The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-12-02
WATER COMPANY. PLANS CHEMICAL DEATH FOR 'BUCS'
Is Testing Means of Destroying Bacteria in Drinking Fluid With Hypochlorite Treatment Chemist of Company is in Charge of Experimental Plant on Pe- quOnnOck River-POison AL legged to Kill Bacteria But Not Men

Just to have it in case 1t is ever needed the Bridgeport Hydraulic Co. has installed a bacteria killing plant at its North Bridgeport pumping sta tion and is giving it a trial, with great satisfaction to the company's chemist, Stanley E.. Targett, who has been operating the plant. By a slight infusion of hypochloride in the water the chemists claim that they can purify polluted streams within very short time. Several cities throughout the country that use river water are Eiving their sources of supply a traat- ment of the hypochIorids. In Michi- gan there are a number of portable plants that are kept in readiness to be set up alongside of streams where there is danger from polluted water.
 The plant which the local company has erected is also a portable affair and as soon as it has been tested out on the Pequonnock river system 1t will be put away until such a time as the daily tests of the water SUD- ply show that it is needed on one city. Supt. Samuel P. Senior said yesterday that once a week the com pany's chemist makes a n1icroscopical examination of the water and on all other days chemical analysis of the water is made.
 Chemists do not begin to get ex- cited about bacteria in water until discernible in cubic centfmeter of water. A cubic centimeter of water would not fill No. thimble.
 Chemist Target said yesterday that never more than 100 bacteria has ever been found in water from the Pequ0n- fnTrS ,h 'IN hA 6avs iy, "A other two systems seldom ran higher than 50.
 The sterilizing plant, consists of a large wooden tank surmounted by a mixing tank. The larger tank holds the solution, which Is allowed to drip into the big mains through which the big pumps at the North Bridgeport station pump 90.000 millions of gall Ions every "A hours whenever the com pany presses the Beardsley park res ervofr into service as part of it's supply service. The water is pump ed into the Island Brook reservoir for distribution.
 Supt. Senior in speaking of the new sterilizing plant said that it was in- tended to take the place of filtra- tion plant if such a plant was re- ouired in this city as there was noth- ing in the hypochlorite treatment that would change the color of water a1-
 
 said further:
 "In order to keep abreast of the times. the Bridgeport Hydraulic Go, has lately installed for applying this treatment under the direction of MT. James A. Newlands. State Chemist pany's chemist It is not the present intention to operate the plant con- tinually but simply to become familiar with 1t so that in case any of the sources of Bridgeport's supply ever becomes polluted, an efficient treat ment will be at hand.
 ''The outfit could be moved and set up within 24 hours if necessary at any point on the Company's system. The plant consists of a mixing tank in which the proper amount of chem ical is mixed in solution with water, two large graduated receiving tanks which are filled with water and into which the solution is drawn from the mixing tank, and constant level tank into which the water flows from the receiving tanks from which the solution is introduced directly into the supply through the 24" suction pipe to the pump. A constant quantity is added by means of drawing it through a disk perforated with number of different sized holes. The amount which will flow through each of these different sized holes is determined be- forehand by test. More or less of them are closed bys means of screw plugs until the exact quantity Is ob- tained.
 "The use of Hypochloride of Lime for sterilizing drinking water has now reached a stage where it's field of use fulness in destroying bacteria life is we'll understood. It is sold in the form of a white powder and shipped in sheet iron containers holding from 150 to ITO lbs. When exposed to the air. 1t deteriorates quickly due to ab- sorbing moisture. The chemical is salt consisting of about equal parts of calcium chloride and calcium hypo- chloride. When it is added to water, oxygen in a very active state is 1ib- erated and the destruction of bacteria life is effected by oxidation. The ef- feet on the water is practically to sterilize 1t so far as germs are con- cerned and to very slightly reduce the color and to increase the total hard ness of the water. When it is not applied in greater quantities than IS parts per million, the changes in the physical and chemical characteristics of the water are not noticeable. Of course. the most important change Is the destruction of the bacteria life. If the Hypochloride of Lime added to the water is not in excess of 15 parts per million. an ordinary analysis is unable to distinguish any effects due to the addition of the chemical.
 Many Cities are now using this treatment. notably. Jersey City, Hart ford Montreal. Nashville, Minneepo Baltimore, etc.