Evening star., 1925-08-23
Pure WATER SIGNS
PLANNED ON ROADS
"SeaI of Safety" to Guide
Motorists to Good Drink
ing Sources.

Assurance that the water they
drink along the highways is pure is
TO be given motorists as the result
of a new activity launched by the
American Automobile Association.
Plans are now being formulated for
the erection and standardization of
signs indicating safe drinking water
along the we'll travelled highways
throughout the country. Indorse-
ment has been given the project by
the Public Health Service and the
Conference of State Sanitary Engi-
neers.
Several of the large automobile
clubs, including the Ohio State Auto
mobile Association and the Pennsyl-
vania Motor Federation are now CO.
operating with the State health de-
partments in erecting signs along
main highways in the vicinity of
water that has been approved by
health authorities. 1t is planned TO
extend this activity to the whole
country through the instrumentality
of the clubs of the American Auto
mobile Association.
Clubs Erect Signs.
AS developed in Ohio and Pennsyl-
Vania. the practice has been for the
automobile clubs to erect signs along
roads calling attention to the fact
that State and local health officials
have placed the seal of safety" on
the water.
Because motor touring has assumed
such tremendous proportions, it is
felt that safeguarding the health of
the motoriSt regarding the water sup
plies placed at his disposal consti-
tutes an important national problem.
For that reason, the work is planned
with a national scope. 1t Is believed
that direct indication to the public
of the safety Of a semi public water
supply, such as the roadside we'll, the
gasoline filling station supply. the
Summer resort well and the supply
at tourist camps, fair grounds and
the like, is even more necessary to
the public welfare than in the case
of a municipal or public water sup
ply.
The signs pointing out the safe
drinking places will replace the warn
ings which formerly were given to
the thousands of motorists who took
to the open road each season The
warnings will give way to definite as
surance and direction to the places
where safe drinking water may be
found.
A. n. n. announcement.
Outlining the intentions of the A
A. a. in undertaking this nationwide
health project, President Thomas p.
Henry said:
How necessary the examination of
water supplies used by wayfarers is
may be seen from report from one
county-namely, Franklin County,
Ohio One hundred and fifty-three
water supplies in this county were
examined. Thirty-eight, or % per cent
were found to be satisfactory. Ninety
eight, or Ga per cent, were found to
have defects which could easily be
corrected so as to make these supplies
satisfactory and IT, or IL per cent,
were found to be of such a nature as
to make their abandonment necessary.
Particular attention will be paid to
roadside wells on the main through
highways. Throughout the touring
season it is intended that periodic ex-
animation of water supplies will be
made by health officials and only with
their sanction will signs be erected or
removed. We are assured now that
many of our clubs are prepared to
stand the cost of erecting the signs
at the source of supply, just as a
great many of them are cooperating
with State highway departments in
putting up signs at danger points on
the road.
One of the big problems at the
present is the small private tourist
camp-that is, the camp that is not
under public auspices but is set up by
private individuals for the purpose of
selling something to tourists. Some of
these are run by farmers in places
where the only source of water sup
ply is small stream located close by.
The need of close supervision of these
private touring camps, dozens of
which are springing up over night,
appears to me to be very urgent"