The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-07-06
CONSERVATION OF WATER.
Protection of the Sources of Water Sup
ply.


resources of the state of Vermont
Where does our water come from
Even in Vermont most of our water
comes from the ocean. The great spinal
storms that are daily reported by the
weather bureau at Washington cover
thousands of square miles and their
winds bring clouds from the ocean to
drop their burden of moisture ON the
land. 1t should be remembered that the
ocean surface of the earth is three times
as large as the land surface. The ocean
Is the great magazine of water that
supplies the land-however remote from
the shores. But the immediate sources
of the water we use are wells, springs,
brooks and rivers. In an uninhabited
region these sources would supply water
entirely pure and safe. If the sources
are dangerous in populated regions it
is because of the action of men.
1t is now perfectly well known that
many of the diseases most fatal to men
are communicated from the sick to the
well by means of infinitely small germs
living organisms-many of which may
| live LOT tlult III NdNIls
These disease germs are so minute that
a thousand of them would not if laid
side by side extend across the period
used in writing this article. They are
wholly invisible to the naked eye and
| the finest microscopes are needed to dis
tinguish one kind from another. They
are in effect the seeds of disease. Sew
eral kinds may be conveyed from IN
valids by water to healthful persons
and may produce in them the disease
existing in the patient Typhoid fever
comes from taking into the system ty-
phoid germs as certainly as wheat seed
sown in the earth produces plant.
From patient millions of germs are
thrown out in the excretion. These.
germs are more dangerous than are the
drugs marked Poison" in the apothe-
carries shops, for there is no known anti
dote for typhoid germs. Ii they are
once lodged in mans body under GER
tain conditions, run of typhoid fever is
inevitable.
Since there are many kinds of dis
ease germs that may be conveyed from
the sick to the we'll by drinking water
it is exceedingly important TO secure the
sources OF water from contamination.
The history of one case will make this
clear village Of some two thousand
inhabitants in Vermont was supplied
with water from a reservoir made by
damming brook. This brook ran
through farm lands. In one house was
a patient having typhoid fever. 1t was
winter and the excrements from the in
valid were thrown out on the snow BY
the melting of the snow the disease
germs were carried to the reservoir, and
were thence distributed to all the users
of public water. Typhoid fever broke
ent all over the village but was limited
to those using the public water. Thus
the epidemic was traced to its cause
The germs OF one endemic disease were
conveyed through drinking water from
the mucous membrane of an invalid to
the bodies Of hundreds, and of these
many died. The carelessness or ignor
ance OF one person caused the death OF
scores. In this case the germs of disease
were carried in surface water down
slopes that were visible.
But the water that falls in any re-
gion does not all at once run off as
surface water. A large part sinks into
the earth through the loan, the sand
or gravel and through the loose rocks,
until it comes to some continuous I'M
broken surface of clay or rock along
which il slowly trickles until it comes
to the open air as spring. Some of
this ground water" il caught and held
through the summer by vegetation; some
is held by the earth, maintaining it's
moisture, but large part passes down
to the impervious layer of clay or rock |
and runs, out OF sight, carrying with |
it soluble matter from the soil and |
rocks and also carrying any disease !
germs that have been scattered on the |
surface of the soil 1t is therefore nee |
essary to guard not only the surface |
water in the form OF brooks and rivers;
but the ground water that finally unites
with the surface water Wells and |
springs are all fed by the ground wa
ter.
The clearing away of forest growth,
the blowing and smoothing of the sur
face, the draining of swamp 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
a 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
"a nfall 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 borrow every ~stream have been
irained, the beds of the streams have
been Strengthened and the brooks and
rivers are less constant in their flow
han they were even half a century ago.
Brooks that were mill streams fifty
years ago are now nearly dry after long .
'pells of dry weather; they are roaring
.orrents after heavy rain. The con
litions that existed when the entire state
vas covered with a dense forest can
iever be restored. TIE winds will bring
he water from the ocean as they have !
lone for centuries; but the downward !
low of the rainfall will be rapid This
apid drainage may be modified and
hecked by the erection of reservoirs at f.,
convenient places near the heads of riv Z
RS; but this expedient is costly. II :
$, however, the only method by which /
he water power of the state can be re-
tored, and at some future day it will 7
,e done. The continued prosperity of :
he state will demand it,. The future
leat, light and power of the state lie :
n the streams that flow down its beau ,