The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1920-10-12
T. CHICAGO
IS TAKING
The LEAD
Proposed Sewage Disposal
Plant Latest Step To-
ward Better Water.

Taking the lead among cities OF
northern Indiana in q campaign for
better drinking water the city OF East
Chicago Is now engaged in making
plans for the immediate construction
CT a sewage disposal plant which viii
ehectualIy, as far as East Chicago's
sewage IS concerned, free the water OF
Lake Michigan from contamination
and provide the city with & healthy wa
ter supply. This sewage disposal sys-
tenn combined with the filtration plant
which is practically ready for opera
ton will give East Chicago one OF the
most complete water publication
plants IN the entire country.
Although q plant for partial treat
nnent OF sewage Is now an assured fact
the East Chicago officials are reluct-
ant to go ahead with plans for com
plete treatment until they are assured
that the water supply will not be con-
taminatsd by the sewage from the
other municipalities in the region.
Gary has been considering the erection
OF a sewage disposal plant but Ham
mond and Whiting have as yet taken
no steps 20 treat their sewage.
Pearse and Greeley. Chicago engi-
neers, have been employed by the city
OF East Chicago and have been at
work for the past three months in
vestigating the needs Of the city. A
preliminary report was submitted yes
tsrday at the meeting OF the board OF
works and q more complete report will
be submitted two weeks later. This
report will cover the specifications for
both the sctivated sludge system which
n now being Installed at Milwaukee,
and the sedimentation system with
AA
with or without sprinkling Alters.
Both systems which East Chicago
now has under considerations are in op-
sration in other cities in different parts
OF the country and according to reports
vary but little in results which are
accomplished. The activated sludge
system costs perhaps a little less 70
construct but requires greater expense
than the other for operation. When
plans are completed bids will be asked
Cor both systems and the board will
then decide which OF the systems will
better suit the needs OF the community
The present plans OF tho city call for
the erection OF a sewage disposal plant
ct either end OF the city and a third
small one at the Mark subdivision.
The Alder street sewer pumping sta
tion Is already In good condition to be
maze part OF Such sewage DIS
posal plant but the Nag0un avenue
station Will require overhauling and
repairing. The Magoun avenue sewer
also will require repairs with or with
out g disposal plant and the nrst work
in preparing for sewage disposal Will
probably be In that direction.
The decision TO treat the sewage of
East Chicago IS not only OF interest TO
citizens OF East Chicago but to those
Of othsr municipalities in the region
As we'll. When East Chicago has treat
ed the sewage IN such a manner as 70
cease communicating the water OF the
lake they will be in a position to de-
mand that the other cities OF the region
also treat their sewage. Only when
this Ia done. doctors assert, will the
cities OF the Calumet region have a
water supply free from the deadly ty-
phoid germs which at the present time
are taking SO many lives annually in
the district.