The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-04-19
Water, Water, Everywhere, but Not
Drop to Drink
(By r. T. Patten)

Roaming through the fields or
through the woods in the vicinity OF
Skowhegan one continually crosses
streams and comes upon springs
which offer the most delightful sur
roundings and the purest water
imaginable. II thirsty you have but
to lie down and suck up the glorious
fluid. In most such cases you do so
with the fullest confidence that 1t is
wholesome and entirely germ free.
On the plains and especially near
the area of Fairview Park you can dig
down with a crowbar anywhere,
chuck an iron pipe into the hole,
attach pump and go to it with your
best ability hour after hour 1t is
almost impossible to pump a well of
this kind dry. All these things
would seem a guaranty that we must
have an inexhaustable supply of
splendid water readily available.
Such, however, is far from the truth.
When the present water system was
put in in 1887 the supply for the pres
ent Reservoir was of good quality and
! fairly ample The town has ncreas-
ed slightly in population since that
| day but its water consumption has
augmented enormously. The original
supply is nowhere near enough for
our present demands and in the
meantime it's quality has become
somewhat doubtful.
OF course if We were content with
river water we need never have cause
for alarm Few, however. can ac-
9 Oh Co..
general domestic purposes. Untreat-
ed it is undoubtedly safe for washing
windows or automobiles, or for
sprinkling the lawn. It does pretty
we'll for laundry work; for brushing
teeth, and washing dishes it is not
safe or agreeable For cooking, even
where a long heat comes in. it is
open to objection, and for drinking
purposes Of course entirely out of the
question.
Putting it through the purifying
process installed at the pumping a
ton is surprisingly effective. Test
after test has shown the water to be
safe. This method, however, can
never be entirely satisfactory.
Just what to do no We seems to
know. Only few years ago a COM
mittee was appointed to Investigate
the whole situation and quite an ella
borate report was published. Sources
like Smith Fond, Lake George, Lake
Embden, etc. were considered. Quite
an exhaustive study OF the possibility
of driven wells was made All OF
these sources were found to be I'M
available. The expense, so far as
the ponds mentioned were concerned.
seemed prohibGye and the driven
we'll idea was 50 uncertain as to give
very little encouragement.
There is an interesting tradition
that an engineer once employed in
this section claims to know of a
source of supply within five miles OF
Skowhegap, ample in quantity, per-
feet in quality, and so situated as to
flow in under a gravity system. Al
the time the last investigation was
made this engineer was questioned on
this point but declined to say whether
or not he did actually know of such
a supply. Certainly he gave no evil
dence of intention of disclosing it.
Then and at intervals since the coun-
try all about here has been gone over
with extreme care, but nothing of the
kind has come to light.
The opportunity exists for some
genius to devise a practical source
from which Skowhegan may become
a we'll watered community. Most
assured!y we of the presen generation
and of generations to come would
rise up and call him blessed.