The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-23
WATER
PASSES
mo Such Thing as Sanitary
Fountain" However, Chem
lists Decide.

"There is no such a thing as a
sanitary drinking fountain" ]. E.
Noble, bacteriologist of the Dis
trict Health Department, told the
division of water, sewage and
sanitation Of the American Chemi-
cal Society today at Central High
School.
Mr.. Noble declared that District
health authorities were inclined to
be pessimistic in the matter, as
the conclusion was reached only
after a very exhaustive study Of
fountains for public use.
Nearly All Dangerous.
In an, ninety-seve models have
been tested by the District Health
Department, and three more, max
ing a total of 100, arrived at the
office of Health Officer William c.
Fowler. today, said Mr.. Noble.
Fountains with vertical streams
were Immediately rejected as dan.
gerous. while those providing
tilted flow have been given more
detailed consideration.
The danger of fountains lies, of
course. in their possible use by
| persons who are carriers of con-
tagious diseases, and not in tie
water supply itself.
Mr.. Noble told the scientists that
I'VE have as yet to prove typhoid
in water samples collected in the
District during the past five years"
Some typhoid has been found in
water taken from dairy farms,
however.
Due to the excellence of tie
| filtration plant and the general
care of the water supply by health
authorities, the bacterial content
Of water collected in the District
Is lower than the allowable guam.
tity, the chemists were told.
A representative of the American
Waterworks Association inquired,
during the discussion which followed
Mr.. Mobiles paper. whether the
District Health Department had
examined the fountains in Union
Station, which the speaker said had
tendency to prove insanitary.
Lack Necessary Law.
Mr.. Noble told his Questioner
that the local health authorities
lacked the necessary law to en-.
force regulations covering such a
matter, and suggested that the
United States Public Health Serv-
Ice might take hand in remedy
ing conditions II acquainted with
the facts,
Robert B. Morse, chief engineer
OF the Washington Suburban SAM.
tary Commission, informed the
division that an impounding reser.
voir. with a capacity of more than
2'OOO 100000 gallons, is to be built
on the northwest branch Of the
POTOMAC river, to be a permanent
source OF water supply for the area,
OF part Of the area under the juris.
dict1on OF the commission.
This plant, 1t is proposed, will
absorb the duties Of the smaller
works at Takoma Park, Hyattsville
and Burnt Mills.
The Takoma Park plant has been
furnished water with a chlorine
taste to residents of Chevy Chase,
and sometimes even with a medi-
cinal odor, Mr.. Morse said. This
Is due to the high chlorine dose"
at the filtration plant, and will be
| removed In great part when the
Takoma Park filtration is handled
from the Burnt Mills plant.
| In response to an inquiry, Mr..
Morse spoke In detail of this aspect
or the Capitals suburban water
supply.
THE taste and odor," he said,
are not due to industrial waste,
as there are no industrial plants
along the watershed. The commits.
sion has had a considerable num-
Der OF complaints on account of this
condition. These complaints run
IN cycles. and I am happy to say
that they are diminished"
Encountered Difficulties.
The commission had to surmount
numerous difficulties in establish.
ing itself, he said, because 1t was
necessary to take over the works
of several municipalities. It was
looked upon as despotic power,
Mr.. Morse told the division but a
spirit Of cooperation is now more
| evident.
1.-THE greatest problem before the
commission" he said, has been to
meet the demands for extensions of
service. Half Of the total mileage
of water mains and sewer pipes has
been laid within the last four
| years."
The method OF financing the work
OF providing water in the sanitary
district Of the commission was
praised by Mr.. Morse, who said he
expected to sec It in use by numer.