Imperial Valley press., 1915-05-12

and the present sewer system, which
covered the original populated area,
is now entirely inadequate to meet the
demands of the growing city.
The sewage disposal farm was not
at first Objectionable, nut Is now, so
that there is an insistent demand for
better disposal. These facts have
induced the city authorities to push
vigorously the planning and execution
of a municipal improvement for sew
ering Ell Centre in thorough manner
and for disposal, in conjunction with
the city of Imperial, that will reach
New river and be without objection.
A plan of the proposed interior sew
er system is submitted herewith. The
pipe sizes are such that q population
of 25,000 can be readily severed. The
growth of FL Centre in the past war
rants this assumption.
In many places it is necessary to
submit arguments as to the general
need of sewering and the accompany
ing results from sanitary standpoint,
but we do not feel that this is the case
with Ell Centre. The question here is
not whether it pays for a municipality
to keep up to date in rnese matters,
for the growth of FL Centre is proof
that it does so pay, but the question
is rather what is the right thing to
do and then to do it as quickly as pos
! sible.
The plan shows that virtually the
whole city has been provided for with
ample-sized drains and that the out
let to Imperial and New river, while
not as short as a direct line from Ell
Centre to Thompson's Crossing of
New river, would be in the better line
on account of cooperation with the
City of Imperial and also on account
of much less right of way cost than
on the more diagonal line across the
country.
The sewage delivered to the imme-
date bank of the New River stream
will be passed through a settling tank,
so that there will be nothing in the
nature of solid discharged into the
bitter and unused waters of New riv-
er, and where the diffused effluent
will be without offense.
The expense of this outfall line from
Ell Centre to Imperial, and which will
have to be borne by FL Centre alone,
is $69,500, and will consist of 27-
inch drain pipe with a maximum depth
of 161A feet. The length of this por-
tion of the outfall line is 2O,90O feet
from point feet west of the south
west corner of Tract Al, 15-14, in FL
Centre, and reaches a manhole in ID
street, opposite Thirteenth street. I'm
perial. From this point on the sewer
is to be constructed jointly by Ell Cen
tro, bearing three-fifthS of the cost
and Imperial, bearing two-fifths of
the cost, which will be $90,6OO for FL
Centro and $63 900 for Imperial. This
has seemed to the engineers fair
division of this construction expense
The line will be 27,25O feet long and
will consist of 33inch drain pipe.
The total proposed bond issue fol
FL Centre is $250,O00. The charge
against the City of FL Centre for ths
operation of the present sewage
plant with pump lift and the annua
cesspool construction and maintenance
charge ($16.50 per household) is over
$4,000. The interest charge and an.
Eual liquidation of one-fortieth of tn,
bond issue will be $2l 900. The op
Grating cost of the new system will
not be over $1,000 per year. This com
parison is hardly fair to the new sys
tenn, for every year makes the cess
pool relatively more onerous burden
while, contrariwise, the years dimin
ish rapidly the interest cost on tht
bonds.
1t is not from a money considera
ton, though, that the City of Ell Cen
tro is contemplating this improve
ment, any more than it is when vot
ing money to build great school struc
lures. No improvement of this kline
but pays for itself over and over wher
the value of human life is conSid
cred, and pays for itself so quickly
as a municipal advertising asset, be
ing virtual guarantee of sanitation
and health.
The engineering firm who have de.
signed this system were connected fol
some years with the Sanitary Distric
work in Chicago. Before the $780,.
100000 improvement was installed il
that city the death rate from typhoit
fever was 80 per 100000; afterwarC
this rate at once dropped to IA pei
100000, or in the 100000 popula
ton this would mean over 1,500 lives
had been annually sacrificed tha
might have been saved had the i'm
opna in aarliap