Putnam patriot., 1909-01-22
Pure water . Valuable Asset.

 sed by one place in a score or more In the country with population larger or smaller than 1t numbers. There are few, even among quite intelligent peo- pie, who have 6 full realization of the importance of pure water in preserving health. The same Is true in regard 10 pure air. But there is a greater awak- ening to the need of the latter. Purea adds pleasure to life even with good health, and the fact is widespread that consumption is prevented and even cured, by constantly breathing pure air. Some now living can remember when consumptives were shut into small rooms, and all fresh air excluded from entering lest 1t give the patient q cold, and the fotid air soon hastened the end that pure air would have pre- vented. Our State and National gov. ernments have made laws, and see that they are enforced, to compel better ven tilation and proper supply of air to young and thoughtless people for their health's sake.
 Our State has enacted laws to secure the inhabitants healthy water, by es- tabIishlishing chemical laboratories, through its State Board of Health, 10 test whatever water Is brought to it's attention, to learn whether il is fitted for drinking, and if not, will grant aid when required and is necessary, to compel some change that will furnish pure water for domestic use, in place of the tainted.
 To make this needed change is often very costly, and imposes heavy bur dea either on the city or corporation that may own the water plant. Our city has water service owned by a corporation, and the water supply for nearly twenty years was generally re- garded as pure and healthy. As no complaint had been heard az eainst the water supply, the company rested con- tent with the occasional chemical tests 1t had procured together with an ex- animation carefully made of the water sheu from which the water supply was received into it's pond, that the water was satisfactorily pure. Some citizens, however, who had studied the domes- tic water question, had chemical tests made on their own account, which sa- tisfied them that the water was not sufficiently pure for domestic use.
 After the State Board of Health had declared the water unsuited for domes- tic use, the water company had special chemical tests made that confirmed the State report, and al once announced tts purpose to install a Altering plant. This was accomplished during the ensuing year. Since then, with two interrup- tons caused by breaks in the Altering plant, our citizens have had an unli- mited supply of as pure domestic wa ter as the human system needs.
 We speak of this matter again, at this time, for two reasons: First, to have our citizens feel assured that the Putnam Water Company is giving the water supply it's careful attention to see that its purity is maintained; se- cond, to give them documentary testi- mony from the State Board of Health, that their water supply lis entirely sa- tisfactory for drin king purposes
 We may add, that the Water Co seeks to keep our citizens constanly in- formed of the exact condition of their plant and the character of the water furnished them. The following are tests of the water made by the Chemi. cal Laboratory at Middletown, a State Board of Health institution, together with it's comments made thereon The first test is sample taken of the fil- tered water taken from the tap Of the company's office In this city, on Jana- ary 9th:
 Color, g Odor, 00 Sediment, gray
 Turbidity, ,.
 Solids, volatile, 2g
 fixed. 4o Effect on heating, charred Free ammonia. .03s Alburninoid, LUZ Bacteria per c.c. on gelatin at 20
 deg. C in As hours, 45 Bacteria per z. C. on agar at 37.5
 deg. at c in 4s hours, U Per cent gas produced in dextrose
 broth with 5 6 water, 40 Per cent gas produced in lactosc
 bile broth with C. C. water, 00 Nitrogen as nitrates, 10 A t,. tis.u uf<sG
 boiling, 4.4s Chlorine BOA Alkalinity, l7.00 Total hardness as CaCo3, H,W
 General Conclusions--Althou the | raw and filtered samples were not ob- | tained at the same time this month, an approximation of the work of the fil- | ters can be made by comparing the re- suits.
 The filtered water shows consider able decrease in color, turbidity, albu- 1 minoid, and oxygen consumed. The 1 most important difference, however, is | in the removal of bacleria-the filtered l water showing only 45, and among l them no drainage forms were found.
 In the opinion of the writer this wa ter is oi good quality and IS entirely | satisfactory for drinking purposes.
 JAS. A. NEwLANDs, Chemist.
 The second chemical test was made tx, fhs. same chemist on fanuarx fith