South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-09-07
WATER IS AGAIN
FAIRLY SAFE
One Negative Test, However,
Not Sufficient For Health
Department.


with reasonable safety once more.
even though they do not boil it. &C
cording 10 the statement made by
Dr. Charles BOsenbury of the city
health department at noon Friday.
one negative test has been obtained
but until at least one more such test
, Is made the health department will
not issue a statement 20 the effect
that boiled water is unnecessary
\ number Of medical men are
mentioned as being opposed to the
reservoir system, saying that II Will
always be a source Of trouble. That
the local epidemic of summer COM
plant is not due 20 the water sit
uation is the opinion of Or. Bosen-
bury
When the epidemic started, we
suspected the water. and made a
number of tests" he said We
found nothing wrong We kept on
testing. though and after a while
we found this contamination. The
water can't be 10 blame. however. 1
took the trouble 10 call up a num-
Der of neishboring cities. Mishawaka.
Elkhart. and others and they have
experienced similar epidemics, al
though our water supply has no
connection with theirs"
Opinions said TO be advanced by
various doctors of the city that the
reservoir should he cut out of ser
vice and not used are answered in
the following statements 10y Dr.
nfrr- TaT
perintendent OF the water works.
This is the first time that any
thing has been wrong with the water
since I've been connected with the
health department" said DIR. Bosen-
bury. The reservoir has been in
use for about three years. and has
never been found wrong before.
Its impossible TO get along with
out the reservoir" said Mr.. Toyne.
As for keeping il full of water to
he used only i'm case of fire,-thats
absurd The water would get stag
nant if left standing for any length
OF time. and then TO throw it into
the mains would get the contamin-
alton i'm the drinking water of the
city The fire and service mains
are all the same
Represent Big Investment.
The reservoir. piping and valves.
represent an expenditure of $65-
675.76." said Mr.. TOyne referring 10
a record book south Bend can't
afford To junk that much property.
Besides. the reservoir is absolutely
necessary 10 the city We can't
I pump directly from the wells into
the mains. as some Of these doctors
think we can.
The total flow from all the wells
is at the rate of about 1900. GOO
gallons of water per day. Quite
/ frequently we have 10 speed up our
pumps to a rate Of 20,000.000 and
more Where would the water come
from if we didn't have a reservoir
| The city can't afford 20 buy mp more
! property and build a new station in
/ some other territory. and lay the
mains. which would be necessary to
supply this load.
south Bend has nearly reached
/ it's limit for bonded Indebtedness.
+ We can't spend any more money. for
/ the present at least There you are.
lin every city. town and village
YOU will find water i'm storage. We
/ can't be any exception.
Makes Comparison.
/ As for this talk that the reser-
/ voir is to blame let me tell YOU
/ something. Our stand pipe has been
standing. full Of water. with a vent
opening AT the top. since 1873.
! don't know how often it has been
I cleaned but three years ago we
/ cleaned il. and found an old-fashion
/ ed door key at the bottom. And our
/ water has always been considered
: exceptionally pure. We clean that
/ reservoir down there every year. SO
7 guess that it is Just as safe as the
stand pipe
"Is the stand pipe connected with
/ the city's water supply ."
Yes its right i'm the line Water
goes i'm and out Of it, just as with the
+ G 600. 600 gallon reservoir. There :
always fresh water in both Of them
It's changed right alonE. Every day
we pump out about a million gal
Ions. and every night we pump about
Z the same amount in. So YOU see
every week sees altogether fresh
water i'm the reservoir"
Considerable time would he lost
in lighting fire were the direct sys-
tenn 10 he installed once more. The
| pressure would be lowered.