The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-17
WESTPORT HEARS LECTURE ABOUT
 SEWAGE DISPOSAL
System of Settling Basins and Quick
 Filtration Discussed by Engineer.

A question of widespread interest to the people of the towns of westport and Fairfield was discussed. last night. in the Town Hall. at Westport. by George L. RobinscIs. citn engineer of New York, relating to the disposal of sewage. and the problem which con fronts towns along the coast of Long Island Sound. An audience of some 50 gentlemen vas present to hear the address Mir Robinson said the ques- tion of sewage disposal is young in this country for the reason that here tofore population has not been con- gested- In the matter of disposal the first thing to do Is to get rid of sew age at the least cost and in the most efficient manner.
 The proportion of sewage is parts of organic matter to 9s of water. The object is to remove the 2 parts of solid matter. An attempt has been made to filter sewage through sand. "A plant was established some years ago at Lawrence. Mass. and from it we get our best data It was found to be expensive. and very soon the sand became clogged. and had to be frequently raked oyer. New beds had to be built.
 Now we have other methods. and towns have been forced to adopt them. as the result of such epidemics as have appeared in Scranton. Wilkes
 ks O. That state has required vigorous sup ervision of water supply and sewage disposal. In the interests of the public health, and to-day the states of Penn sylvania. Massachusetts New York. New Jersey. Ohio. and some others. compel cities to establish sewage plants for the good of the community. We should consider the health and welfare of the community at large. Must find out the local conditions. the topograph. extent of territory to be relieved. etc. then have plans prepared and submit them to the State Board of Health. getting its approval. and thus avoid trouble and possible injunctions. Such drainage ie not the best scheme: tanks are now used for fermentation. which breaks down the organic matter and lending itself to rapid filtration. There can be filtered to separate tank as much as three million of gallons per acre every day. The tanks are built sewage ferments and the Water oxi- dizes- Three million gallons of sew age represents a population of 90 900 people. allowing 100 gallons for each person.
 At Mt. Vernon. N. Y. I. have built five settling or septic tanks. 100 by 50 feet and feet deep. The sewage en- ters by gravity. If the sewage is too low have lifting pumps. There is a syphon at the end of each tank. and from this flows the water ever drain age and purification beds. made Of broken rock. each 100 feet long. feet deep and under drained. Very little ador is developed if the plant is prop erly run. At Saratoga there is a plant covering 2S acres. with no odor at ali The most offensive gas ever generated is sulphuretted hydrogen, but we dis pose of this by running 1t over iron oxide. placed in pans. the gas being forced up a tower by the use of fans. The fans are run at slight cost by an electric motor. In Reading. Pa. eight million gallons of sewage are disposed of by this process every 24 hours. and they get 90 per cent. of purification- For a town like Westport I recom- mend the designing of a plant in tanks and then others as occasion re- quires. You may have a small plant oi; both sides of the river. or YOU may have a small pumping plant with an inverted syphon. You must have some sort of rapid filtration. If at a dis tent point. the vats oo not need to be enclosed. We enclosed them at MI. Vernon. because they are in section of the city which is being rapidly built up. and public sentiment was in favor of having them enclosed. The sludge found at the bottom of the tanks may be removed. and dried. and 1t takes the form of a black earth. which makes a very good fertilizer The plant at Mt. Vernon cost S130. 1000. and it will take but two men to run it. with wages of say S2 day each. There are objections to running sew age into a river-it spells the water. and is full of dangers to the inhabit- ants. The harbor of New York is simply saturated with all manner of vile things. and the time is fast com ing when the pollution of the water in the Hudson and East rivers must be