The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-03
PASS BACK BUCK
Tandy Won't Be Called a
"SeWer Flushing Fiend."
He Says He Told Newland To
Regulate Sewer Water.
PRESSURE IS NOW STRONGER
New Engineer Is Already Get
ting Results at Plant.
Porter Says Sewers Must Be
Kept Clean at All Cost.

There is room for considerable
doubt as to whether or not Commits
sioner w. G. Tandy should be charged
with using the main part of the city's
water supply in the pastime of in
dulging in an "orgy'' of sewer flush
ing as has been reported. 1t seems
that in the meeting called by State
Fire Marshal Hussey, for the pur-
pose OF investigating the citys water
failure. it was asserted that Commits
sioner Tandy had been using water to
flush sewers on an average of every
half hour day and night
However, many want to know why
if this situation was known by Com
missioner Newland and Superintendent
Shaw, it evidently was, judging
from the data supplied by Superin-
tendent Shaw at the meeting in Hus-
sey's office, this fact was not brought
before the city commissioners where
it would naturally have been given
first consideration rather than to have
taken 1t into the realm of state af-
Shaw Had the Data.
The idea developed in the meeting
called by Fire Marshal Hussey that
too much water was being used In
Commissioner Tandy's department for
the flushing of sewers has never been
given any particular consideration in
the way of giving the commissioners
an opportunity to become familiar
with this situation nor to do anything
to obviate these difficulties.
Another question which might be
given some careful thought is that
when the meeting was well under way
the question of flushing sewers came
up and found Superintendent Shaw
supplied with sewer data demonstrate
ing the wastage of water in Commits
sioner Tandy's department. Commits
sioner Tandy stated this morning
that he had no idea MS to what would
develop in the meeting when he was
asked to be present and had no chance
to prepare data of his own.
Tanty Makes Statement.
81 had no idea to what was going
to develop in the meeting" sand Com
missioner Tandy this morning, rand if
I had 1 would not have done differ
emily. L have told Commissioner New
land several times that if the sewer
flushing equipment needed regulating
to go ahead and regulate in any way
that he considered most advanta geous.
1 am not seeking a quarrel of any kind
at all. All that 1 want is to get water
for the city. If Commissioner New
land knew that my department was
using too much water, or wasting it,
he had full authority to regulate the
over use of. water to the best advan-
tage .tiaezsupply of water on hands
Or %hc could have taken the matter
up with the commissioners, in which
case something would have developed.
Inc sewer ltuSnlng system is not a.
haPbazard arrangement. but Is based
oIE the figures and experience of sani-
tasy and water engineers and is me-
Chemically regulated in the manner
that they have proved is most salts
factory. The flushing has therefore
been regulated on this basis, but had
I3known that this was being done too
much this might have been cut down.
Further there has not been enough
pressure at many times to cause the
traps to flush at all and we have had
to flush them with hose in order to
keep the pipes free from distractions"
Porter Has n Say.
Commissioner Porter, who was pres
ent, added: The flushing of the sew
ers is a problem of the sanitation and
health department also. 1t is of all
most as much importance that there
be enough water to flush the sewers
ard streets as it is for the other needs
of the town to be supplied. 1t is not
SO much the question where the water
is going, or to what use it is being put
that is most important, but rather why
can we not have a supply of water big
enough and with pressure enough to
adequately supply the needs. of tlfe
city"
Perhaps Commissioner Tandy should
have been aware of using too much
water thru the sewer system and per-
haps Commissioner Newland should
have been aware of it and informed
Tandy that things should be regulated.