Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-03-10
SIMPLY for a Country Resi-
dence,
u A. sewell, in the Washington
W Agriculturist.)

chained from INC '"ANN WV Us
Of the city, namely meteoric
a,or or ground water. But, be-
Of the lack OF precautions usu-
~ taken in the collection and puri-
s.,on of city water, the farm sup
~ is more likely to become unfit
Il for use.
Meteoric waters are those falling
ram the air without undergoing the
eAkring action OF percoIatlng
,0rough the soil, and this source in
ondes rain water, snow water,
noter of mountain stream arising in
Il .noU fields, and the spring flood dis
.harge of all streams. Meteoric
waters are usually not SO desirable
90 source OF supply as the ground
waters. which are in reality simply
eltered meteoric water, and which
include well water, spring water, ana
mueh of the ordinary summer flow
If streams. These different sources
will be discussed separately.
Rain and snow in falling purity
the air by removing large quantities
NJ dust laden with bacteria and in so
doing become polluted; but this pol
luton is ordinarily insignificant after
the first few hours OF the precipita-
ton The chief danger of pollution
of meteroic waters lies in the rapid
washing of the surface of the catch
ment area. If an ordinary rain is
caught on some fairly clean surface,
such as roof, it will usually be
safe to turn the water into a cistern
after one or two hours of run Oft.
Snow from a roof is not good source
Of supply for drinking purposes I'M
less the roof was washed thoroughly
by rain before the snow. Water col
eeted in cisterns from the surface
run off or from streams requires
careful investigation. If the catch
ment area contains houses, stables,
barnyards, chicken pens, cattle pens,
refuse or filth, the run off should not
be used except when other water is
not obtainable, and then only after
liberation as hereafter described.
The run off of all streams through
settled districts is subject to the
same pollutions and the water
should be filtered before use. Noun
tain streams from melting snow
fields are the only really pure supply
of meteoric waters, and the other
sources by liberation OF water for
domestic use.
One ordinarily thinks of ground
waters as being safe source of sup
ply, but even these are sometimes
polluted. All ground waters can be
traced to origin on the surface. In
the case of artesian water the source
is usually several miles away and
such waters are free from all or
ganic matter because of thorough
nltering through the sand and gray
Ell. When, as in the case of an ordi-
nary shallow well, the water per-
colates through only a few feet of
SOIL, there is danger of pollution
from surface filth. Under no cir
cumstances should a shallow well be
located within one hundred feet of a
cesspool, earth closet, manure pile
UT any other sources of pollution
Deep wells are much safer than shall
low ones. Springs are simply out
groupings of the well water bearing
strata and are pure under much the
same conditions as shallow wells;
put since the depth is less the the
Instance from pollution in the direc-
uon OF flow should be much greater
IN any case where there is doubt as
70 the purity of the water it should
be filtered.
Inc only way to be sure of pure
"@'er is to exercise every precau-
ZION as to the purity of its source. A
eieaf' sparkling water man contain
hundreds of dangerous disease-pro-
uuclng bacteria, while a discolored,
eVli-smelling water may be perfectly
sale Tor use. However, the latter
e'ass OF water is unpleasant to use,
anu Is more likely to have been pol
iuted. A clear water should not be
accepted Internationally becausie it is
wear but should be thoroughly in
sestigated as to its source. A mud
W. ouorous water can usually be
enuered palatable by settling and
,Nen nltering In any case a proper
constructed sand filter will remove
p'actically all of the disease produc-
Ing bacteria.
0'ner causes than organic pollu-
on sometimes cause waters to be-
ohe dlsagreeable or unfit for use.
y "ese are the mineral effects, the
-loSI important of which are hard
&c.