The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-24
MAYOR URGES BOARD
TO GET PURE WATER
Transmits Letter From Chief Health Officer in
Which Latter Expresses Belief That Some
Typhoid Cases We're Caused
by Water Trouble

Mayor Ainslie Yesterday transmitted
to the Administrative Board letter
received by him on Saturday from Chief
Health officer Levy i'm regard to ty-
phoid fever and the condition of the
water. In sending the Levy letter,
Mayor Ainslie wrote the board as fol-
lows:
June %. 1918.
The Honorable Administrative Board,
Richmond. Va:
Gentlemcn.-I hand YOU herewith a
letter handed to me on Saturday morn
ing last by DR.. +. c. Levy. Chief Health
oihcer. it's author. ! am OF opinion
that his recommendations should re-
ceive our immediate attention. since
1T is obviously our plain duty promptly
and completely to do everything within
our means to provide as pure water
for this city as may be had. These
recommendations followed careful
survey made by DR.. Levy of our en-
tire publication system, and are OBJ
viously made in desire and in the
performance of a duty to raise the
city's water supply to as high standard
as may be done by human efforts.
Very respectfully,
GEORGE AINsLIE.
Mayor.
DIR. Levy to the Mayor.
June -. 1918.
Honorable George Anslie. Mayor of
Dear Sir.-ln accordance with YOUR
request that submit to you in writing
the recommendations which | made to
YOU verbally few days ago in connec-
ton with our public water supply. I
beg herewith TO submit the following
On the first day of the present month
there We're very numerous complaints
concerning a bad taste and odor in our
public water supply. / investigated
this the first thing on the following.
morning, and found the cause to be
the presence OF a microscopic growth
known as anabena. This organism has
caused similar trouble in many other
places on many occasions. The growth
while in itself innocent. gives rise to
very numerous and well-founded com
plants on account of the very dis
agreeable odor and taste impaired to
the water.
Ia the course of this investigation
! went over our entire publication sys-
tenn. In doing so. a number of points
impressed themselves on me very forci-
bly,. and il was these which discussed
with YOU. and which now wish to
present 10 YOU in writing. most
earnestly recommend that the follow
ing changes in our present system be
made:
Recommends Chnnges.
|. When the high pressure service
was first installed in the West End
water was pumped from the New Res
ervoir into this high pressure service
did not know that any change had
been made in this until two weeks
ago. l find. however. that since March,
1912, water has been pumped directly
from the coagulatinS basins into the
high pressure service. thus doing away
with the additional publication which
under the previous arrangement, oc-
Cured by the additional storage of
about three days in the New Reservoir
| earnestly recommend that the old
plan OF pumping from the reservoir
into the high pressure service be re-
turned to.
>. An important part of our puritica-
ton system is the closing down of the
head gates at our intake following
heavy local rains. On such occasions
men have to be sent from the basins
to the head gatcs--a distance of about
mile. regard it as highly desira bic
that all gates. from the head gates
down to the gates at the lower end
of the coagulatinG basins. be operated
electrically from switchboard in the
laboratory. so that any gate in the
entire system may be Immediately
closed or opened.
8. The driveway around the New
Reservoir drains into the reservoir
instead of away from it. This should
be changed so that 10 drainage from
this driveway will enter our reservoir
4. The drainage from the south bank
of our basins. on which is located the
right of way of the James River divi-
sion of the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail-
way. is toward our basins. Owing to
the curve of this bank. the outer rail
is necessarily higher than the inner
rail next to our basins. This, of course.
cannot be altered. but there should be
Il protecting trench. with the ncces-
sary outfall pipes, to carry the drain
age under the railway into the river,
instead of into our basins.
Overflow From Canal.
5. L understand that there is, at one
point. Mt least, an overflow from the
canal into the river a short distance
above our present intake. This is de-
signed to carry off any excess Of water
In the canal after heavy local rains.
Some means should be provided for
doing away with this.
6. On several occasions within re-