Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-07-03
PUMPING WATER
At NEW PLANT
Water from City Wells Pumped
at the New City Station
Yesterday.
CHLORINAT|NG THE MAINS
state Health Department Will q. h.
Water When Tests Show Ii
is Purified.

Water from Alma's new system,
which is 10 give people of this city,
a pure well water supply in the fu-
ture has been turned on and today
is flowing in the mains of the city,
but it will be a week before an Off
cial o. k will be put upon the water
for drinking purposes, it is expected
John NJ. Hepler of the state board
of health is in the city working on
the matter and Tuesday evening he
gave the following signed statement
20 The Record, which fully explains
the methods of purifying the mains
and making certain that the water
is fit for use:
THE people can rest assured that
the State Department of Health will
not allow the drinking of the new
supply until the mains have been
completely sterilzed and bacterial
examinations of the water show it TO
be free from any disease-producing
organisms.
I'm connection with the turning in
Of the new supply, which happened
on Wednesday, the water will be
pumped TO waste for "a hours at the
plant, thereby cleansing the suction
lines The river water will then be
shut off and the water from the wells
turned into the city pipes. A careful
and complete flushing of all mains
will be made TO clear them as much
as possible.
After flushing is completed,
LIQUID chlorine will be introduced in
70 the mains at the pumping station.
After a reasonable time flushing will
be commenced again, and every hy-
drant run until tests show the chlori-
mated water completely filling the
system The householders will then
be asked TO open all their taps and
flush all sanitary appliances to in
sure the chlorinated water reaching
every house. Following this a care
ful canvas of the city will be made,
testing at many homes TO make sure
that verything has been flushed.
Samples of water will then be
sent TO Lansing for analysis. If
these samples show that the water
IS free from contamination the public
will be informed that it is safe 70
use. If not, the sterilization process
will be continued until such time as
the samples do show that the water
is safe for domestic purposes.
The chlorine TO be used is the
pure liquid chlorine which is added
directly to the water in a gaseous
form in sufficient quantity to kill all
the bacteria Tests show that chlor-
inc in this form is 9S per cent eff
cient in killing all types Of bacteria
and completely killing all types of
bacteria and completely killing all
the types which cause disease.
John NJ. Hepler,
Asst. State Sanitary Engineer"
Before he had been secured as city
manager Mr. Reynolds was in the
city and at that time estimated that
water could be put into the mains
by July /. and while not promised
by him at that time, he missed get
ting the water in the main at that
time by only about twelve hours 1t
is worthy of note, that had il not
been for the delay Of a day in get
ting a belt, water would have been
in the mains on July /.
Wednesday morning Mr.. Reynolds
stated that the emergency fire pump
could be connected with the fire sta
ton so that BY pressing a button
this pump could be put into opera
ton. This will not be done right
now, but it is expected that II will
be done later, and that other inn
portant improvements will be made
in connection with the system, which
will greatly benefit the residents of
the city.
Mr. Reynolds called attention to
the fact that IL will be much cheaper
for the city to obtain water under
the new system than has been the
case in the past, especially in fuel
oil consumption. which is very small
per horsepower hour.
II is expected that next week The
Record will be able 70 announce TO
the people Of the city that the water
in the mains is suitable for drinking
purposes, and that it has the official
@. X. Of the state