The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-15

county in this system, Is known as the 'septic process" and is considered the best and most efficient treatment of sewage known to modern science. The county has 0 contract with responsible parties, by which the parties are to re- imburse the countye for a term of s0 years for all expenditures in the opera ton and maintenance of it's plant near Bessemer, and for all extensions of said plant during this term, for the use of the water from the plant to be used for man. ufacturing purposes. The average daily sewage carried through this sewer to this plant is now little over 100000 gallons. and the number of people served by 1t a little less than 100000 The maximum capacity of this sewer is about 15,0Oo, 900 gallons daily, and will serve between 100000 and 500O00 people. Hence the sys- tenn is designed for the future as well as the present. The capacity of the purification plant Is very little greater than the sewage now being disposed of, and hence under the contract referred to the county in few years will add to it and be reimbursed for this expense. The sewage of these several towns is car ried by gravity and emptied into these plants and after treatment the water flows by gravity into the creek, and for this reason the operation and mainten- ance of the system is reduced to min imum-
 The proposed new county line crosses the line of trunk sewer down Valley creek about half way of its length, leav- ing about half of 1t in Jefferson and the other half with the puriication plant, to- gether with over 100 acres surrounding it, In the proposed new county
 Without special legislation, this part of the sewer system would. perhaps. be- come the property of and be subject to the control of the new county, and it is extremely doubtful whether legislation could be had that would protect the prop erty rights of Jefferson county and guar antee to 1t the control and management of the entire system, although over 20 per cent of the people using the system would still live in Jefferson. Without the use of the lower half of the main sewer and the purihcation plant, that part of the system remaining in Jefferson coun- ty would be worthless. As the contract of the parties for reimbursement to the county for cost of operation, maintenance and extensions has not been profitable to them, they having as yet been unable to use the water for purposes intended. 1t is probable that they would welcome any change that would permit them to rescind their contract, and entail addi- tional expense on Jefferson or the new county.
 A joint operation and maintenance by two counties Is not feasible. A separate operation by one county, for both, with adjustments for expenses is not feasible. To cut the sewer in two at the new county line and to require Jefferson to build a new purification plant would be unfair, and Is altogether impracticable: 1. Because according to the survey and topography of the country there Is not a place along the whole line, above the present plant, where a gravity plant can be established. and a pumping proposi- ton in its erection and maintenance IS too expensive to be considered.
 2. Because the population above is too dense and the property too valuable to consider the condemnation of over 100 acres of land would be required and the construction of more expensive plant.
 It seems imperative that this system be maintained and operated with it's present efficiency for the benent Of the whole val ley. as it would be dangerous folly for either the upper or lower section to be cut off from the use of the present purif- cation plant and go back to the old sys- tenn of turning its raw sewage into the creek.
 Health reports for the last few years show that the death rate in this valley and its municipalities is as low as the most healthful cities and communities in the land. Typhoid fever, that only few years ago was almost epidemic, has near ly been eradicated. A backward move- ment would almost be criminal.
 The health and lives of both sections of our county are involved in the pending question: The sanitary conditions are now satisfactory, and Jefferson county Is and will continue to operate and maintain this sanitary system for the good of all with it's present efficiency if allowed to do so.
 It is evident that the creation of the new county would cause much confusion, friction and inefficiency in the operation and maintenance of this system, and pos sibly its destruction or abandonment and at cost of the health and lives of many. If the only questions involved were civic pride, property values. convenience for certain sections and offices for certain people. the legislature might act with less responsibility and from sentiment or sym pathy, but when sanitary conditions are satisfactory, reckless experiments chang ing these conditions and involving life and health, should not be tolerated.
 In a new and growing section. with it's changing conditions of necessity, new questions constantly arise, and because they are new and experimental it Is not unreasonable that people differ and differ honestly, but it is unfair for deliberative body to punish a large prosperous and growing section of the state because of the want of harmony by its representatives on all questions. But all of the people of the county, except the undertakers, are together on the all important question of promoting the public health. Jones valley from East Lake to Bessemer has now sanitation facilities second to no other