The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-05-10

emaIsin9 on any phase OF the mat
'ss, %Eas BE Ss sssiy IL order or
remAdiai measures are required with
h To what extent does the City
can p %ster. sewage noSiigts Amen
, =, az source of raw water for nj
the d ny what 81 means. 4 any shouIa
purify the sewage. and what expense
would be jasiinsbie for that pur-
Yours very truly.
-comm IsRaSh d T. Pubic raEK wort..
The specific reply to the hrst prob
l.. From a study Of the report and
cn ammIs.,o OF the in'rrSsionsSa Joint
data collected In the course Of this
nvestisation. II seems evident that
pollution may. and at times un-
aS sam ,S does: cross the boundary line
TO render the waters on the. other
unsafe for drinking or domestic uses
without some form OF treatment or
boundary line from either side has
not yet reached such q degree rs TO
render the waters on the other unit
wa source a ss% T Ss 'YRRly for
clusion Is based on the reasonable
ness Of the 500 B. Coli Limit and on
the tests made on all samples OF wa
Ter COLLECTED at or nea! the center
troit river.
., The unpreventabls and insvi-
table pollution from surface drainage,
street wash. and other incidental
acter that even the treatment Of all
sanitary sewage entering the river
on both sides OF the boundary and
the complete sterilization OF all pol
viate the necessity for publication
Of Detroit river water used for drink
Ing and domestic purposes.
T.. 1t therefore follows that pre-
auired with reference to pollution
crossing the boundary line from
either side should logically be lin
tied TO such sewage treatment as
due burden being placed on any wa
ter publication plant having an In
take suitably located in the best
raw water obtainable within a rea-
our Judgment such result can best
be insured for all future conditions
ilkely to occur, by sterilization OF
all sewage discharged from vessels,
urban sewage at convenient points
where 1t may be treated either by
means OF fine screens or settling
tanks. followed by sterilization.
Detroit should anticipate such a
system for other reasons than that
OF preventing pollution from crossing
the boundary line.
In specific reply to the second prob
lem to what extent does the City OF
petroits sewage pollute American
waters so as to render them UNFIT as
source OF raw water for filtration
purposes?
]. II is difficult to separate the
pollution in American waters caused
by Detroit sewage from that which
comes from surface wash and from
the sewage of other cities and VIII
lagos both above and below the City
Of Detroit. The pollution in the De-
troit River hugs the shore lines with
remarkable persistence. Adjacent to
the American shore a zone OF grossly
polluted water extends the entire
length of the river from Lake st.
greatest near the shore and rapidly
decreases toward the outer edge OF
the zone where IL is never less than
200 II. coll per 100 C. c. The width
Of this polluted shore zone varies
somewhat with the seasons and with
local weather conditions. Opposite
Deroit, from Belle Isle to Fighting
Ifland. II occupies approximately one
third OF the width OF the river and
varies from 200 TO 400 feet I'm width.
Fighting Island II gradually widens,
entirely surrounding Crosse Isle, Ell
la, sugar. Hickory and Celeron
Islands. Below Crosse Isle II extends
practically to the edge of Livingston
Channel. At any point in this zone
the pollution is such as to render the
water unft as "A source OF raw water
Tor hlteration purposes. The extent
Oh this grossly polluted zone IL shown
On plate No. s. The pollution extends
INTO Lake Erie for 20 or so miles N
gradually decreasing Intensity unit
II finally disappears or becomes
negligable. due to sedimentation anc
the efficient publication process OF
nature.
2. The public water supplies most
AFT ected are those of Ford Wyandotte
Trenton and Monroe. The pollution
reaching Monroe from Detroits sew :
age may at times reach 1000 b. c..
Coli per 100 c. C.. but the sewage pol
luton from this source II not such as
To render the raw water unsuitable
for alteration purposes Ford and
Wyandotte can obtain n water SUIT
able for alteration by extending an
intake about 5000 feet into the river.
Trenton cannot obtain "A suitable sup
ply within reasonable distance or
cost, but could do so were Detroit's
sewage treated as recommended I'm
this report.
A discussion of costs to supply
Ford. Wyandotte and Trenton with
W
the cost of filtered supply taken
directly from the river is given on
page - of this report. The differ
once in favor OF the Alteration
scheme Is approximately $225. 900.
3. Treatment of sewage would af-
ford measure Of protection to num-
erous private users OF water and
would greatly improve the conditions
surrounding the summer homes.
pleasure resorts and bathing beaches
patronixed by thousands Of Detroit
citizens during the summer months.
The removal OF solids and objectional
floating matter from the sewage
would improve the appearance OF the
front. and would In q measure restore
clearly conditions.
4. Under ordinary conditions, De-
troit's sewage does not reach the in
take crib Of the Detroit water works.
However. II 10 not at all certain that
1t may not do 20 under extraordinary
conditions. On Feb. 8. 1909. strong
oasterly winds raised the level OF the
westerly end Of Lake Erie above the
fevef of Lake St Cfair, and for a
period OF over seven hours the slope
OF the river was backward. during
this period the flow OF the river was
undoubtedly reversed, although the
ss.n r. 81 the S%rd mo. have
CURED on Jan. 81. 1914. when back
flow probably took place for four or
fire hours. Back flow In the river
may DO expected at irregular inter-
' ais of about four or five years. Back
flow 10 most likely to occur when
there are ice gorges In the St Clair
River. and these conditions must be
accompanied by strong easterly
wind on Lake Erie.
s. The unpreventable pollution
from surface wash and storm water
sewage which, even with sewage
treatment. will inevitably increase