The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-03-17
LEI TIERS TO
TIE ED TOR
THE EILTRATloN P ] ].

THE FILTRATION PLANT.
FA1RMoNT, March 17.-[EdItor
The West vtrginlan.l- desire tuI
lay before your readers, matters
deemed worthy OF attention AMI
study with relation TO the special
election called for on the 2sth IN
slant for the purpose Of determin.
ing whether or not the ordinance
adopted by the board Of directors
Of the city shall be approved or re.
tected by the voters.
This ordinance proposes the Is.
suance OF bonds for the purpose OF
acquiring funds for the installation
OF q modern filtration plant as q
part Of the water system OF the city.
The writer would consider him.
self remiss In his duties should he
not call the Importance OF water
filtration 70 the attention Of tho
public, and 1t Is believed that each
OF the other members OF the board
feels the same way about the mat.
ter.
We do not have, and do not fur
1lish to consumers, filtered water
The supply Is chlorinated, merely.
The purpose OF this treatment is to
destroy disease breeding germs.
However, It cannot be a remedy
complete in itself, especially when
there Is mud dirt, refuse, and 9TH
er substances in the water (o.I
which we have, unfortunately, al
considerable lot, which is not, FIJI
quantity, decreasing, but on the
contrary1is increasingly. This Dol.
luted water Is being now delivered.
Bacteria In It cannot be wholly de.
stroyed, so that typhoid chances
exist, and the health OF the COM
munity is therefore jeopardized.
To be effective In the highest de.
gree, In addition to chlorination II
Is essential to have filtration to
eliminate the substances above re.
ferred to, to assure consumers
against disease, In the past year
in several tests made colon bacteria
typhoid breeding germs) were dis.
covered In the water which the
citizens drank. 1t is manlfestly
true that this should not be. There.
fore, when the writer states he can.
not conscientiously forbear from
advising the public, he may BIO
credited with a desire to protect,
so far>as is possible, the health OF
the community.
Filtration mechanical, rapid
sand) is practical, and employed
by all the modern water plants
throughout the country Among tho
nearby towns having It are shinns.
ton and Clarksburg. / am sure
that any person having doubts as
to the practlcabillty OF the process
will have them dispelled by a visit
to these nearby towns.
The city has employed Fuller and
McClintock OF New York City to
draw the plans for the proposed
plant here. They have made care.
full estimates of cost justifying the
proposed issue Of bonds, in amount.
This firm stands In the highesl
rank as practical professional wa
ter filtration engineers and experts.
They designed and supervised the
Clarksbufg plant; which has been
in successful operation for several
years .Clarksburg water Is pure
and sparkling, free from bacteria
and offensive matter. A
In addition,to the safeguarding OF
health, filtration will, by auxiliary
processes, free water OF all de.
leterious matter, such as, e. e.,
acidity and corrosive chemicals
found. present in our water from
time, to time. These chemicals at
tack the plumbing in houses and
eat 1t up. Therefore direct saw
ing In expensive plumbing can be
assured Il. the water be filtered.
This Is no mean time to be consid-
cred.
1t Is proposed to let the work Of
construction by contract. The con-
tractor, whoever he may be. must
qualify by citing plants built by
him, SO that assurance can be had
that the execution Of the plans will
be satisfactory. 4
AS TO the financial side Of the
problem, 1t can safely be said that
the. obligation OF the discharge Of
principal and interest Of the bonds
can be borne from water revenues.
The burden OF this amounts TO-
about $4,000 for each year during
the term OF the issue,-practically
the same amount to be raised each
year under the serial character OF
the bonds. There need be no in
erase in water rates, nor any tax.
alton whatsoever, to meet these
payments. Water revenues are sui.
Elcient to meet the obligation.
The law requires, however, H.
vote on a levy for every bond issue
Without that an election is null.
lily. And no person would pur-
chase bonds without a levy provi.
e.. q