Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1913-10-08
IS SANTA FE'S
WATER Pure
and CLEAR?
mo" SAYS HIRAM PHILLIPS, ST.
LOUIS ENGINEER, IN REPORT
MADE TO THE HEALTH COMMITTEE
OF The CITY COUNCIL, AND SENDS
SAMPLES TO BACK IT UP.
FRANK OWEN REPLIES;
PLEASED WITH TEST
.<< ~<~ ~~xx xx& IS

! y y = y = = X y = y = = !
IS My decision is that the wa.
! y ter now being delivered to the \
\ city is not pure, clear or whole. \
- some as stipulated by the terms \
\ of the franchise nor in your
Y writer's opinion can the require.
\ ments be fulfilled by the present \
= equipment Of the company \
\ tFrom report of Hiram Phil =
y lips. consulting engineer of st.
= Louis.
- \
IS We are pleased that Mr.. Phil \
\ lips's chemists do not find any
\ dangerous element \
- lFrom interview with Frank \
\ Owen, manager of the Santa Fe \
\ Water and Light Coz \
Is \ \ y y = \ \ y = y y
"ln presenting the report Of Hiram
Phillips, consulting engineer of st.
I.ouis, on the condition of the water
works plant of Santa Fe. may state
that it is extremely condemnatory and
Judging by this report there seems to
be shocking state Of affairs"
So said Councilman A. B. Renehan
last night as he reported for the
health committee which had authoriz'
ed Mr.. Phillips to make his investi-
cation.
Then Mr.. Renehan read extracts
from Mr.. Phillips typewriter report
and at the conclusion said; II think
this report should be referred to COM
mttee to present a plan of action to
the city council. | suggest it be refer
red to the health committee; we do
rot wish to move too rapidly. The re-
port, it seems to me, should be con-
sidered very carefully
The council decided to refer it to
the health commirtae composed Of
Messrs. Renehan, Shoemaker and
Lopez.
What Report Says.
The report Of Engineer Phillips is a
one and accompanying it were
y battles filled with samples" of
water, etc.
Before giving the report out for pub
lcation the council took vote on the
wisdom of such proceeding and it was
carried by a large majority.
The report begins with a letter ad-
dressed to the Honorable Committee
on Public Health, Santa Fe, n. NJ"
ir which the standard requirements
as regards water are discussed and
continues as follows:
'In recent paper before the Ameri'
can Water Works association by Mr.
George A. Johnson, sanitary engi-
neer of international reputation, dis
cussed the meaning of the terms
pure clear wholesome and
potable domestic water. After thor
crghly discussing the various tests,
both chemical and bacterial, makes
the following statement: The writer
lacks the temerity to set down list
Of standards Of purity for public water
but after what has been said
lbove he does not hesitate to say that
r his humble opinion: Pure and
water should mean water
which is free from noticeable turbidity
and. color. offensive tastes and
,dors and forms of bacteria known to
produce disease. Waters which in
heir natural state or by publication
be made to comply with this
tandard are without the pale
No pathogen,c Germs.
Chemical analysis of the Santa Fe
later does not show any pathogenic
.erms or poisonous minerals. How
yer, four parts per 100000 chlorine
nd $500 bacteria per c. c. while not
ositive proof of contamination is sus-
icious enough to warrant further
lalyses extending over long period
{ time. The German standard of
acterial purity is 100 bacteria per c.
AN authority on sanitation says:
Bacteria are the germs of zymotie or
lfectious diseases, and, therefore, all
acteria are looked upon with sus
icion, although many varieties are
Hence. from the number
/ bacteria in a given water the rela-
i've purity of the water is inferred. 4
he bacteria of certain zymotie dis
ases have been identified However, I,
lnce so many dangerous bacteria are
the presence of large
umber of bacteria constitutes a pos
ible danger that the water may com
disease, and the greater the /
umber of bacteria, the greater the
'enace.'
Il have submitted samples of the
ater to eminent sanitary engineers. A
1py of letter from Mr.. E. e. Wall,
resent water commissioner of ST
o,;c ;c inoorpDrafad in fhic roport