Putnam patriot., 1923-10-19

tenn is concerned, Putnam needn't
take its hat of TO any city now. This
is so because the new filtration sta
ton and water works out on the
Woodstock road, on the banks Of the
Little River. have been constructed
along the most modern and approved
lines and the method Of cleansing
and purifying the water Is accomplish
ed according to the plans worked out
by the greatest engineers aud seien-
lists in the country. ANY number Of
cities in the United States have in.
stalled similar filtration systems. be-
cause. after careful investigation.
they, like the Water Works Commits
sioners Of Putnam, decided il was the
best.
Until this new system was install
ed. Putnam's drinking water was
eleansed and purified by the slow fl
tration system. Ii gave the city an
excellent quality of water. but be-
cause il took so long to put the water
through the process and because the
consumption of water. daily, was get
ting TO the point where the system
would not meet the demand, it WAS
decided to install this new system.
The commissioners spent many weeks
in careful investigation. going
Thoroughly into the several systems
in use and comparing their cost. Fin
ally they reached their conclusion and
went before the common council and
asked for authority to spend about
$4,000 on the construction of new
filtration system. II was explained
in detail both by the commissioner
and the engineering experts tentative
ly selected to carry out the plans
suggested There was ample money
in the treasury of the water depart
ment to finance the proposition, II was
further explained. The common eoun-
ell gave its approval and soon after
ward the work was started.
Delays Hold Work Up
There were delays during the con-
structien period because Of the non.
arrival of apparatus and equipment.
Freight shipments were held up and
it was only by constant attention "a
the task of locating the ears and get.
ting them headed for Putnam, that
further delays were net experienced
To cap the climax, when everything
was about ready for the placing in op'
Grafton of the new plant, the engin-
GERS found that a motor fer an i'm
portant piece of machinery. was not
the one ordered and had to be sent
back. Here was another delay, try.
ing the patience anew Of those who
had struggled against adverse condi
lions over which they had no control
In the meantime, people set up 3
justified howl against the taste and
the odor of the water. But undei
the circumstances there was nothing
/ that the department could do. Blu
+ il could make sure that the waite
was pure and wholesome. This Il did
keeping close tabs on the condition o.
the water, By taking samples FIRE
quently and having them analysed b!
state officials. Every time the repor
came back. giving the sample thu
states okey.
Complete Filter System
A few weeks ago the new system
was placed IN operation. Officials o
the water works said nothing abou
K and there was no formal eefemon,
! marking this newest development u
the city Of Putnam's water system
! But the results Of the new system
r soon were evidenced in the drinking
water drawn from the faucets il
' every home. The rumble of disgrun
) tied householders disappeared, 70
they had noticed the Improvement ans
, were quick TO voice their appreciation
, II is an elaborate system that i
! now in use. and yet, as strange as thi
contradictory statement may seem, !
is simple In operation. The water /
taken from the brook, as IL flow
down from Roseland lake, and is le,
through the tail race and through
twenty-inch pipe il comes 10 the by
draulic gate, through which il flow
: into the chemical chamber. Ther'
il ventura tube here which auto
matically controls the flow Of water
letting the water into the chemica
chamber at an even, steady rate.
As the water passes through III,
; chemical chamber IL il charged, auto
matieally, with a four percent solu
ton OF alum This induces coagula
ton Of the particles carried along b,
the water as il come down from tbs
i, lake.
From the chemical chambers n tn,
new filtration plant. the water flow
over a series Of battles. which seryt
/, to stir the water up and further in
! duce coagulation. Flowing on, tn.
/ water enters a chamber that is sixty
four feet wide and fifty-one fee
long. II takes the water between
three and four hours 10 flow tn,
length Of this chamber and durini
this time, the coagulated PARTICLES II
the water, getting heavier and heavier
all the time, settle 10 the bottom.
-Four Large Filter Beds
Thus freed. to a large extent, O
the coagulated particles. the waite
{ flows into the new filtration beds
1 There are four Of them, two on eael
side Of the building and each indie
pendent Of the other. Each bed ha
{ three feet Of sand az its bottom, rang
+ ing from quite coarse at the top &
fine at the bottom. II may be o
: intefes. 10 add, tn this connection
/, that the sand WAS brought TO Putnam
from Cape May. n. J..
!, Many thousands Of gallons Of waite
! are allowed to flow into each bed, tn
= amount of water in each being auto
matieally controlled. The water fl
= ters through the sand and strainer
r and into the clean water basin. Tn
four rapid filtration beds, as they ar