El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-01-27
E PASO USES 7,000000 GALLONS
Of WATER DAILY, HAS 100000
Thirty eight Wells Tap Subterranean Supply and Seven
Reservoirs Store 1t For Ell Paso Use; Addition Of
$4,000 Soldiers Does Not Embarrass the City
or Curtail the Supply of Pure Mesa Water.

ANY reasons have been advanced
MI for the concentration at Fl Paso
IL OF $4,000 United states soldiers
during 1916. but the one great reason
has been only briefly mentioned II
is because the almost ineXhaustlole
supply of pure water here was made in
stantly available for the thirsty en-
campments by the most efficient water
works system in the west, and this IN
dispensable service TO the military or
carnations has been furnished with
ont in the least curtailing the flow o.
water 10 every business establishment,
Industry and home. even IN a season
when extraordinary DEMANDS were
made on the department
The city administration beIeNes, anu
this beIief is concurred in by students
OF warerwOrks problems. that the IN
deriving reason for the great efficiency
81 the local system is that IL Is owned
by the people and IS being CONQUERED
in their interest. rather than for the
financial advantage OF a private cor
poratiOn-
From Tank Cars TO Unlimited Quantity
Less than five years ago Il PasoanS
we're drinking distilled water out OF
bo+tIss and only shortly prior to that
time the precious fluid was shipped
here in tank cars Today there Is
flow of about 100000 gallons dally
into all parts OF the city from the city $
lifting plant on the Fort Bliss mesa
a supply that hasn't been appreeIaoly
diminished even by the demands on II
from 12O, 600 people.
Thirty eight wells are made 70 de-
liver their streams into the mains
What is belie-ed to be a Subterranean
river is tapped at an elevation of S2oO
feet above sea level. and its flow lifted
10 4 ground elevation, 500 feet above
whence il Is sent by gravity 10 reser-
vOirs and mains Only the filters OF
nature are used. the water coming
through pure white sand. which, as II
happens TO be brought TO the surface
in well boring. is so clean that a
Woman'S daintieSt lingerie would
scarcely be soiled by contact with II
small wonder il is that the water sup
ply OF Fl Paso has become famous Tor
It's purity and abundance and Is doing
SO much to assist in the building OF
the greatest city on the Mexican Dor
der.
City-s Growth Forced Larger supply
Rapid extension of the city several
years ago obliged the administration
to secure more ample and better water
TO take the place OF that pumped from
the old Watts we'll which was brack-
ish and hard Finally the present plant
was esta blished on the northeast mesa,
about three miles north of east OF the
Fort Bliss reservation. and constant
additions TO the equipment have been
added Four new wells have been
brought in during the year. the old wells
improved and the two new units or
machinery installed This means that
the capacity Of the system has been
practically doubled within a year. and
all in good time to care for tremendous
demand. Preparations are undsTwa y
for boring another well. and new pump
ing units will be installed as fast as
required.
The old model oil burning steam en-
gines and TWO new Fulton-Tolsi COM
bustion oil engines Of the Diesel type.