South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-11-11
TESTS OF NEW WELLS
ASSURES WATER SUPPLY
Will. However, Take Months to
Make it Fit for Domestic
PurpoSeS-Problem at Last
is Solved.

After three years Of earnest effort
b. city officials, both past and pres
ent. Mishawaka is probably now as
sured OF an adequate supply Of pure
fresh well water tor general and do
nestle purposes. according 10 tests
which are now under way at the new
east end wafer works pant. 1nIs does
not, however. mean that the water is
now ready for domestic purposes, said
Sup't Kline OF the WAGER works de-
paTtment in an interview Wednesday
morning. The water being pumped
from the wells is absolutely pure rs
far as the pumps. but the city water
mains, which have become con-
taminated with the use Of river water
for many years, positively prohibits
the use Of city water at the present
time, or even IN the very near future.
1t viii probably be several months yet
before the water will be tit for dOmes-
tic purposes, as several weeks of
cleansing will be necessary to purify
the water mains"
The water now being pumped into
the mains is secured from the several
new wells installed during the past
summer. and not from the wells which
were drilled and used last spring.
Seven New Wells Drilled.
The pure water supply for Misha-
waka has been one OF the big problems
for several years, and about four
years ago John HerzOg, then mayor.
decided after several months of in
VestigatiOn and tests in all sections OF
the city. that the present site of the
new plant was the place where a
sufficient quantity OF pure water could
be secured. Money was appropriated
Of ha 20
by expert well engineers who were
brought to this city. They were all of
the opinion that water Of quality and
quantity could be found in that
strata. More money was appro-
priated, and the construction of q
splendid and fully equipped water
works plant was started and cOmplet-
ed, as well as the drilling OF six deep
wells, properly connected to the
pumping engine, and a long strip of
heavy type OF water main into the
business district Of the city. This
work was completed in the spring OF
this year.
After weeks of continued tests. t
was acertained that the supply, al
though of good quality was not suffic
lent for this city. and the plant was
closed down and river water again
turned into the mains. With the COM
the tests were almost completed, and
II was discovered that a larger supply
OF water was necessary, the question
or more wells was the discussion at
every meeting of the board OF works.
After some debate and elaboration II
was deciGed to follow out an outline
made by Mr.. Kline 10 drill shallow
wells instead of the deep ones. as
another test made later proved that
more wells of the deep variety would
not increase the supply as the six wells
already drilled was caring TOR all of
the water that could be procured from
the source then being drawn from.
Produce Adequate Supply.
According to the test figures given
out by Mr.. Kline, the shallow wells
have produced over 100000 gallons
every "a hours, during the past al,
weeks. Tbs IS ga a1y in excess OF
the present requirements which show
that during this period, the average
daily consumption for every "a hours
has been slightly over 100000. To
make the tests complete it was neces-
sary for one hour during this period
TO waste thousands of gallons of water
by opening hydTants throughout the
city. According To these figures and
those secured in the tests of the six
deep wells last spring, the new east
end plant has a water supply OF al
most 100000 gallons every "a hours
At the present time. this is over p
10000 gallons in excess Of the av-
erage. but figures produced during the
hot weather of last summer. showed
q daily consumption Of almost 1000
600 gallons.
Install New Pump.
To efficiently supply Mishawaka
with pure water. il has been found
necessary To install one more new
pumping engine of even greater ca
paCity than the one already installed
The present pump has "A capacity oil
from three 10 four million gallons
every "a hours. while the new pump
according to the Specifications which
VIII be submitted at the meeting Of
the board of public works next Mon
day morning Will have a capacity OF
from four 10 five million gallons. The
new pump will be CT the same design
as the present one and viii be Install
ed in space provided when the
building was constructed. The new
pump. IL is expected. will cost in the
neigh bOrhoOd OF $4,000 or $4,000.
The additional Improvements TO the
plant made this summer have beer
made entirely under the supervision
of Mr.. Kline and his department. AL
work excepting the drilling OF the
wells was done by men employed
the city aud not by contract. The cos
Of drilling the shallow wells. which
numbered seven. was between $500
and $1,000 less than the cost of in
stalling the deep wells