Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-05-06
WATER TO Be
GIVEN tests
IN new LAB
Publication Expert To
Be In Charge of Fine
New Plant of Cen
trial Power Co.
Especial to The Herald)

NoPcCioi 70 Inc neTdiuJ
SAN BENITo. May 5-All the wa
ter that is supplied to more than
a dozen towns In the Lower Rio
Grande Valley is to undergo a thor
ough analysis daily in the $4,000
testing laboratory being installed
here by the Central Power & Light
company as a part Of the new s11e,-
900 water plant in San Benito, it
was announced Saturday by Frank
c. Ludden, manager Of the Valley
concern.
The new water plant, capable of
supplying a city OF from 10000 to
$4,000 population, has been COM
pleted, and water is nov being run
through the new plant and the new
mains, after a test during the early
part of this week.
The laboratory, which is the most
complete and elaborate one south Of
San Antonio, and the only n of
it's kind in the Valley, is TO be in
constant operation in a short time,
and will, in the opinion Of officials
of the company, prove one OF n
most valuable assets the Valley
could have.
Not only will all water which is
pumped through the city mains in
Valley towns be tested daily, but
all the water which is used in the
manufacture Of ice in Valley towns
is to be analysed daily in this lab
oratory.
S. c. Clarke OF Austin, water puri-
fication expert, has been secured TO
operate the laboratory, according to
Mr.. Ludden, and is in San Benito
now.
The new water system for the
city OF San Benito has been in pro-
cess Of construction for several
months. The machinery Is housed
in a two story concerto and stucco
building on Stenger street near the
resaca. from which the city's water
supply is taken.
The filtration plant has n capa-
city Of 100000 gallons Of water, and
the clear we'll has a capacity OF 90
900 gallons.
There are three intakes, one IL
finch, and two s inch. Two low lift
pumps lift the water through these
intakes into a coagulating basin AZ
by AZ by 1s feet. IL is then turn
ed into the filtration basin, and
later into the clear we'll. IL is then
forced into the city mains by two
pumps, one with a capacity OF 500
gallons a minute. and another with
n capacity Of 700 gallons n minute.
There is another pump of 750-gallon
capacity that will be used in emery
e%ncies, and an auxiliary gasoline
pump with a 1000 gallon capacity
for use in case the power is off at
anv time.
The plant was designed by Alvord.
Burdick & Houston, Chicago engi-
neers. assisted by J. ". Wolter. en-
gineer for the Central Power &
Light company.
The system has been improved ex-
tensively throughout the city, with
n new 12-inch main extending from
the filtration plant along Stenger
street 70 the downtown section. for
additional protection in case OF fire.
The main machinery Of the nlant
Is housed on the first floor of the
building. In the second floor are
offices, and the laboratory, which
has a space 90 by 25 feet.
Inc idttet equipment III NHt AtSl-
ing Of water for every purpose II
installed in this laboratory. at a cost
of 5000. and water will be brought
to Il daily from all the plants in
the Valley.
preventing any possibility Of bad
water from any cause" officials of
the concern said. "In the past some
-.4sA~ 81 H. VoI1av houa EuI LaI
water because the river was too low,
or because the sediment tanks were
not cleaned. or for some other rea-
son. Frequently the change In the
water was so gradual that without
until a number Of persons had been
made i'll.
"Such a condition cannot again
exist. with the tests which will be
made daily from now on in the
plant here"
The new system was first opened
and then the tanks were flushed and
the mains cleaned. and IL was open
ed again Wednesday afternoon.
There have been many comments
by residents OF the city on the clear
and soft water that is now being
pumped through the San Benito
mains.
The grounds OF the new city plant
are TO be beautified. and in about Is
or 90 DAYS a public opening will be
held. and everyone will be invited
TO inspect the filtration plant. the
pumps. mains. laboratory for testing
water, and other parts Of the sys-
tenn.