The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-03-06
NANY IMPURITIES ARE FOUND
,tate Expert Makes Many Recon-
mendations for Securing Better Wa
ter for the Cities Along West Shore
Many Cities Had Tests Made.

lygienic laboratory at Madison, has
ent OUT a formal statement Of the
urvev of the waters Of Lake Michi-
ran recently made under the authority
If the state and it will be Of great
interest to all residents of cities
which are taking their water supply
rom the lake. The report is, lengthy
me and gives all facts in connection
With the survey made by the state.
The report in part follows:
Surveys have been made at Keno
ha, Racine, Milwaukee ,Sheboygan
Ind Manitowoc, and it is our desire
ind expectation to complete the work
by making studies at some Of the
arger cities north of Manitowoc next
year. At each city where examinations
nave been carried on an inspection of
she water works and sewage disposal
system was made, together with an in
9estigation of any other possible
sources of pollution along the shore.
At each city series of seventy
two samples were collected, the collec-
ton lasting over period of six
weeks. Samples were collected at the
intake and at points one mile apart
up to seven miles from shore in di-
rection at right angles to the shore
line. Collections were made every
other day, when four samples were
taken; the intake samples came from
depth of thirty-fve to forty feet, all
others were collected at the uniform
depth of ten feet from the surface.
Either a tug or a gasoline launch was
hired for the collection of the sam
pies, the work Of collection being in
charge of the local health officer In
"A few cases stations were marked by
buoys, in Others it was decided to run
the tug or launch on definite ranges by
the compass, using fixed landmark
en- shore and the distance travelled
was estimated by the time at full
speed. This method was found to be
fairly accurate
The results of chemical analysis in
dicate that the water of Lake Michi-
gan along the Wisconsin shore is mod
erately hard the alkalinity, which is
due to carbonates Of calcium and mag
nesium, averages about Ill. The am
monias, nitrites and oxygen consumed
were usually higher in shore than out,
but often high values, indicating con
tamination, for these determinations
were obtained fve six and seven
miles from shore AS a rule, the water
was free from any decided odor, al
ways free from color, and very low
in turbidity. Near shore the water
was usually turbid but at one-half to
one mile or so from shore and at
depth of thirty-f to forty feet,
where intake pipes were located, the
water was usually free from decided
turbidity.
The archaeological results of the
work carried on at each city show oc-
casional relatively high gelatin and
agar counts and the presence of B. coli
in ! Gem and 10 ccm even seven miles
from shore, thus showing the effect Of
wind and current. Near shore, that is
from one to three miles, the results
indicate that the water is often pol
luted and that the municipal supplies
are frequently more or less polluted.
Summary and Conclusion.
AS a result Of these studies the con.
clusion is that the water Of Lake
Michigan along the Wisconsin shore
is NOT at all times safe source of
supply, The water is polluted and at
times quite heavily so, even out to
distance of seven miles from shore.
The chemical and meteorological data
yonclusively indicate that there are no
uniform currents in this portion Of the
lake and that sewage once deposited in
it may be carried in any direction,
depending on the direction and force
Of the wind.
1t is indeed as fallaeious to assume
that the discharge of sewage into the
lake in q given direction relative to
the location Of the intake pipe win
afford the necessary protection to a
wafer supply as it is erroneous to pre-
sumo that the extension Of the intake
pipe to two or three miles from shore
wall ensure a safe supply. The sew
age from any one point along the
shore may be carried over the intake
of any of the water supplies when the
wind and current are in the proper
direction, and for this reason the abate-
ment of any one nuisance viii not af-
ford great measure of relief, as the
remaining sources of pollution will be
sufficient to render the water unsafe.
The extension Of the intakes few
miles from shore will certainly not
provide at all times an adequate pro-
lection against impure water, because