The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-04-05

heading Commissioner Burnitt Talks
the following statements are made:
/. The Dawson plans call for the
expenditure of $4,000 and probably
more and guarantee of 9S per cent
pure water. the plans of the Other
commissioners will call for the ex.
penditure of sl5. 900 and most probably
less. with a guarantee of 9S per cent
pure water"
2. 1t tmeaning the wash water
from the iilters) will not Kill children
or vegetation, but il valuable fer
tilizer."
2. IF sedimentation basins are
needed they can be added to the plant
at any time.
4. Many purihcation plants are be-
ing successfully operated without sedi-
mentation."
In reply to the first statement the
plans and specifications so far as they
have been adopted call for not less
than 81 per cent average bacterial re-
duction. and that wh1e IL is true that
the per ccntage is the same Tor the
filters in both propositions, yet no ac-
count IL taken OF the fact that In the
original plans. 1t is proposed To Apply
both coagulation and sedimentation
hefore the water reaches the hters,
and thai this preliminary coagulatioh
and sedimentation will remove from
- per cent TO 80 per cent OF the sus'
nended matter. including the bacteria
Professor Edwin DeBarr OF the Uni
yersity of Oklahoma reports that the
water In the city lake contains 256,oOO
water bacteria (saphrophitesD per cu-
bic centimeter. 81 per cent bacterial
removal under the present plans would
/ leave 1880 bacteria per cubic cent?
meter. Under the original plans, as
suming 80 per cent to be first removed
by coagulation and sedimentation and
then 81 per cent 10 be removed by the
| filters, would leave only .76S bacteria
per cubic centimeter as against 1880
under the present plans. an efficiency
of ten times as great in favor OF the
original plans.
Ind II any citizen desires 10 test
this statement. as To vegetation, he
may do so by watering the grass or a
plant with weak solution
| alum and observe the result. II will
/ kill both If continued for "A short time.
! 3rd. This statement is correct, but
means that the city will be required
| to install. in addition to the sedimen-
| tation basins. "A complete new pump
/ ing plant at cost OF from 81 900 to
| $1,000, for pumps alone, besides the
| cost of getting rid of waste from ba-
sins In addition to this, when the
bond money has been spent for fil-
/ tration plant and water extensions in
| the city, where is the money to come
| from for the sedimentation basins and
Z the additional pumps7
/ ith. This statement is also correct,
but IL fails to specify whether these
''puriication" plants are for municipal
or manufacturing purposes. The com.
missioner will have difficulty in nam
ing one modern. up 10 date municipal
plant. In a city OF 10000 inhabitants or
more, where the water is not treated
with a preliminary coagulation or sed-
imentation, or both, before 1t is filter
ed.
The writer OF this article does not
present this for the mere purpose OF
getting into print nor TO criticlse his
fellow commissioner. but TO let the
people at large understand. in some
measure. the problem OF water purif-
cation, which is undoubtedly the most
important question Of tho hour.
YouR truly,
d. II. DAWSON,