The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-01-27
Senator Gardner Writes to
Secretary Haas Calling At
tention to the Stream Pol
luton Measure.
RICHMOND COULD NOT
MEET BURDEN IMPOSED
Local Legislator Points Out
That Bill From Sanitary
Standpoint Is Good One,
But Has Drawbacks.

A. M. Gardner, representative from
Wayne and Fayette counties in the
state legislature has written Secretary
e. M. Haas of the Richmond CONNER
cial club calling his attention to house
bill A. This bill proposes to stop pol
luton of streams by prohibiting any
city or town to drain it's sewage into
stream. If the bill becomes law it
will mean a vast expenditure to the
city of Richmond. With the exception
Of the new southwest sewer system
just completed, every large sewer in
the city drains to the Whitewater riv-
err. To change this entire system and
construct sanitation beds could be
done only at enormous expense. At
the present time the city would be I'M
able to meet the expenditure.
Representative Gardner writes that
from sanitary standpoint there is no
doubt but that the bill provides good
thing. 1t is recognized throughout the
world that sewage drained into riv-
ers become menace to health. Stream
pollution has been the subject for a
sweeping investigation in this state
recently because of the refuse matter
turned into the waterways by certain
factories and other industries.
Provisions Of Bill.
Among the provisions of the bill
are the following:
Whenever the common council.
board of health of any city Or town,
or the board of county commissioners
of any county, or the trustee of any
township in this state, shall make
complaint in writing to the state board
of health, charging that any city, town
village, corporation, person or firm
named in said complaint is discharging
or is permitting to be discharged, any
sewage or other waste, or befouling
or deleterious matter into any stream,
water course, river, spring, lake or
pond, and is thereby materially in
jung, for domestic use, the character
of the water into which the same is
discharged to the injury of the public
health or comfort, or is polluting the
sourceof any public water supply, it
shall be the duty of the state board of
health to forthwith inquire into and
investigate conditions complained of,
and If upon such investigation said
board shall find the charges, or any
of them made in such complaint to be
true and thta the conditions produced
by the acts complained Of are detri-
mental to public health or comfort, or
to the comfort and health of persons
residing in the vicinity Of the water so
befouled, it shall notify the person,
municipality, corporation or firm
causing the pollution Of the board S
finding, and in the notice shall fix a
finds by the hearing a remedy is need
ed 1t has the power to prescribe.
Ten Years for Payment.
From and after the passage Of this
act it shall be unlawful for any NUM-
cipality to construct any sewer, or
drain designed to carry any substance
or matter of the character to injurious
ly affect water for domestic use, which
shall directly or indirectly. discharge
into any stream Or water course unless
1t shall have before putting the same
into use, povided as part of such sew
er or drain, plant for the purifica-
tion of the discharge thereof
The cost is to be betrayed by assess,
ments against property owners. Ten
years time is allowed for the payment
of the assessments. The bill provides
| for penalties in case of violation.