Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-03-28
PURE water FOR
PEOPLE OF STATE
Professor Edward Barlow
Urges Passage of New
Bill by Legislature.
IN INTEREST OF HEALTH
Director of Illinois Survey Shows the
Need of More Attention by
Authorities.

Professor Edward Barlow, director
of the Illinois state water survey,
who is here on orders of the state
board of health, TO ascertain, if pos
sible. the source OF the typhoid fe-
yer outbreak in the city, is urging
the passage by the legislature of a
bill imposing new and additional
duties on the state water survey.
and making an appropriation there
for" Professor Barlow. in discuss
ing the bill, said TO an Argus re-
porter:
The scientific study Of the water
conditions OF the state as carried on
for Is years by the water survey
established by the trustees Of the
University of Illinois. indicate the
following throughout the state:
First, the installation Of water
supplies in municipalities Of 1000
inhabitants or more where no gen
eral supplies have been established.
Second. the installation of filter
plants where surface supplies are
used without filtration.
Third, the systematic examina-
ton OF the supplies already installed
in order that the quality OF the wa
ter. both for drinking purposes and
for manufacturing uses, may be
controlled and when necessary rec
concentrations made for its improve
ment.
Fourth, the examination of the
present condition of water sheds
from which water for drinking pur-
poses is obtained.
town OF 900 inhabitants or more
should have a general wafer supply.
There are So such municipalities in
the state The need for general wa
ter supplies in these is emphasized
by a comparison of the typhoid fever
rate with the water supplies as
shown in the attached reprint from
the proceedings Of the Illinois Wa
ter Supply association. This COM
par.son shows that the typhoid fe-
yer rate is higher in the southern
81 counties and lower in the north
ern 81 counties. In the southern 81
counties the typhoid fever death
rate is 296 per 100000. Thirty
two and eight-tenths per cent Of the
municipalities of 900 inhabitants
or more are without general water
supplies In the northern 81 coun-
ties the typhoid fever death rate is
I45 per 100000: los per cent Of
the municipalities of more than
l 900 inhabitants have no general
wa er supply. II is well proven
fact that the Improvement OF va
ter supply not only lowers the ty-
phoid fever rate but the general;
death rate is also lessened. The
passage of senate bill 263. house .
bill 25s. imposing new and addi-
tional duties on the water survey
Will enable the survey to study 10
cal conditions and indicate 10 the
various municipalities the best meth
cd of obtaining or purifying a sup
ply.
NECESSITY OF FILTRATION.
Filter plants should be installed
wherever II is necessary 10 obtain
the general water supply from sur
face sources The necessity for this
is also seen by comparison Of the
typhoid fever death rate in the
northern and southern parts of the
state. The northern part Of the
state is underlain by water-bearing
strata from which satisfactory drink
ing water can be obtained The
southern part of the state must OBJ
tain its water from surface sources.
In the majority of cases the water
IS not filtered; in fact, there are
only 20 filter plants in the state