The Washington herald., 1913-07-27
Governments Investigation Extended Over Period OF Many
Years George A. Johnson, Scientist t-Engineer In
the Geological Survey Tells Of the Work.

I them they are going after it with a will
The first source of all fresh water is
rain. This comes from the clouds In
its purest state, and II it could be SC
preserved it would bring no disease
germs into the body Of man. But even
before it has touched the ground 1t be-
comes polluted by impurities that float
in the atmosphere. Wherever man
lives his water supply must be con.
taminated by the nature of his owr
surroundings. Not only is the atmos.
phere unclean because of smoke and
other gases, but his fields. from of
which his water must drain, contain
the leaves of his herds of f1ocks and
/! the manure and rot of his crops. The
waste of his factories and breweries
and other industrial and commercial
pursuits naturally renders his watel
| supply dangerous.
Noted by the Senses.
Besides these there are mud and clay
and other organic deposits. for part OF
which man is to blame, while the rest
of it is due to the processes Of nature
which draw them down and suspend them
in the water. Man has been familiar
with these impurities in water from the
beginning. They are easily noted by the
stHscS, anu Is HOl lIupEoDdDlo lHdl
Adam was disguised with the appearance
of the murky river water after the first
big rain. At least it is known that very
| early humanity tried to avoid as far as
possible the contamination of drinking
water. and where this was not possible
they began to seek it in wells, such as
those in Asia dug long before the pyra.
mids came into existence.
1.-THE most primitive wells were merely
shallow holes scooped out of the earth
in spots where the water veins came
very close to the surface IN other places
rings of stone have been found encirclins
water basins covered over with several
feet of sand. Whether this covering over
is the accident of time Or not can scarcely
be said. but almost without exception
the wells discovered in this condition
have been found distasteful or unplea SAINT
to drink. They were probably abandoned
because of unfitness.
aside from these sources of contami
nation, there is yet another condition te
l reckoned with. There are natural i'm
purities that exist in the air. like mineral
matter. These include salts, metals, and
caustics of one sort or another that fire.
quently dissolve in water and can nevel
be entirely extracted from it. but many
Of them in Nsmall quantities are not only
harmless, but even healthful. The pres
erce of these elements or compounds may
be easily detected by the effects on the
water. The presence of salts or metals
may be readily realized by taste or odor
of the water, and sometimes by slight
color which they impart to 1t. Sulphur
water, or water containing salts of sui
phu- known as sulphates. may be no.
ticed at some distance, and in places
where sulphur springs exist the air ID
contaminated for miles around with theil
odor. Still these waters make a health
full, If not a pleasant. drink. So. in the
same way, iron in the water may be
known by its taste. and the housekeeper
Is quite familiar with the yellow. rust.
colored spots 1t leaves on the linen tina,