Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-01-19

Gardiner, Me-, Jan. 1S.--(Special).-
The following was given out here to-
day:
That the quality Of Cobbossee water
was far from satisfactory, during the
last week of December and the first
rev days OF January, has been evident
enough to all water takers, and more
than evident to the trustees of the
Water District, who have had the
| benefit of much comment on the con-
ditions then prevailing. A few words
will explain the causes of the Objec-
tionable condition
The water in our New England
ponds, as a rule, turns over twice n
Year, in spring and fall. Water. like
other substances. expands with heat
and contracts with cold, until it nears
the freezing point. The warm surface
water of our ponds. therefore, stays
on top, and the cold bottom water
stays at the bottom-as any deep div
ing youngSter can testify-all through
the summer. The bottom water. in our
deeper ponds has a uniform tempera-
ture Of something like 45 degrees
though the surface water. on hot days
may run to 10 degrees or 16 degrees.
The warm water tending to rise and
the cold to sink. the two do not mix,
but form fairly definite strata or lay
erS, according to their temperature.
This condition persists until such time.
in the fall of the year, as the temper
ature of the surface water falls below
that of the bottom water. The pond
: rfo
(now cold) going to the bottom and
the relatively warmer) bottom water
coming to the top, bringing with it the
seasons accumulation of dead and dy-
ing vegetable matter: and the process
is reversed again in the spring. In deep
ponds. this turn. over is often COM
pleted in Il few hours; in shallower
ponds. or those of varying depth it is
q longer process.
! Here in Gardiner the effect of a turn
! over in Pleasant pond is not felt for
some weeks, and not always felt ap-.
preciably: the action depending on
many uncertain quantities, of wind,
weather, height of water and so on.
! This wear the effect of the turn over
| was very marked. and it happened to
ing the stream with surface wash
from the shores. The result was evil
dent to everybody. but has now passed.
! The "fishy flavor" which was notice
| able and much complained of is well
known in nearly all New England wa
! ters In Boston, when the supply came
| from Lake Cochituate, it was known as
a cucumber taste" 1t is what you smell
| whenever you stand near waterfall.
| The Massachusetts State Board of Health
investigated this favor exhaustively in
! the laboratories of the Massachusetts In
stitute of Technology and determined
| that it was due to the breaking down Oh
| certain organisms-notably algae ana
| sponges-which vary in different water
systems-and that there was nothing un-
| wholesome in it. Here it is due, very
| largely. to small sponges. which anyone
| can see who cares to visit the reservoir
| dam. and has nothing whatever to do
with fish.
! In fact no FISH of a greater diameter
than Lie inch could get into the Gardner
| water pipes, for the whole supply passes
through eight screens, the finest of which
| is of lie inch mesh.
| OF the water at the present time MT.
Evans. director Of the laboratory OF n.y.
| ciene. says: THE sample from your
public supply shows this water to be IN
! safe condition to use for drinking pur-
| noses at this time. The water is IN ITS
! usual condition for this season OF the
year. and. while not a first-class drinking
| water. it is free from evidence of con-
| tact with sewage wastes, and so is safe
| to drink"
It is good thing for water takers to
he sensitive about the public water sup
ply ard critical of its quality; very en-
| couraging, too, to those who have put
| time and thought into the filter plant
| which will make our water safer for all
| time. At the same time there is wise and
foolish criticism, and when person can
say that he has seen two barrels OF hsh