Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1914-12-30
WATER BOARD To
BUILD Z MORE
ARTES|AN WELLS
Watershed Beginning to Feel
Effects of Drought, So 1t Is
Proposed That More Arte-
sian Wells Will be Sunk.

Steps for the immediate sinking
of twelve more artesidn wells at the
Runyon watershed were taken at
meeting of the Board of Water Com
missioners last night.
Reports of City Engineer Mason
and Superintendent Grieve, of the
water department, showed that the
watershed is just beginning to feel
the effects of the long drought dur
ing autumn, and the reported rain
fall of only four or five inches dur
Ing the past six months. 1t develop
ed that but for the artesian well
system, which the department has
Just put in operation at Runyon, as
told in yesterdays NEWS, the water
system would face serious shortage
In supply at the watershed that
a light develop into water famine.
IFS also Reported that the advent
Of winter had caused an enormous
adcitioDal draft on the water supply,
amounting to one and one-haf TO
two million gallons OF water per day
at times, caused by customers allow
ing their faucets to run to keep the
pipes from freezing. This has caused
the amount of water pumped through
the system to jump in round hgures
from seven and one-half to nine
millions a day, 1t was declared
A motion was passed instruct1ng
the pipe committee, of which w. +.
Runyon is chairman, to secure new
artesian we'll driver, necessary pip
ing, screens, etc., for quick delivery.
The department has one driver al
ready at work but 1t cannot sink
b ftIr TCh VI a.
ter to cover the shortage in the main
source Of supply, the ground storage,
this winter, which will be only aple
to supply six and one-half millions a
day.
1t was pointed out at the NJ Getting
that the big pond, supplied by run
ming stream at Runyon, had been de-
pleted SO that it is shalloWer at this
time than ever before, and that this
source of supply had been cut off to
reserve the water for emergency pur-
poses. The ground storage wells are
lower than in years.
Already the artesian well system,
consisting of six wells, is supplying
one and one-half million gallons a
day to assist the depleted ground
stotsge wells, but Mr.. Mason estimst-
ed that the artesian we'll strata could
produce twenty million gallons day
IL only there were enough wells. The
present artesian well pump has ca
pacity of five millions a day, but is
only pumping one and one-half be-
cause there are only six artestan
wells which can be used. 1t is the
plan Of the board to increase these
wells as rapidly as possible to make
them supply five million gallons a
day. which is the capacity of the ar
tesian pump placed during the sum-
mer, and which was just put In
steady operation last week. An ef-
fort will be made to sink at least
twelve during the winter.
q The city engineer, in speaking Of
the rainfall, stated that he believed
the figures for the past six months
showed only four or five inches,
whereas it normally is twenty-four or
twenty-five. He explained that the
recent rainfall did not replenish the
surface well because the ground was
too frozen to receive it and 1t ran
off. The department will dig the ar
tesian wells instead of letting them
out on contract, thereby they believe,
saving money on each well sunk. The
new We'll uT1Vor Will COSt III Inc
neighborhood of $1,000, and it was
d. led 1t would be much cheaper to
bt such an apparatus and do the
WI than letting it out on contract.
resolution was passed endorsin g
the action Of the city treasurer in
selling 81 0,000 in water improve
mept Dor IS at $101,310 to A. B.
Leach & Company, and John o. Ever
fit & Company, who submitted a
taint bid. The purchase OF the new
6sAmp for the watershed, one Of the
improvements for which the bond is-
sue was made, was discussed. A
tweIve-million, cross-compound pump
seemed = be favored The matter
was referred to the power committee,
OF which &C. Sibley is chairman, to
report back to the board.
The commissioners present were:
President G. D. Snedeker, G. G. Sib-
ley, W. P. Runyon. W. P. Nolan and
Hugh TfmmtnS,