The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-06-30
LEGAL ADS OF THE ENTERPRIsE+
REPORT, ON THE PUBLIC WATER
SUPPLY FOR THE CITY OF VIR-
GINA, MINNESOTA
J. A. CHILDS.
June 2, 1911.

PURPOSE OF THE INVESTIGATION
This investigation was made in response
to a request from Dr. John Grove Health
Officer of Virginia, to DR.. H. M. Braeken.
The purpose Of the visit was to look over
the source of the water supply and COL
lect samples of the water for analysis
There has ben, so DR.. Grove States, con-
There has been, so DR.. Grove states, con
siderable complaint on account of a red
dish brown sediment which sometimes ap-
pears in the water as drawn from the
taps. Dr. Grove states that some people
have expressed doubts as to the purity of
the water because of the presence of this
sediment at times.
SAURCE OF WATER SUPPLY
The public water supply Tor the city of
Virginia is furnished by the Virginia
Electric Power and Water Company, and
is taken from two deep wells.
DESCRIPTION OF WELLS.
These wells are located near the pump
ing station and within 100 feet of the
shore line of Silver Lake. One of these
wells is Ais feet, the other $50 feet in
depth. They are spaced approximately
200 feet apart. From the surface down
ed: clay 16 feet. sand 100 feet, slate 65
feet to taconite and achist.
The Ais foot we'll has an S-inch casing,
which extends into the slate few feet.
From this point down, the slate and tao
Onite rocks form the casing of the wall
The $50 foot we'll is similarly construct
co with the exception that a Pinch
instead of an S-inch casing is used
The water rises to within 30 feet to
IS feet of the surface. An air lift is
used in pumping the water from these
wells the air pipes extending to depth
of about $50 feet.
CAPACITY OF SOURCE.
Mr. John Kennedy, superintendent of
the light and water company, told me
that these wells were capable of supply
ing 1900 gallons per minute, or approx
imately 1,750OO0 gallons per day. He
stated however, that the air compress
sers were adjusted so that the wells de-
per minute.
RESERVOIRS AND PUMPS
From the wells the water flows into re-
inforced concrete reservoir located part
~ under and partly above the ground.
This reservoir is IS feet in depth Is
feet in diameter. and has a capacity of
about 225,OO0 gallons. From this reser-
vOir the water is pumped into the mains
and into a 100000 gallon elevated steel
tank.
There are four steam pumps which can
be used for this purpose, two of which
are 100000 gallon per day Fairbanks
Morse. Simple. Duplex, Underwriters,
fire pumps. The other two are also I'm
derwriters, Duplex fire pumps, but are of
smaller capacity.
POPULATION.
The population Of Virginia, the greater
portion of which is supplied with public
water, is slightly in excess Of 10000
CONSUMPTION
Mr.. Kennedy stated that the daily aver
age consumption Of water in the city
was in the neighborhood of Co., 900 gal
Ions, or about 60 gallons per capita per
day.
SOURCES OF POSSIBLE POLLUTION
SEWER
A 15-inch sanitary sewer passes within
30 feet of the wells ana reservoir. The
soil Is an impervious clay The we'll
castings are new and probably tight. This
fact and the fact that the soil is of an
impervious nature, probably make the
danger of contamination from the sewer
very slight at present. There is, how
ever. remote possibility that in fifteen
or twenty years the we'll castings may
rust and become full Of holes, through
which sewage might enter the water sup
ply.
EMERGENCY FIRE CONNECTIONS
There is at present a connection be-
tween the city mains and the mains on
the property of the Rainy Lake Lumber
Company. The mains of the lumber
company are supplied with water from
Silver Lake. which is probably contami-
mated since it receives surface drainage
from the lumber yards and the city. A
valve between the two systems is shut,
and locked in this position. the key be-
ing in the possession Of the chief Of the
fire department.
PROPOSED EMERGENCY INTAKE
1t is proposed to construct at the
pumping station an emergency IRE in
take, by which the water in case of a
large fire could be pumped into the mains
from Silver Lake. Mr.. Kennedy explain
ed that this intake pipe would ordin-
arly be tightly shut off by means of a
gate valve, and that also an air valve
would be placed on the suction pipe be-
tween the gate valve and the intake end
Of the pipe, and so arranged that it would
always be opened when the gate valve
was closed. Since the suction pipe is two
or three feet above the level of the lake,
it would be impossible for any water
from Silver Lake to be accidently drawn
into the mains. Mr.. Kennedy stated
that the gate valve would be locked shut
and the air valve locked open and the
keys placed in the possession of the
chief of the fire department.
SAMPLES COLLECTED.
In the presence of DR.. John Grove sam
pies of water for archaeological analysis
were collected from the concrete reser-
voir; from a tap in the pumping station
from tap on the city main, located near
the connection with the lumber yard pipe
line; from a tap in DR.. Groves office;
and from tap in the general store To-
Gated about a half a mile from the
source of supply.
Two chemical samples were TAKEN one
in the pumping station, which is fair
sample Of the water that is coming from
the wells; and the other from tap in
DR.. Groves office The sample taken in
DR.. Groves Office was taken in such a
way that it contained a considerable
quantity of the sediment which is some
times Drawn with the water, and con-
corning which complaint has been made.
This is. of course, not a fair sample of
the waer Ordina rilv drawn from tho tans
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS .
l. The water as it comes from the wells
and after 1t is pumped into the city