The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-02-19
NO WATER SUPPLY
IN WILMINGTON
Reservoir Runs Dry and Pipes All Over
Town Frceze--ts Ger Commission
erS Search for Leak

Wilmington IS ABSOLUTELY at the mer
cy of the first good brisk blaze that
springs up, says the Deerfield Valley
Tins. The reservoir supplying the
village ran dry Tuesday noon and
though there has been enough water
stored since to supply part of the town
with the exercise of due care in its
consumption, there is not enough on
hand for more than a half hour of fire
fighting with even one line Of hose.
Calls for plumbers to thaw out water
pipes supposed to be frozen kept the
telephone in Wheeler & Damour S busy
from shortly after noon Tuesday until
late in the afternoon, when the cause
of the trouble was at last discovered.
Householders thought that their water
pipes had frozen suddenly when they
were unable to get supply in the
higher part of the village, and it was
not until trip to the reservoir was
made that the real source of the trou-
BILE was laid bare. There was no water
in sight here, what little was running
in being just sufficient to fill the pipes
sufficient to secure pressure. AS a re
suit pipes all over the village were
frozen up and some Of them have not
yet been thawed out.
Search for the leak was begun by
the water commissioners, who paid q
visit to the Ludington plant, where it
was asserted by the commissioners
| they We're told no village water was
being used, but where they neverthe
| less decided to shut off the main lead
| ing across the river to the concern 5
buildings. Shortly after the water was
| turned off the plant closed down. 1t
reopened Wednesday and again shut
| down. but finally opened once more and
| has since been running. With II
main leading to the factory slight
| gain in the amount of water being held
n the reservoir was noticeable. but
this did not last long, the last report
| being that the water was Just holding
even with the demand 1t IS feared
| that there may be a leak in the line
| from the reservoir to the highway.
| Blame for the present state Of affairs
is also laid to users OF water who have
been allowing the faucets on their
property to run wide open all night
during cold snaps, draining off consider
able water that should have been
stored
The water commissioners are under
| stood to be taking steps TO locate the
source Of the heavy drain on the sup
ply, whether it proves to be 4 leak or
to be due mostly to open faucets, and
may have some suggestions to make
1t the town meeting next month.
Should a fir break out in the mora
shickly settled section of the village il
il feared that general confagratiol
may result, as there is no ayailabl,
source of supply except the river ans
that is frozen over.
The Times says editorially: 1T j
very evident that the village of VII
mington will have to supplement it
water supply if it is to be made ade
1uate TO the demands upon it. Whel
he system was put in il was fully abl
% supply all the users Of water, bu
he village has grown considerahl,
since then and with the number o
water users has grown to poin
where the present provision IS alto
rether inadequate. There is, OF course
considerable waste and even the lossi
bility Of a leak, but much Of tha Las
If sufficient water can be laid to tn
| 'arge number of consumers supplied b
reservoir intended to take care OF
much smaller number. Apparently tn
only way out Of the dilemma is 10 TAX
, | water from Haystack lake, a SQUIRE
! hat should supply all users in the Vi
! lage for years TO come