The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-08-31
State Health Department Writes City
Officials Relative to Water and Sewer
Conditions; Mayor Clues Explanation

In a letter to the mayor and city
commissioners Of Ardmore. dated Aug
ust 10. 1920. the state ,ssioner
Of health calls attention TO the con
dtion Of the water in the city lake
and the matter Of plans for sewers,
giving notice therein that unless an
order, issued from the state depart.
mont, requiring the installation of
disinfecting apparatus; and the Sc
curing Of the approval OF the depart
ment OF the sewer work, within 80
days. action will be taken through
the attorney general.
Order Prohibiting Fishing in Lake
Attention Is also called to the is.
suance of an order, effective from
September / 1920. prohibiting fishing
in the city lake, except during such
times as It is possible to use the
Turkey Creek supply exclusively"
Evidently the state commissioner
means Hickory creek).
The letter follows
There is enclosed herewith. a copy
vi itDOll. SuDinltltu W me ny D.
w. Evans, sanitary engineer for this
department.
81 consider your negligence 10 safe
guard the people of your community
to be Of very serious consequence.
regret to state that 1t will be neces-
sary for this department to take ac-
ton through the attorney general to
secure compliance with Chapter 166
Of the 1917 Laws Of Oklahoma, un.
less within 30 days from this date,
you have complied with our order
requiring installation Of dsinfecting
apparatus on your water supply and
have secured the approval Of this
department Of the sewer work which
you are doing.
ut is further hereby ordered, that
reservoir at the city Of Ardmore, from
and after September 1st. 1920, except
during such times as it Is possible
to use the Turkey creek supply ex.
cluslvely."
The report of the sanitary engineer
referred to above, is as follows:
Letter From Sanitary Engineer Evans
DR.. A. r. Lewis,
State Health Commissioner,
Oklahoma City. Okla.
Dear Sir:
An inspection was made August
9th of the water supply and sewer
age at the city Of Ardmore, Oklahoma.
The water supply at that place is
obtained from the city lake, north
west OF town, supplemented by the
new supply from Hickory creek, II
miles from the city in the Arbuckle
mountains. The new supply is at
the present time. affording only about
from onefourth to one.third of the
total consumption and it is therefore
to draw on the old reser-
voir for most of the supply. The
reservoir is quite low at the pres
ent time, and a water shortage can be
feared unless rains add to the supply
be expected. however, that within the
next two months, sufficient rains will
fall to relieve this shortage. This
condition is of very serious moment
in that it shows that Ardmores wa
ter supply problems are not yet solved.
1t will be necessary in order to re-
move all danger Of shortage, to i'm
pound water on Hickory creek, so
that the supply line from that place
can be continuously used
A second feature of interest regard
ing the water supply is the failure
of the city commissioners TO take
reasonable precautions to protect the
quality of the water. On December
3rd. 1913, an order was issued by
the state health commissioner, re-
quiring disinfection of the city wa
ter. This order has not been com
piled with Furthermore, this de-
partment has recommended at various
times that fishing not be permitted
in the city reservoirs because Of the
of preventing pollution
of the water. For some reason or
other, fishing is still permitted in the
city reservoir.
Sewers are being constructed in ac.
cordance with plans and specifica-
rions which have not been approved
by this department. This is not
merly q violation of Chapter l66 of
the 1917 Statutes, but is a matter of
serious consequence in that the city
is not provided with a permanent rec
ord Of the exact location of sewers
and sewer connections.
1t is recommended that the city
at Ardmore be noti-
lied that their failure to comply with
sanitary laws of the state Of Oklaho-
ma makes it necessary for this de-
partment to exercise the authority
which the law imposes.
Very truly yours,
j. w. Evans.
Sanitary Engineer.
Anal,<is of Hickory Creek Water
The following is an analysis of the
for from Hiolsorx. praek made All,