The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-12-27

disorders. 1t may also contain con-
siderable poisonous matters III solu
ton. y polluted water supply Is evil
dence of the existence of bad sanitary
conditions, which it is of the utmost
Importance to remedy. On the other
hand, many waters that are not clear
cannot be regarded as unclean nor
their use prejudiclal TO health. Many
surface waters have aeenish or
brownish tint from vegetable stains,
and mineral waters frequently impart
more or less color to spring and ground
waters, In some cases such waters
instead of proving harmful to health
have proved to be decidedly beneficial.
With the growth Of population and
development OF industries there is pro-
gressiye pollution Of streams, so that
in the more thicllly settled regions
streams not already contaminated or
subject to pollution are very rare. Sur
face water supplies from small streams
should never be used for household
purposes unless no other supply Is
available. In the event that ii must
be used such water should be clear
and should be thoroughly boiled.
The wen Is the most commonly used
source of farm water supply. 1t may
be a shallow dug or driven wen or
deep dug or bored well. 1t may be
said. however, that the majority oS
shallow dug wells on farms where con
tamination IS present are contaminated
The government sanitary engineer
offers the following practical sugses-
lions for keeping different types OF
wells, especially shallow wells, from
needless pollution:
Obviously the logical first step in Sc
curing clean well water supply on tho
farm or anywhere else is to remove all
The sources OF possible contamination.
Among the worst of these are the open
privy vault, the teaching cesspool ana
barnyard filth. A well in ordinary per
vious soil located lower than and with
in hundred feet of any of these is al
most certain to he polluted, Even
though the well is located Oh higher
ground than these sources of contaml-
nation, heavy pumping or dry weather
may SO lower the ground water level
that it win reach the zone Of contaml-
uation and thus pollute the well. 1t is
evident. therefore, that the open priyy
vault and teaching cesspool should be
discarded and Il sewage publication
system or at least Il sanitary privy be
used instead Sewage. garbage, ma
nure or other waste should never be
dumped into sinks or assures and most
certainly never into old abandoned
wells. An old we'll used for this pur-
pose is very likely TO communicate di-
rectly with the water bearing stratum
from which other wells in the inme-
date vicinity draw their supply. Stops
or waste water should never he thrown
out of the back door or window on to
the ground If the pigs and chickens
must run at large they should at least
| be kept away from the we'll. A box
buff around the pump and fllled with
manure in winter is an extremely I'M
safe way to prevent the pump from
| freezing.
Concrete manure pits, imperyious
| floors and water tight drains are desir-
| able features for farm buildings. II
| these are beyond the farmers purse
the manure pile should be placed a safe
| distance away from the well.
| The well itself should be located as
| high as possible with respect to build
| ings, stock pens ana chicken yards aad
as fir away from all sources of con
| tamination as convenience and local
/ surroundings win permit.