points. The per capita con-
sumption of water in the larger COM
munities is now in the nelghborhood OF
1@5 gallons pei. day, and upon this
from the Passaic River are taking
100. 900, 900 gallons of water per day.
Were this water assumed to be taken
from the lower reaches of the Passaic
River without storage 1t Is apparent
thai as the river has a normal flow in
dry weather under. Q .009,00 gallons
that it would be impossible TO supply
the communities now depending upon
the Passaic River for water.
Fortunately Newark and Jersey City
have provided storage on the head
waters of the Passaic. These plants
as now constructed each have a ca
pacity of SO. 10000 gallons per day.
The present draft upon these supplies
Is nearly the same in each city, namely.
900 gallons. Referring again to the
growth in population and estimating
this growth to be approximately 35
per cent. in a decade It will be seen
capacities of both the. Newark and
Jersey City plants will have been
reached, and as the amount Of water
now being pumped from the lower
ioocuNS VI luC -ilNtl ~ n iVoSihS Inv
natural flow of the river to such al
extent that the river can no longer
carry off the waste products which are
being dumped into it. any material
increase in the draft of water SO taken
from the river will result in accen-
tuating the Objectionable condition
Either of the reservoirs proposed to
be constructed on the Psssaic for con-
servation would be able to
supply not only the territory in the
Passaic Valley but those adjoining
populations whose water supplies are
not now susceptible OF adequate extern
sion to meet the future needs of the
communities supplied therefrom. name
". the cities IN the lower Hackensacll
and those along the eastern slope Of
the Orange Mountains and possibly
Elizabeth