The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-06-02
BETTER PUBLIC
SERVICE MAYBE
Superintendent Parker Promis-
es improvements in Lights
and Water

What may be a change of pol
icy of the Electric Light Co. of
Elizabeth City and its associated
companies and a resolve upon
the part of these public utility
companies to give Elizabeth
City better service is indicated
by 7. c. Parker, superintendent
Of the companies in an interview
with this newspaper this week.
Mr.. Parker says that many needed
improvements in the electric light, wat
or and sewerage plants have been de-
layed for the past several years be-
cause the owners hesitated to put out
money for such improvements in view
of the possibility of the city taking oy-
cr the properties. Mr.. Parker says the
owners have finally despaired of max
ing any deal with the city and that the
life of the companies is dependent up
on giving the city better service.
And there are indications that bet
ter service is to be expected. The COM
pany has finally completed the rebuild
'ng of two of its old boilers and these
boilers are now in commission again,
along with the new marine type of boil
or installed last summer. There is hard
ly a possibility of the electric light
plant again shutting down for want Of
steam any time soon as the plant can
be operated on any one of the three
boilers.
Mr.. Parker insists that improvements
will not stop there, but that the wat
er company has placed orders for two
electric driven pumps and that these
pumps, now in transit. will be installed
Immediately to take the place of the
two antiQuated old steam pumps that
have been serving the water company
for 20 years. The old steam pumps
put in two years ago are just about
worn out and the new pumps are TO be
installed not too soon. The old pumps
have wasted enough power to have paid
for new and more powerful pumps sew
eral times over.
The new electric driven pumps will
be- connected direct to the water lines,
stepping the pressure up from the pres
ent stand-pipe pressure of 40 feet to
something over 100 feet.
Mr.. Parker also promises certain I'M
provements in the treatment of water.
He says he is negotiating for automatic
chemical feeders TO take the place of
the uncertain hand feeding devices now
in usc. \ large amount of chemicals
are necessary in the treatment of the
raw water taken from knObbS Creek
\ certain amount of soda ash is nee
essary to soften the water. Alum must
then be added to cOagulate the Vege-
table and other foreign matter in the
water And finally, rs an added pre-
caution. after the water has passed
thru the first sedimentatiOn tank, thru
the coagulating basin and thru the sand
filters. chlorine is injected into the wat
er to kill any germ life that may re-
main in it. At present the addition OF
these chemicals to the water is con-
trolled by hand and there is just as
much certainty about it as there is GER
taintv that common labor that will go
TO sleep on almost any job. Mr. Park
er saws that the uncertain human fac
for in the chemical treatment OF the
water is to be overcome by the install
lation of automatic devices that will
supply the chemicals to the water in
correct proportions to the volume OF
water to be treated at any time, the
volume of water controlling the supply
of chemicals.
The water consumption of Elizabeth
CITY from the Elizabeth City Water Co.
is around 100000 gallons a day. The
capacity of the plant is said to be l.
100000 gallons a day.
AS to the possibility of any improve
ment in the sewerage situation, Mr.
Parker sayeth not.