The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-16
MIWlLL GET
SOFTER. WATER
FROM new PLANT
Plumbing win Last Longer in
tho Future,

Oklahoma City will have longer.lived
PLUMBING when the hard water now
pumped direct from the North Cana
dian river bed is replaced by water
which has been allowed 10 settle and
soften In the immense reservoir being
built. says ] w. Bennett, superinten o.
dent OF the city water works. The
chemicals now put into the water TO
settle il do not cause the pipes TO de-
teriorate. he says, but deterioration IS
caused by the hardness Of the river wa
ter which flows over mineral beds
Mr. Bennett said yesterday afternoon
that we're il not for the fact that boiler
compound is used at the city water
plant and that the boilers are KEEP,
clean. hard water would cause the city
immense expense in replacing boiler
tubes.
Water VIII Be Clear.
However, when we begin getting
water from the new reservoir condl-
tons will change materially" said MI
Bennett, "for then we will have prac-
tically clear water direct from the res
ervoir and II will he much softer than
the water now furnished by the city
We use nothing in fltering the wa
ter which will eat out pipes or boiler
tubes, In fact We put nothing in the wa
Ter but sulphate OF iron and lime Some
persons seem to think that we use alum
IN the water here 10 clear Il, but such
Is not the case. Some contend that
alum will eat out pipes and boiler tubes,
bot others contend that II will not"
The main reservoir will hold 600
y006m gallons OF water, which is &C
yeofding 10 Mr.. Bennett, sufficient to
supply the consumers in Oklahoma City
with water for two years or more. Back
OF the main reservoir there is the set.
fling basin which extends for two and
q half miles.
Water Will Be Softensd.
Water placed in the settling basin
will be turned into the reservoir and
from the reservoir into the conduit and
then into the city pumping station
While in the settling basin the water
will be exposed TO sun and air, which
will in themselves soften the water, and
N the basin is filled when the North
Canadian IS in flood stage II will he
softer than II filled when the river is
low.
Mr., Bennett said that the hardness Of
che water supplied here is due to the
minerals which the water runs over
when coming down the bed OF the river.
Because Of this, the water is harder
when the river Is low than when Il is
Sigh.
win Reduce Chemicals.
When the pumping station OF the wa
ter wsshs IL supplied with water from
the reservoir instead OF direct from the
North Canadian river. the percent Of
rulphate OF iron and lime used in the
filters will be greatly reduced, due to
the fact that the water will already
have cleared itself considerably by
standing in the reservoir and in the
setting basin.
II think the move on the part Of Fire
Chief Brooks to have radiators Of the
motors Of the fire department and the
steamers filled with rain water, which
10 soft. is a particularly good one"
said Mr.. Bennett today.
But for the fact that we clean the
boilers at the pumping station and also
use boiler compound, the hard water
would eat the boiler tubes out in q
day. and the city would not have money
enough to buy anything except boiler
tubes"