The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-10-16
WATER PROBLEMS
CONFERENCE TOPICS
OF LOCAL SPEAKERS
Work Of Psychological labora.
tory Is Reviewed; Also Pro-
posed River Diversion

The conference Of water and sew
cage superintendent was comptet-
ing its deliberations here today
Among the proceedings was a visit
to the city waterworks.
Four topics Of local personal in
tcrcst were on the program today,
The work OF the meteorological lab
oratory here was discussed by DR.
A. w. Ecklund, state bacteriologist
for this district: A.. l.. Bavone, state
sanitary engineer. who is sponsor
for the meeting, was on the pro.
gram for a talk on the sanitary
aspect Of proper operation and su.
pcrvision Of public water supplies
ard sewage disposal plants; Nj. H
Atkinson spoke on financing water
works improvements; and r. +
Kennedy. state engineer. reviewed
his studies Of the Missouri river or
the proposal to divert its waters in.
to Devils Lake and also for conscr
vation Of the surface waters OF
North Dakota.
Talks About Fargo Plant
Other speakers were f. +. Chand'
Ter. dean Of the engineering schoo
Of the University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, on the sewage disposal
problems Of the state, and O. G
Ayliffc. superintendent Of the filtra'
ton at Fargo, on the Fargo purifica'
ton plant.
Organization and selection Of tho
next place Of meeting were business
items for the final hours Of the con.
ference this afternoon.
How the state public health labor
atories cooperate with cities and in
dividuals to maintain pure water sup
plies throughout the state was ex-
planned to waterworks and sanitary
engineers here, today. by A. w. Eek
lund. state bacteriologist in charge
OF the Bismarck branch.
Both chemical analyses and bac.
THEOLOGICAL examinations are per-
formed by his department free Of
charge. Ecklund said. and last year
48 of the former and 1902 Of the lat
ter were performed.
OF the two examinations, he said
that to determine the bacterial con.
tent is most important since it usually
determines II water Is fit to drink
Chemical analyses are valuable. hi
explained, to ascertain If water con.
tains any harmful. non-bacillic Gle.
ments. Ordinarily. he said. If water
has no salty or bitter taste and form.
soapsutS readily. no chemical analysis
Is necessary to determine II 1t is III
for use.
To anyone who desires an exam.
inatton of a water supply. Dr.. Ecklund
said. tho department will send special
containers for the transportation o.
water samples to the laboratory.
Test Bismarck Water Daily
In Bismarck. he said. the water l.
examined bacteriologically and chem
ically every day, and the same snoult
be true Of other large cities. Somf
cities send In water samples each wee!
and others each month. The more
frequently examinations are made. hi
said, the less likelihood Of running
into difficulties regarding the purit,
Of q water supply. He suggested once
q month as the maximum interval
and said cities should provide them
selves with proper water containers
similar to those used by the depart
ment. 80 that samples may be SEN
at any time.
The standard OF purity. he said. |:
the same as used by the federal gov
eminent. II q water sample is found
to contain more than 100 bacilli pc,
cubic centimeter or more than two
colon bacilli. the ource is condemned
IS unfit for use by humans.
While not necessarily harmful IL
themselves. he said, colon bacillt arr
accepted as q sure indication that TIKI
water is subject to contamination.