The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-11-29
Giving Earth" Teens with
Myriads Of All Kinds of
Germ Life.
SHOULD PRESERVE PURITY
Menace Deserves Equal Atten-
ton with the Sanitation of
Flowing Streams.
BY Scotland 6. HiuhIand.

superintendent Clarksburg Water
works and Sewerage Board.
When 1t is considered that the
surface water supplies constitute the
most extensive and most valuable
sources of water supply for domestic
and commercial purposes, it becomes
paramount Importance to examine
into the condition of surface waters
with reference to their pollution.
The pollution is brought about
primarily as result Of the dis!
charge of large quantities of un-
treated sewage from various villages
towns and municipalities. The water
OF streams Is also affected detrimen-
tally by the discharge into them OF
objectionable manufacturing wastes.
While the the primary object Of in
vestigating the pollution Of streams
IS to preserve them so far as prac-
ticable, as sources OF water supply
for the homes and for individual
uses. there are also many other evils
resulting from stream pollution, such
as odor nuisances, the destruction of
hsh life and the rendering of the
streams such as the Ohio and Great
kanawha. unfit for navigation and
pleasure purposes.
These factors must necessarily be
considered in connection with the
broad question of stream sanitation
Few towns in West Virginia have
sufficient ground water supplies from
dug or driven wells for present de.
mands and many are without mar
gin OF safety and practically without
provision for future development. II
may therefore, become necessary In
case OF an unprecedented dry spell
accompanied by an, excessive water
consumption to use polluted surface
water supplies without means for II,
qualification. Strenuous efforts should
therefore be made to preserve the
natural purity of the surface waters
of the state.
Ground waters derived from wells
may be basely polluted, instead oil
purified, when on their passage
through the earth. AS soon as the
rain falls upon the earth It Of neces-
sity becomes in contact with the
gross pollution Of the top layers oil
the soil. which some one has denomi-
mated the living earth" and which,
as every one knows. is teeming with
myriads Of all kinds of germ life,
II the. earth is saturated with i'm
purities, as may occur from leaking
cesspools, privy vaults, sink drains,
barnyards and burying grounds OF
other sources of pollution natures
purifying operations may give way to
one of intense pollution.
Wells whose source Of supply is
from the so-called first stratum OF
water. in densely populated commu-
mites. are peculiarly susceptible to
this form Of ground water pollution.
Another source of pollution Of wells
is through faults or assures Of an
impervious strata carrying the
ground water supply. or through d
head Of water draining basin or
area finding It's way to the surface
in the form Of spring through a
assure. To conclude that because
water is bright, clear and sparkling
1t is therefore wholesome Is highly
erroneous.
Wells located in densely populated
areas must always be, under suspic-
ion as to their purity and wholesome
ness regardless of physical appear
lances.
Not only may typhoid fever bac-
ltefia be carried into wells; but those