The Detroit times., 1916-05-10

even with sewage treatment. says
Mr.. Hubbel in his report. He ng.
ures that IL will be s225. 900 cheaper
. for Detroit TO treat the sewage so
that Ford. wyandotte and Trenton
can take their water supply directly
from the river. than II would be TO
supply these districts with city
water.
Commissioner Fenkell transmitted
Mr.. Hubbers preliminary report TO
the common council. Tuesday night.
Mr. Hubbel was employed by the
commissioner OF public works in De
eemser. 1914, to review the work
and report OF the international joint
commission on the pollution OF
boundary waters. and recommend
remedial measures necessary and
advisable for Detroit. Under Mr..
Huhbel's direction, a laboratory was
established In charge of compe-
tent chemist and bacteriologist: the
condition OF the river water was
carefully observed from April to
November. 1918. over 1900 samples
OF water being collected to observe
the extent, distribution and season
able variation OF the pollution In
the river. Some of the facts estab-
| lished by the engineer are interest
ing He found that at times the
current in the Detroit river Ia re
versed. and the water flows towards
Lake st. Clair. Investigation also
showed that the polluted shore wa
Ter. In its course. hugs the shore
on either side OF the river to a sur
prising degree. and that the water
~ the river purifies itself consid-
erably as II flows along.
Finds Zone Of Pollution.
Adjacent to the American SHORE
zone OF grossly polluted water was
found to extend the entire length
OF the river from Lake st. Clair 10
Lake Erie. the pollution being great.
est near the shore and rapidly de-
creasing towards the outer edge of
the zone.
The width OF the polluted shore
zone varies somewhat With the sea
sons and with local weather condi-
tions, says the report. Opposite De-
troit. from Belle Isle to Fighting ISL
and. il occupies approximately one
third the width OF the river, and
varies from 9O1 TO 1,400 feet ir
width. Below n point opposite the
head Of Fighting island II gradually
widens. entirely surrounding Crosse
lie, Elba, Sugar, Hickory and Gel
eron islands Below Crosse lie II
extends practically to Livingston
channel. At any point In this zone,
Mr.. Hubbel declares, the pollution In
such as TO render the water UNIT "a
source of raw water for filtration
purposes. The pollution extends into
Lake Erie for 20 or 30 miles In grad.
ually decreasing intensity. Naturally
the water supplies most affected by
the pollution are those OF Ford,
wyandotte, Trenton and Monroe,
but the raw water passing these
points is not unsuitable for filtration.
In connection with . city plan for
preventing the pollution Of the river
water, Mr.. Hubbsl suggests that oil
sewage discharged FROM vessels be
sterlized. From = study of the ~
port and finding Of the international
joint commission, Mr.. Hubbel draws
this conclusions:
1T seems evident that pollution
may, and Mt time undoubtedly does
cross the boundary tine from either
the United States or Canada IN such
degree AZ to render the water un
safe for drinking or domegtic uses
without some form Of treatment or
publication.
"The pollution crossing the bounc
airy from either side has not yet
reached such a degree as TO rem
der the waters unfit AZ a source OF
raw water supply for water puri-
fcation plant NV
"rhe unpreventable and Inevitable
pollution from surface drainage
street WGsh and other Incidental
scources X Of such degree and char
acter that even the treatment Of all
sanitary sewage entering The river
on both tldcs o. the boundary. and
The complete sterilization of all polIr.
tion from vessek would not cOviaie