Eastern Utah advocate. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1895-1915, 1913-06-12
PURIFICATIoN OF THE DRINK
ING WATER SUPPLY.

Quite a simple. direct description
of methods OF purifying water for
drinking Is given In a report by
George a. johnson. Just published
by tho United States geological sur
veg. The report describes the yari-
Gus types OF water supply systems
used by cities in the United states,
sets forth the principal advantages
and disadvantages OF each. and
gives a brief history Of the develop
mont OF waterworks systems and
tho effect Of their installation on
the health OF the communities.
The necessity for purifying water
for use In cities il clearly shown.
not the least important value OF wa
tor publication being the insurance
Il provides against disease. John
son shows by very reasonable csti-
mates that the use OF pure water
annually saves from the ravagcs OF
water borne typhoid fever alone
moro than four times the cost Of
purifying the water. The substitu-
tlon of pure for impure water sup
piles In tho United states would
save annually some twenty-slS thou
sand lives and fully $500. 900. 900.
Tho paper includes a historical
sketch OF modes or systems OF wa
tor publication. from the storage
works and Qualification by alum
used by tho ancient Chinese TO the
present day methods of filtration.
coagulatlon and sterilization. Pre-
paratory treatment. In which the
water II passed through scdimenta-
ton tanks. coagulation basins or
roughing filters to remove a portion
of It's color or turbidity. IA discuss
cd In detail.
In slow sand filtration water II
passed slowly through great beds u
fine sand. on which Il leaves its Inn
puritics. Illustrations OF several
successful slow sand filtration
plants are given and special feat
ures OF construction. sand handling,
sand washing. and operation are ex-
plainod and discussed. The costs Of
construction and OF maintenance
and operation are shown in detail
for a number OF plants OF this type,
The report also describes and Illus
trates In similar manner rapid
sand filters. which differ from slow
sand filters chiefly In being con-
strueted In smaller units and OF a
coarroi sand. In always having co.
agulet'on as preliminary treat
ment. In being operated about forty
times as fast. and In being cleaned
by sending reverse current OF wa
ter through the filters.
The softcning OF municipal water
supplies In connection with tholI
publication Ia discussed and the Nd.
vantages and limitations as well ~
the details OF thls treatment are sci
forth In instructive detail Hard wa
ters produce scale in and shorten
the life OF boilers. causing waste Of
coal. They are m suited 10 the
needs OF many water using indus.
tries and cause an enormous waste
OF soap In iaundries and In ordin.
AIRY domestic operations. In many
Instances the saving OF soap is alone
sufficient 10 pay the costs OF soft
ening.
In this report technical term,
have been avoided 80 far as pos
slble and the subject matter Is pre-
sented 80 clearly and coneisely that
II can be readily understood by the
nonteohnical reader. II contains
much information OF value TO city
officials. boards OF health. and
others interested in sanitary engin
eering as applied to waterwork'
planning. construction. maintenance
and operation. II is published Al
Water supply Pepper No. $40. and q
copy can be obtained free OF eharg,
on application to the director OF the
United States geological survey
Washington. ID. C.,