Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-04

tons only. in TINS connection, however /
il should be stated that lettering penalties I
should be prescribed by the city council |
for breaches Of the code Of sanitary laws. /
ana the same rigidly enforced without re- /
gard to individuals or localities.
70 The Management OF the water supply. |
Il may be slater as an axiom that the |
typhoid rate OF a city Is in di ect proper
ton 70 the condition Of its water supply |
in the matter OF pollution. The occurrence |
Of a number Of other diseases OF the water
borne type is also in direct agreement
with the degree OF pollution, as for instance
certain diarrheas, dysenterles and cholera,
when the latter disease is epidemic. The
inhabitants OF no city with polluted water
supply can be free from danger OF In
lection OF a serious type. The business in
terests OF any city are also directly af-
feeted by the condition OF the water fur
nished to the Inhabitants. 1t may be as
sumed, therefore, that the possession Of a
wholesome water supply is necessary
condition to the happiness and prosperity
Of a community.
The water supplies Of cities and towns In
this country are derived as a rule from
their general sources namely impounded
reservoirs, where certain areas Of coun-
try are converted by dams into artificial
lakes; ground water as furnished BY springs
and wells, and surface water from lakes
and streams. The latter source Is that
most in use in cities, and is a very dang
erous source Of supply for the reason that
such waters are very liable to be polluted
] by sewerage or by human and animal
excreta from the water shed.
Sanitary experts the world over are
agreed that river water in a well settled
/ district subjected only to sedimentation, Is
not fit for drinking purposes. The uni
versal dictum of the best authorities is
that such water must be subjected 10 fur
Their treatment before its use is free from
danger, and the method OF treatment,
which is best in every way. which has
stood the test Of experience and which at
reasonable cost can remove 80 per cent Of
| the contained bacteria is continuous sand
| filtration.
1t is estimated that the use Of sand fill
tration by means Of filterbeds, while OF
inestimable value to city in the matter
OF the reduction in the rate Of disease oc-
currence and mortality, may be assumed
to add only 10 per cent to the cost OF the
| water to the consumers. In many OK the
large English and continental cities OF
Europe, which some years ago were verb
table hotbeds Of typhoid fever by the
adoption OF sand filtration alone this dis
ease has been nearly exterminated and,
in few notable instances in our own
country. nearly similar results have been
secured.
As instances I may mention London, Ham
burg, Berlin, Breslau, zurich, and in our
country Lawrence, Mass, (Hazenl. An in
teresting point in this connection is found IN
this that although the supplies OF the
european cities mentioned are drawn from
sources polluted to high degree, yet one
can visit all Of these cities and use the
water from1 the public water supplies with
no fear Of infection.
This method of water treatment is most
effective. also, as protection against
cholera Infection in so Tar as the convey
ance OF this disease is Que to the water
supply, as shown by the great Hamburg
epidemic in 1892. when in that city, the
water supply of which was drawn from
the Elbe and delivered to the consumers
with no preliminary treatment besides
sedimentation. 10000 cases OF cholera with
5000 deaths occurred in one month, while
} in the twin city Of Altoona. separated from
Hamburg by one street and drawing It's
water supply from the Elbe below the out
lets OF the Hamburg sewers, cholera was
scarcely known. such few cases as did
occur being as a rule in persons who
worked during the day In the city just
mentioned while having their homes In
! Altona The difference between the water
, supplies OF the two contiguous, and really
, continuous, cities was simply this; that the
, Altoona water drawn from the highly pol
luted and infected Elbe below the sewers
of eholera-stricken Hamburg was subjected
, 70 sand filtration before distribution, whil'
that of Hamburg was not.
Two million gallons per acre daily may b,
given as a good standard output for watei
thus efficiently treated. More than 25
pillion gallons per acre per day in the cas-
OF supplies drawn from American rivers IL
now considered an excessive and undesir
able rate. Open sand filters with masonry
walls and OF good construction, have. IL
the United States, within the last decade
averaged about $4,000 per acre, building
cost Covered filters have cost half a.
much additional CHazen). As before men
toned the cost TO the consumer has beer
Increased about 10 per cent by this treat
ment
= In no city Of any Importance in oul
country should this relatively trifling In
crease in expense be allowed TO welgl
1 against the immeasurable gain to the com
. munity resulting from a wholesome waite
q supply
4 CD. Tho removal and treatment Of wastes
a The successful management OF the wastes
0 OF q city. including In the term wastes
{ human dejecta, animal manure. the refus.
+ OF manufactures. liquid and solid. ant
+ domestic refute as slops and garbage, 4
4 one OF the greatest problems OF scientific
e sanitation. The human dejectR and naui,
n refuse OF a well-sewered city are carrie,
= away from the immediate proximity Of tn,
r Inhabitants thereof only too frequently 4
:, be returned to them In their drinking
r water. or az least TO be a source Of pollu
ton for the water supplies OF cities an,
towns further down stream. When 1t 4
[, considered that the sewer systems OF tn
cities and towns Of the United States empt!
as q rule into the streams and rivers. upoi
{, the banks OF which they may be situated
the degree OF pollution OF such waite
courses may be imagined. In this way