Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1913-06-14
SAND USED TO
FILTER WATER
FOR DRINKING
GOVERNMENT ISSUES REPORT
SHOWING PRACTICAL METH.
Cd or FiLTERlNo.

a simple, direct description Of
methods OF purifying water for drink
ing purposes is given IN report by
George A Johnson, just published By
the United States geological sur
vey. The report describes the yari-
Gus types Of water supply systems
used by the cities in the United
States. sets forth the principal adj
yantages and disadvantages OF each,
and gives brief history of the
effect OF their installation on the
health of the communities.
The necessity for purifying water
for use in cities is clearly shown, not
the least important value OF water
publication being the insurance it
provides against disease Mr.. John
son shows by very reasonable esti-
mates that the use of pure water
annually saves from the ravages OF
water-borne typhoid fever alone more
than four times the cost of purify
ing the water. The substitution of
pure for impure water supplies in the
United States would save annually
some $4,000 lives and fully $780,.
100000.
The paper includes a historical
sketch of modes or systems of water
publication, from the storage works
and Qualification by alum used by
the ancient Chinese to the present
day methods of filtration, coagulation
and sterilization. Preparatory treat
ment, in which the water is passed
through sedimentation tanks, coagula-
tion basins, or roughing filters to
remove portion of its color or tur-
bidity, is discussed IN detail.
In slow sand filtration water is
passed slowly through great beds of
fine sand, on which it leaves its i'm
purities. Illustrations of several sue
cessful slow sand filtration plants are
given and special features of con-
struction, sand handling, sand wash
ing, and operation are explained and
discussed. The costs of constructor
and OF maintenance and operation are
shown in detail for a number of
plants OF this type. The report also
describes and illustrates in sim.
liar manner rapid sand filters, which
differ from slow sand filters chiefly
in being constructed in smaller units
and of coarser sand, in always hav-
ing coagulation as a preliminary
treatment in being operated about
0 times as fast, and in being cleaned
by sending a reverse current of water
through the filters.
The softening of municipal water
supplies in connection with their pur
ification is discussed and the advan
tages and limitations as we'll as the
details of this treatment are set forth
in instructive detail. Hard waters
produce scale in and shorten the life
of boilers, causing waste of coal
They are Ill suited to the needs Of
many water using industries anC
cause an enormous waste of soap il
laundries and in ordinary domestic
operations. In many instances the
saving of soap is alone sufficient
to pay the cost of softening.
In this report technical terms have
been avoided so far as possible anC
the subject matter is presented Sc
clearly and concisely that it can b.
readily understood by the nontechni
cal reader. 1t contains much infor
nation of value to city officials
boards of health, and others interest
ed in sanitary engineering as applied
to waterworks planning, construction
maintenance and operation 1t is pub
lished as Water-Supply Paper 315
and copy can be obtained free o.
charge on application to the director
OF United States Geological Survey
| Washington. ID G.