Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1912-07-05

ana springs are all 1eu Dy Jne ground
water
The clearing away of forest growth,
the blowing and smoothing of the sur
face, the draining of swampy places
have all lessened the flow of ground
water. On cultivated land the rain
flows off quickly. A heavy rain floods
the brooks which quickly drop away to
much lessened body of water. All the
processes of cultivation have tended to
hasten the flow of water from the land. |
1t is quite certain that the annual rain
fall in Vermont has not materially |
changed since it has been inhabited by
white men but it is equally certain
that the water flows off more quickly and
the surface flow is greater while the
ground flow is less. The swamps that bor
dered every stream have been drained,
the beds of the streams have been
Strengthened and the brooks and rivers
are less constant in their flow than they
were even half century ago. Brooks
that were mill streams fifty years ago
are now nearly dry after long spells of
dry weather; they are roaring torrents
after heavy rain. The conditions that
existed when the entire state was
covered with dense forest can never
water from the ocean as they have done
for centuries; but the downward flow of
the rainfall will be rapid. This rapid
drainage may be modified and checked
by the erection Of reservoirs at conven-
lent places near the heads of rivers; but
this expedient is costly. 1t is, how
ever, the only method by which the
water power of the state can be re-
stored, and at some future day it will
be done. The continued prosperity of
the state will demand it. The future
heat, light and power of the state lie
in the streams that flow down its beau
tiful valleys.
Most of the cities and villages of
Vermont, as we'll as other states, have
systems of sewage that empty into the
streams that flow through them. The
, water of the larger streams is there
fore polluted, poisoned and unfit for use
J as drinking water. Although the eX-
perience of the largest cities has shown
! that the sewage is valuable as a fer
, tilizer, when properly handled, few
even of our largest cities have as yet
t created such systems of sewage as will
] separate the water from the mass of
: material carried by it and render this
J material available for use in raising
7 vegetables; New York city throws its
sewage into the ocean.
t The rivers on which cities and vii
/ lagos have been erected with sewage
l systems emptying into them can not be
g protected from pollution. The lakes
and brooks, the wells and the springs
D can be protected. These are the sources
used for the supply of drinking water.
These sources may be contaminated
= either through surface water flowing
S visibly into them or through ground
e water flowing beneath the surface and
r out of sight. In either case the polu-
n ton must come from surfaces above the
t source used. Water will not flow up
t hill. The utmost care should be taken
8 that the germs of disease shall not be
: thrown out by drains, sewers or on the
S open ground above any source of water
n that is used for domestic purposes. II
o is not unusual now to see wells in use
f near dwelling and receiving its water
Y below the level of the house. A vel
= so located is continuous danger. II
any enteric diseases seizes an inmate
j. and the excrements are deposited where
n the ground water may receive them
r sooner or later the well will be infected
e with poisonous germs. No matter how
l. clear the water may look, we'll neal
e the house and having its water surface
o far below the level of the house is SURE
is to receive ground water with all j
ir carries of pollution from long distanc,
k in every direction. The we'll affords al
e outlet for the ground water and quie
r. water held away from sunlight is favor
m able to the life of disease germs.
lie A we'll is more dangerous to healtl
W than a flowing spring. In Vermont tn
lie springs that supply houses with waite
to are seldom below the level of the house
id In a few instances water may b.
1t thrown up by using a hydraulic ram
ic but usually the spring lies at som
I'd distance from the house it supplies, AM
ic well above its level. In such case it i
,o wise to see that no pollution or poiso
Is can come to the spring from a neighbor
Oh ing house, not merely through surfac
s, water running openly into the sprinI
s. but through the ground water. Itmus
.d be remembered that spring is not sup
piled from a hidden reservoir of water
ne Rain furnishes the water, and it come
r. down from the little depression abov
rn il. more or less remote in the shane O