Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-04-22
STATE SUPERVISION
OF WATER SUPPLIES
New Law Gives Board Wide
Authority in Safeguarding
Public Health.
by JOHN w. pUli r..
Estate Commissioner

There is no problem effecting the
health OF the people more directly or
more imperatively than that of the
purity Of the water supplies The prob
lem is "A more pressing and compli-
Gated one In cities and village Of this
state than in states In which cities are
able to draw their supplies from lakes
or streams in the hills or mountains,
distant from sources OF contamination.
There are some oklahoma communi-
ties which are able to draw their water
from deep wells. Generally such a
supply is pure and healthful But Of
necessity many cities must depend
upon streams which flow often long
distances, thru more or less thickly
settled districts 1t IS plain that un-
less precautions are taken such water
will become contaminated and threat
10 public health, This is a problem
which is likely 10 grow more impera-
tive as the population of the state in
creasos For these and other reasons
one OF the most important measures
for the construction of any public
over passed i'm this state was the law
enacted by the 1917 legislature giving
The state board Of health jurisdiction
over the public water supply and sew
age systems OF oklahoma.
Measure l. Var- Reaching.
The law in question is one of the
most drastic and far-reaching ever on
acted by any state Under its provi-
sous it will be necessary to obtain
the permission of the state board OF
health before any contract is awarded
for the construction OF any public
water supply or sewage system. The
state board of health will also have
Jurisdiction over systems already con-
structed and will he able to take ac-
tion il the public health is menaced
All plans will have to be submitted to
the state board. In carrying out the
provisions OF this law the state board
of health will act in conjunction with
the state engineering department and
sanitary engineer will be assigned by
the latter department TO give an au-
thoritative opinion on all plans In or
der not To do an injustice to communi-
ties already provided with water or
sewage systems It Is provided that the
law shall not go into effect until after
an interval long enough to make any
alterations or improvements necessary
for the public health The law will
ultimately tend greatly to reduce the
sickness and death rate in Oklahoma,
one of the most serious Of the dis
eases prevalent in this state is typhoid.
Its attacks are always serious and
sometimes fatal. Its annual toll OF
Victims is heavy Yet typhoid is not
large extent eliminated in many COM
muuitos and the precautions which
should ho taken against 1t are well
known. Typhoid is communicated In
various ways. but the greatest and
most effective causes for the spread of
the disease are impure water and de-
fective sewage systems. The installa-
tion Of proper sewage systems and in
ristenCe by the authorities that houses
be connected up with the system have
reduced the typhoid rate to an amaZ-
ing degree In many places In this state.
The publication of the water supply
has accomplished wonders along the
same line
Every community can NJ compara-
tlvolY small expense take effective
measures to purify Its water supply.
Ot course the best method is 20 draw
the water from an uncontaminated
watershed But this Is something
which n single community cannot al
ways hope to do, altho precautions
It is not possible to have a supply
originally pure, the water can he puri-
fled by filtration and chlorination
processes. Filtration makes the water
clearer and more agreeable To the
senses. II kills certain proportion
Of the dangerous bacteria The chlori-
nation process, however. kills very
large proportion Of such bacteria and.
II properly carried out, renders water
practically safe The process FORUM
atcly is comparatively inexpensive
one and not beyond reach Of even a
small community The cost OF upkeep
Is also slight. II is a process which
has come into common use in recent
years and IS being used as additional
precautlon even by many cities which
have comparatively safe supply.
The extended jurisdiction given the
state board Of health will also be of
service in disputes between different
cities over water and sewage problems
Cannot Stn, Suuhax Shnu