Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-10-02

Water Works Plant Now
Many D10dvantages.
The inconvsnisncss Of the use Of
hard water In the household are per-
haps more important than the money
loss involvAd. In using hard water
for washing the hands and for bath
Ing, the calcium and magnesium
and give rise 10 unaightly scums In
the wash bowl and hath tub. They
tend to NIL the pores Of the skin. pre-.
venting q thorough deansing and
causing the hands to chap. They also
prevent the formation ct a good lather
for shaving.
It Is the laundry that the effects
Of hard watsr r most noticeable.
Not only are large amounts Of soap
fsquired to produce suds, but the
searatss above mentioned settle. on
the clothes. all the pores and tend to
rot them> and make them look dingy.
Hard water also encourages the use
OF strong soaps, washing compounds,
etc.. solas Of which contain ingredi-
ents destructive to fabrics.
The purpose Of the Installation of
the softening plant and the changes
- SAAS ~ u Sk0AA 14A0LlOll auV DuEs
i1catton wa stated by Dean e. =. Bah
cock In his preliminary report made
tg the council January 2, 1917, ID as
follows: 1T is nov the purpose. Of
the city to improve the chemical char
5acter of the water by providing a
means of softening the water and in
cidentally reducing the mineral mat
ter and Objectionable odor and taste"
Dean Babcock filed his report on
FAhrllQrv q and on ENohr,yor,, 4 TNr r
w. Cox. chemist Of the state public
health laboratory, made a report
meeting standards of efficiency for the
finished product of the system.
The two reports, by Dean Babcock
now on file with the city auditor are
very illuminating and should be read
by every one Interested in the subject.
years in the history of filtration and
purtflcation of the water supply of the
city of Grand Forks. a5
In speaking of the result of the for
mer filtration system Cor which the
new softening and iltering system is
su~bstituted) Dean Babcock in his pre-
hminary report says:
ut is apparent that there is a mark
ed change in the river water caused
by the chenlicals now introduced for
treatment. AS it will be seen that in
the raw liver water the temporary
hardness is higher than the perma-
nent hardness, while in the treated
water the permanent hardness is in
creased until 1t is more than the tenn
porary hardness and it is also seen
that the proportion. Of incrusting ma
terials is greatly increased after the
water is treated Git being approx
mately &c times higher in the treated
water than In the raw river water.)
These changes are very significant as
having a marked effect on scale form
ing and consequently upon the life of
boilers, pipes, ETC., and also as being
Objectionable for drinking purposes.
This marked increase is probably due
largely to the combined effects Of the
carbonates in h raw river water"
Dean Babcock also said Of the old
system:
Excessive Chemical Important.
II am informed by the city water
works that there Is now being used 10
pounds of ~hypoclor1te to about $780,
900 or $4,000 gallons pumped. This
would mean %. ro"~'' ~ hypoclorite
to every million gallons Of V =
I am informed that there is also be-
ing used approximately 600 pounds of
alum per million gallons of water.
From the preliminary tests which
have been made 1t would appear that
some Of this alum:remains in the wa
ter in solution. This should be e
come n by the proper arrangement
for the Introduction of the softening
reagents, it can be done. It is evident
hardness and scale forming materials
found in our treated city water soften
Ting should undoubtedly be adopted.
The variation in ~hypochlorite and
alum, which, as pointed out, Is now
livery large and must necessarily be
when there is no provision for pro-
portioning the chemicals definitely to
the water pumped, shows clearly the
necessity Of the installation of care
fully selected. self-regulating devices
for controlling and adjusting the
hypochlorite and alum now added and
the %softening reagents which It fs pro-
posed to use SO that they will be in
direct and uniform relation to the
amount of water which is being
pumped and treated.
There is at present II marked de-
feet not only in the place Of introduce
ing the h]ypochlorite and alum. but al
so in the fact that there is no pro-
vision for agitation and thorough mix
ing of these chemicals after their in
PRODUCTION. Proper mixing devices
should be installed in connection with
the proposed softening treatment.
''It will. therefore, be seen that
there is needed not only the addition
Of a softening system. but also re
arrangement and Improvement in the
present method Of trating the water"
Dinnie Starts Movement.
In his message to the council dated
April 8, 1916. Mayor James A. Dinnie
said:
A plentiful supply Of pure water is a
necessity to-the city.
The result OF the filtration operation