Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-17
WATER SUPPLY NEGLECT Is
AN lMPRovIDENT GAMBLE
A Future Crisis Can only Be Averted
by Rehabilitation Of a vial
Municipal Service

FNHE complac"ncy with when Ihliadci-
i phians are disposed to regard water
supply system which is steadily growing
dispropor;icnate to the needs and develop
ments Of the community Is perhaps partly
reaction from 'hc great scare of twenty
three years ago.
In 1899. for the first and only time in Its
history. Council attacked the water problem
with celerity. Energy was sharpcned by
typhoid fever crisis which claimed immediate
attention. Tho result was the appon, mon;
of commission whose findings bore fruit
in the construction of n filtration plant.
which. of its kind, remains the largest III
the world
The inclination 20 rest on this achievement.
which embraced a complete rehabilitation of
th" water system. was tempting. Some ius'i
fcntion for this attitude ia. moreover dis
covcrnhle in the Virtual extinction Of the
typhoid menace. oE which but per cent per
100000 in the population of Philadelphia
were victims last year. In the past Tn"
hgurcS had hecn MS high as rs. In 1899.
the memorable year of action, il was ~.
This is tho reassuring side Of a problem
among those questions under discussion pN
The American Water Works Association nov
in session hero But the public hcal;h gain
II merely ON" side of the case.
II is earnestly TO be hoped that PhiIad"l'
phans will not have to he frightened into
practical realization Of its other features.
Reform through panic is surcrtiuouslt
emotional and excessively costly.
Chief Davis. Of the Water Bureau. COM
petent and thoroughly informed official, has
made no secret Of the imperative need of
preparing for the future and Of recognizing
the responsibility which the municipality In
an incrcn sngly populous urban communn!
dwelling between two industrial rivers owes
10 its inhabitants.
A severe drought some two years ago came
oerilousy near straining the resources Of the
Water Bureau TO the uttermost. Reserve
facilities were almost exhausted. Shortly
after this warning the Mayor appointed 4
board of consulting engineers TO examine the
whole system and to suggest means for
armIng against possible future crises.
But the comprehensive and authoritative
report was delivered to n Council which Is
apparently incapable Of concciving that q
water system. admittedly of a high tyne
moro than two decades ago. is despite GER
tain surviving merits, becoming anti0uated
and insufficient 10 meet the mounting
demands Of the city.
The municipal legislators, however. n7e
not exclusively bamewor:hy. Public ind,t-
ference is partly instructive and partly In
duced by the magnitude of bill for modern
izntion II IS estimated that S35 900. .0Ob
will he required within the next five or six
years to bring the service up to date and
fortify il against future obligations.
This is indeed n considerable sum, but
metropolis inadequatcy furnished with water
is obviously cripple.
pollution of the present sources of the Phila.
lelphia supply. Experts. including the en-
gineers board and the specialists of the
Bureau of Municipal Research, who have
published an enlightening booklet on the sub
iect are Of the opinion that the tapping Of
the Schuylkill will eventually have TO be
abandoned.
Objectionable tastes and odors are fire.
ouently noted from the Schuylki!l supplies.
intensified when ice covers the river. and
due. il is said TO decaying organic matter or
industrial wastes. particularly from coal
tar products.
The first step urged in the reconstruction
plan is the establishment of an impounding
reservoir on the Perkiomcn Creek as the
basis Of a comprehensive program by which
the waters Of this stream. the Tohickon and
the Ncshamny could be utilized as raw
water supply sources. In the end, it is
suggested that a demand upon the upper
waters Of the Delaware above Trenton may
BE- necessary. but that is not advised until
nearer supplies have been used to full
capacity.
Extension Of the meter system as an
economy arm is also advocated This is Il
patiently desirable reform on which some
headway has already been made.
George W Fuller, in reviewing the situa-
ton before the water works convention, ad-
mitted. indeed, that certain improvements
had been authorized, but emphasized the ur.
wisdom of accepting these-of which the new
Fairmount dam project Is one-as evidence
that the broad recommendations OF the en-
gineers' report had been approved. They
have been neither favored nor rejected.
The opportunity to take action in forth
right fashion remains. The obligation is
pressing. At this moment Philadelphia
water IL wholesome and the supply under
normal conditions Is just about equal to the
demand. But there is almost no margin of
reserve. A drought Of any considerable
duration would instantly disturb the delicate
equilibrium
The city will be taking desperate chances
il the season Of indifference and self salts.
fact ion is prolonged.