Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1912-03-21
CLEAN SOFT WATER
FOR WlLLET0N
EXPERT IN THE CITY WHO nAS MADE
ATW0 YEAR STUDY OF WATER
MTBE NORTHWEST STATES

... MI. ~. I1cTSCuCA AAOJAs
York. who has devoted nearly all
of the past two years to q study OF
the water supplies of the North
western states, and particularly
those of North Dakota, says that
we can have clean soft water in
Williston and within six weeks OF
its authorization by Council. Mr..
Koyl has been engaged by the
Great Northern Railway to pre-
pare the waters along its line for
use in locomotive boilers, and it is
therefore probable that his state
ment may be accepted at its face
value in spite of the fact that we
have heretofore believed the water
almost past cleaning.
His statement is something like
this:
The water of the Missouri is
capable of being made an ideal city
water, perfect for drinking, for,
washing and for boilers. All the
year round it contains in solution
as it passes Williston about 13
grains per gallon of limestone
which makes it rather hard, and
during the early summer it also
carries in suspension large amounts
of mud. Very little of this mud
dissolves in the water, but is
carried for long distances as float
ing or suspended matter.
During the months when the
water is comparatively clean, it
can be made fairly good drinking
water by simple 6ltering through
sand, though this would leave the
water hard, but when the muddy
months arrive it would require
very large sedimentation basins
and very large filter areas to
supply the city with water. Many
of the cities between here and the
Gulf have tried to filter Missouri
river water and all have given it
up as impracticable during the
muddy season.
The only successful method of
handling this mud is to treat it
with lime which coagulates it very
rapidly into chunks which settle
promptly and leave the water very
clear, and not only clear but soft.
When the water is treated in this
manner the present settling basins
are ample for daily supply of a
half million gallons at the muddiest
season of the year, and all the
equipment necessary is properly
designed mixing basin which can
be built within six weeks, at q
total cost of approximately five
thousand dollars. The water from
such a plant will be as clear as
spring water, almost as soft as
melted snow, and as free from
/ bacteria as if it had been through
the best sand filter in America.
The cost of operation will be
approximately two cents per
thousand gallons at the muddiest
season.
1t is scarcely necessary to ex-
plain to any one the benefits of
clean soft water in the family and
in the city. Just imagine what it
will mean to the citizens to be able
to banish the fear of typhoid; just
imagine the joy of washing persons
and clothes IN soft water which
makes a lather with the first touch
of soap; just imagine what will
happen when the Commercial Club
is able to announce to manufacture
ers ''This is the only town in
North Dakota with clean soft
water"
AS a matter of fact, the saving
in soap in each family will more
than equal the cost of softening
and cleaning that family's water;
and such water means to q steam
boiler saving in coal and repairs
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