Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1912-06-06
PUBLIC HEARING ON WATER
Expert Boardman Reviews Entire
Water Proposition Present Sup
/, ply Liked by Many, While Il
NJ Others Insist on Artesian ~

/ vfCllSs
/ In the presence of about IS more or
| less interested citizens of this city,
the Water proposition as it confronts
| Woodbury. was given thorough air
ing in the Court House last Tuesday
evening. While the number in at
tendance was not large enough to in
dicate with exactness the sentiment of
| the majority of Woodbury. voters, yet
the opportunity was given for those
who desired to express their views
both pro and con. From the fact
that less than one hundred persons
were in attendance, the inference
must be drawn that great majority
still believe that sufficient wisdom is
| inherent in Woodbury's nine Council
men to solve the vexing problem in
the right way
| Mr. Bayer, chairman of the Water
committee of Council, asked that a
presiding officer be chosen for the
meeting. Councilman Batten nomin-
ated President Cdombs of City Coun-
Gil and he was unanimously chosen.
Mr.. Coombs defined the purpose of
the meeting: to give opportunity for
citizens to express themselves upon
the advisability of continuing with
the present supply and filter it, or of
abandoning it and sinking wells for
artesian water Mr.. Coombs present
ed Mr.. Boardman, who, it will be re-
membered, made a report some
months ago ON the Woodbury. Water
! Works and a man who understands
quite thoroughly the whole system
and conditions under which it is op-
/ Grated.
Mr. Boardman began by saying that
/ the capacity of the present water
! shed is 100000 gallons of water
daily, that amount being obtainable
with a little storage. The Woodbury.
water has become unfit for drinking
purposes. The artesian water OBJ
/ tainable here is fairly good-not as
good though as the Camden artesian
water.
The present consumption in Wood
bury is 100000 gallons per day; an
artesian plant would have to furnish
at least 100000 gallons. A large
portion of the tract which the City
has an option on is too high for ar
! tesian purposes so but small part
of that tract of 13 acres would be
available, In placing a number OF
/ artesian wells, the question of inter
/ ference enters.
Most of the artesian wells this side
of Cooper's Creek give out consider
able iron-perhaps if Woodbury. de-
/ cided to use artesian water it would
! have to be filtered Woodbury. could
get excellent artesian water on the
site of the present water plant. |
would suggest that that site be test
/ ed so that if artesian water were
decided on, and it became necessary
1 to filter the artesian water, the pres
ent pumping station would be avail
able for that purpose. / should rec
ommend that more money be spent IN
/ investigation-us the State Health
| department. If it is possible to get
abundant artesian water, all right, but
INVESTIGATE.
The value of the present plant is
anywhere from 40 to $50 thousand
dollars-I would advise that you go
slow. The Sewen artesian water is
good; the water in the Wenonah hor-
izon is good.
/ The flow of artesian water is de-
pendent on the rainfall-there is moth
| ing in underground rivers.
AS to the distance from Woodbury.
of the present plant being great, 1t
j is not very far. Fredericksburg, Nd.
goes II miles for water, while New
York goes so miles. Don't hold back
/ from locating an artesian plant at the
| pumping station because it is too far
away. and the cost would be greater.
I should advise that you go no nearer
for artesian water than where your
present plant is located. Keep as Tar
| away from habitation as you can
| Artesian water can become contain
/ mated as we'll as surface water-IN-
/ VESTIGATE.
The present stream is polluted-it
! is far different from what it was in
! 1883 when the plant was built. All
surface streams are easily and may
perhaps become suddenly polluted
NJ. F. CatteM asked if the artesian
well recently sunk is contaminated !.
Mr.. Boardman said that the we'll runs
/ too high ammonia. Mr.. G. asked ii
Mr.. B. knew of any plant nearby
where the artesian water had become
contaminated Mr. B said that the
i artesian water at Holly Beach had
been condemned; it often happens.
Daniel LoughIin doubted if the ar
! tesian water Woodbury. would OBJ
tain could be contaminated because
of the thick layer of clay which would
exclude all germs. Mr.. Boardman
replied that Mr. LIS statement was
4 partly true but that in this section
there is no layer Of clay-it is in
pockets, so it is possible for germs
to sift through where no clay is te
! be found into the artesian source.
In answer to Warner Cooper's query
Mr.. Boardman stated that filteI
would remove from SO to 100 per cent
q of germs, including typhoid
i Gloucester, Pennsgrove. Merchant.
vile and other towns filter the iror
out of their artesian water.
Mr.. Wickersham: Has mari any EFF.
feet on water? Mr.. B.: ! don't thinl
4 so.
3. Mr.. Geo. Pfeifer in answer to {
.xa