The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-01-18

Survey Of Local War yksrhs
Made BY Fire Underwriters
Report on Fire Hazard in Missoula Includes Results d
Thorough Investigation Of Water-Supply
Nj Plant Which Serves City,

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A concise SURVEY of the water supply
/ plant owned BY tie Aiissoula Light and
Water company and desired by the city
Of Missoula II included in a report Of
Missoula's fire hazards just recently
issued by J.. H.. DranscomD OF Butte,l
secretary of the Board of Fire Under
writer's OF the Pacific.
The conclusions reached by the board;
in regard to the fire hazard are re.F
produced elsewhere in tfss paper. The
paragraphs Describing the waterworkss
have distinct interest. however. be- \
cause Of the fact that the city CONF
mission has taken steps preparatory to-
the purchase Of the plant.
The fire board's report says that the
water supply plant is not adequate to
afford Missoula proper fire protection
1t does not. however, condemn the,
waterworks as valuelcss by any means. |
It recommends, extensive improye-t
ments, pOintiig. out that the storage
system developed by the. company
practically assures an adequate sup
ply at all times" were the distributing
system capable Of delivering the sup
ply.
Instrumentation Made.
The boards Recommendation for ina
provements in the plant are given in.
detail in connection with the fire.
hazard report. Stated briefly. they,
ask for the construction OF another
supply line from the Rattlesnake in.
take to the present reservoir; the in
stallation Of an additional storage
reservoir: and a second main con-
Meeting both reservoirs with the dis
tribution., system: the addition of
several mains and cross-ties to the
present distribution: the installation
Of many additional hydrants, and q
decided increase in the Immediately
available water supply.
The Survey.
What follows is the boards survey
of the whole system as It now exists:
The water system is owned and
operated by the Missoula Light 4
Water company. 4 corporation. rep
resented locally by Superintendent c..
H. Christensen, who has been in
charge for the past two years. The de-
tail operation of the works is attended
to by l.. l.. Wright, who has held his
present position for about Is years and
is well versed in waterworks practice.
Records is wall map show
ing the mains, gates ana hydrants. and
d plat book giving detail of each. but
not kept up. to date: service records
and locations are kept in card cata-
logue form and q loose-leaf gate book
shows detail location of gates.
Fire Serviee-The water company
received no notification Of alarms. but
one or more employees attend all serious
fires and lend any assistance possible.
General Outline Of System-Th sup
ply is brought by q single conduit line
about three miles long from the head
works on the Rattlcsnake creek to n
reservoir supplying the distribution
system in one service by gravity.
Supply Observation-Disclosures
creek rises about 20 miles northeast OF
the headworks and the minimum flow
observed at the latter point has been
about 25,oO0,Oo0 gallons per day. The
supply available for the water COM
pany is augmented by about 100000
900 gallons storage service in seven
small lakes, which can be turned into
the creek on one or two days notice
! ,HeadMorks earth fill. concrete
core dam, 300 feet long, forms a pool
containing about 100000 gallons
Elevation OF top 3507.5.. The intake
consists Of n wooden conducting sal,
lery surrounded by small stones. lead
ing to u 4o-inch tunnel which extends
through a screen house to a concrete
well. , -4,
Supply line-A, single. 30-inch con-
tinuous wood stavc pipe extends from
the wen below the dam to tho rescr.
voir. At point l.6 miles below thu
dam is a chamber in which a float
valve regulates the supply: elevation
outlet pipe. s4a0.l. About one-third
mile north OF the reservoir n 30-incf
standpipe runs up the hill Terminating
in an overflow at elevation 34s9.5. BE-
tween the standpipe and reservoir Is {
3o-inch Venturii Meter. The discharg,
into the reservoir Is governed: by :
float valve. While filling the reservoir
after cleaning, a rate of $4,000 900 gal
Ions per day has, been reached.
| Reservoir--Built in 1902:4 located OF
Reservoir hill. about one-half mill
northeast Of tho center, OF the city
Reservoir is circular, 106 feet in diam
etcr and Is feet deep. with concrct'
walls. Capacity about, 100000 gallons
Elevation Of top. $780,. Of overflow
33s9.l. Inlet and outlet arc both -
inch. The, distribution system can b
supplied direct from 30-inch suppl
main through a bypass around tn
reservoir.
Consumption--The average dali
, consumption during the past thre
years has been. S.e6s.667 gallons or q
average daily per capata. consumptio