The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-12
Civic Water Committee Urges
Changing Kaw's Channel
Recommends a Filtration Plant
for Topeka.
SUBMIT REPORT TO CITY DADS
Go Over Plan at G. of C.. Meeting
Thursday Night.
Filter Plant Would Be SeIf-Sup-
porting, Report Says.

Recommendation that a filtration
plant be erected as a solution of To-
peka's water problem, were contained
in report submitted by the Civic
Water committee to the city commits
sioners at their meeting this morning.
The recommendations were:
That the river channel be nerusnen+-
changed from the north to the south
That modern intake be provided.
That modern, up-to-date. ranid
sand filtration plant be Installed bar
i itIge a66eq1ate low lift pumping capac-
inter capacity and sufficient clear
n. That suffieient high lift pumping ca
That That the plant be properly protected
That the settling basin and the I'LL
tration plant be located on the eieva
teal Pa
That the city commission emn1ov
competent engineer to design said
plant and furnish plans and snecifi
cations for an estimate of the cost of
That said plans and specifications
pc submitted to this committee for its
approval before they are finally adopt-
ed by the commission.
That special election be called ms
soon as possible for the purpose of vot-
Represents -Four Months Work.
The report was submitted by V. R.
Farkhurst, w. c. Stephenson e. ],
stewart and Milton Tabor. 1t had been
approved by unanimous vote of the
general civic water protection commit
tee at the meeting held July 80. 1920
The report is the work of nearly
Iour months on the part of the COM
mlttee, OF which Tabor is chairman.
Ihey carefully studied the reuorts
made by the consulting engineers hired
by the city to go over the local situa-
tlon and also visited several other
cltles to study their water systems
Differing in opinion when thew start
ca 'they ultimately came to one con-
clusion-that filtration plant is the
only solution of Topeka's water prob
lem for all time to come.
Meeting Thursday Night.
The civic water committee which
represents twelve civic organic tions
and practically 5000 persons in To-
peka, will hold meeting Thursday.
night at the Chamber of Commerce.
with the city commissioners to go over
details OF the plan. The city prob
ABLY Will retain an expert engineer in
the near future to make an estimate
OF the cost of the plant. Whether the
PONDS VIII be voted at the general cleo
lon IN November or at a special cleo
ton has not been decided.
1t was explained that the construc-
ton of the filtration plant in Topeka,
while 1T will assure the~city of an ade-
quate permanent supply of pure, soft
water, will not cost consumers or tax
payers penny either in taxes or in
creased water rates. This is because
OF the self-supporting system upon
which the water department is run.
The recent increase in the water rates
to large consumers from to - cents
per thousand gallons will protect the
department against losses suffered in
the past.
seriously Inadequate Now.
The committee, in concluding its re-
port, says:
THE present supply of water for
the city of Topeka is seriously made
quate and steps should be taken i'm
to relieve the situation.
The average daily domestic con-
sumption is nearly 100000 gallons
and the maximum daily domestic con-
often approaches the 5000
900 mark. Except in extended periods
of drouth the capacity of the wells at
the West End plant is about equal to
the average demand.
"A city having the population of
Topeka should be able to furnish ap-
proximately 100000 gallons per diem
fire flow 1t is possible to furnish
only small part of the required
amount and. if a minor confla grafton
should occur, the impure water in the4
Kansas river would have to be drawn
upon,~thus polluting all the water in
the mains.
City in Constant Danger.
THE city is in constant jeopardy of
a large fire breaking out that would
require a large amount of water, thus
necessitating the use of the water in
the Kansas river, which might result
in an epidemic of some kind. There
fore, until wholesome water is assured
the health and life of every citizen in
Topeka is in danger.
Development of the underground
supply seems to- be possible but, ow-
ing to the fact that the wells fail to
maintain normal flow and their ex-
cessive cost of maintenance and the
gradual increase in hardness of we'll
water, it would not seem practical or
advisable.
Sedimentation Alone UnheaIthfuI.
"A sedimentation plant without fill
tration would not be approved by the
state board of health, therefore, it
could not be considered.
"A modern filtration plant could be
installed which would meet the re-
quirements of the state board of health
and furnish an adequate supply of
good, wholesome, soft water"
The organizations represented by
the civic water committee are: Cham
Der of Commerce, Rotary club, Fire
Insurance Men, Square Circle club,
Cooperative club. North Topeka Civic
club, Topeka Press club. Inter-Service