The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-06-13
THE PURIFICATION OF DRINK
ING WATER.
United States Geological Survey Is
sues Report Describing Practi-
cal Methods of Handling Pub
lie Water Supplies.

A simple direct description of meth
DDS of purifying water for drinking
is given in report by George A. John
son, just published by the United
States Geological Survey. The re-
port describes the various types of
water supply systems used by cities
in the United States, sets forth the
principal advantages and disadvanta
ges of each, and gives brief history
of the development Of waterworks
systems and the effect o. their install
lation on the health of 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 an
nually saves from the ravages of
waterborne 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 annual
ly some $4,000 lives and fully $780,
100000.
The paper includes a historical
sketch of modes and 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, coagu-
lation basins, or roughing filters to
remove aportion 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 ara
given and special features of con-
struction, handling, sand-waSh-
ing, and operation are explained and
discussed. The cost of construction
and of maintenance AMI operation
are shown in detail for :! number Of
plants of this type. The report also
describes and illustrates in a similar
manner rapid sand filters, when differ
from slow sand filters chiefly in being
constructed in smaller units and Of
coarser sand, in always having coagu-
lation as a preliminary treatment, in
being operated about 10 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 puri-
fication is discussed and the advant-
ages and limitations as well 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 i'll suited to the needs of
many water-using industries and
cause an enormous waste OF soap in
laundries and in ordinary domestic
operations. In many instances the
saving of soap is alone sufficient to
pay the costs of softening.
In this report technical terms have
been avoided so far as possible and the
subject-matter is presented SO clearly
and concisely that it can be readily
understood by the monte .hnlcal read
err. 1t contains much information Of
value to city officials, boards Of
health, and others interested in sani-
tary engineering as apDlicI to water
works planning, construction, main
tenance, and operation. 1t is publish
ed as Water-Supply Paper 315, and a
copy can be obtained free of charge
on application to the Director, United
States Geological Surrey, Washing.
ton, D. C.