The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-10-16
Eureka! The Sanitary Conference

Ns."
Eureka! The Sanitary Conference
The water and sewerage conference i'll session here
Tuesday and today is one OF the big steps taken by tho
State health department in the organization OF its field.
Water and sewerage are close to the comfort OF the peo-
pie. They are. therefore, close to the public health. Both
are potential in elements OF contamination and infection
And both arc indispensable systems OF municipal func-
tioning.
Aside from the warning given BY last summers drouth.
that q state water supply problem is not impossible in
spots. there is the problem in spots also OF how to get a
dependable pure supply at this time. Several of the
smaller cities and towns arc using raw water from the
streams, particularly the Missouri. simply suhjectins the
pumping to sedimentation and then using the water for
potable purposes without treatment against the swarm
ing bacteria. This is taking q great risk in the direction
Of epidemic disease.
Others are chlorinating their raw and scdimeatated
supplies. thus removing a great deal Of the peril which
the towns drinking their water raw assume. But that Is
not all that might be done. These two classes Of towns
should treat their water just as Bismarck is doing, sedi-
mentizc 1t. chlorinate it and filter it. The purity Of the
Bismarck water supply is Justification for these three
processes, IS the visitors saw today in their visit to the
pumping station along the river.
Then. too, all cities and towns OF the state should sub
ject their water supplies to frequent archaeological eN-
animation. The state maintains a number of bacteriolog-
teal Laboratories, for this purpose among others. One is
here in Bismarck. lately presided over by DR.. William
Sides Roller and now in charge OF DR.. A. w. Ecklund.
who succeeded d.. Roller when the latter was transferred
to the university laboratory at Grand Forks. Last year
Is chemical analyses were made here and 1902 bacteria
logical examinations. Bismarck. Mandan, Dickinson and
other cities thus were kept informed as to the bacterioloe-
ical character Of their drinking water or. to express it
othe. wise, their degrees OF purity.
These examinations are kept up largely to determine
whether colon baclli are present in the water. If they
arc. the wa.er Is contaminated.
Now. one Of the sources of water contamination is sew
sge. One town upstream discharges its sewage into a
stream and the next town pumps It's water supply out Of
the current thus contaminated. State Engineer Kennedy
assures North Dakota that 1t has not yet reached the
point where this Is . grave situation. The flow Of the
Missouri, for instance, is in speed and volume able to d-
vest It Of the poisonous character of the discharges which
the towns mingle with the rivers waters. The fact that
sewage Is 90 per cent water also assists in its denaturing.
But It may not always be so. Even at the present time
. drouth, by lowering the volume Of a streams current.
not only allows the sewage to pollute the water for
potable purposes, but the stream becomes unable to carry
off the liquid filth from the cities and towns where it
arises. Some such situation has vexed several North Da-
kota towns this summer. It was a serious situation for
them. These conditions are up before the present con-
ference and representatives Of the towns are here in the
hope OF gaining scientific insight into an intelligent solu-
ton Of the problem now temporary. but with the growth
Of population, likely to become a permanent burden on
these communities.
How to divert the Missouri to the task OF preserving the
sheet Of alkaline water known as Devils lake is another
problem before the sanitation sessions here. This is going
outside Of the scope Of such a conference. The meeting is
mainly In the direction OF sanitation with respect to wa
ter and sewerage. The topic. however. has been admit
ted into the conference In a spirit Of fairness by Sanitary
Engineer Bavone and State Engineer Kennedy. The
latter points out that this project is OF such a yastness
that It becomes rather one OF a ~navigable restoration OF
the waters Of the river and is comparable to the Boulder
Canyon project. which In turn affects ten agricultural
states.
All o1 which means that the water and sewerage con-
1erences Of the future will hardly have to deal with the
lake problem. That is an undertaking not for North Da-
kota, but for the federal government to assume in CO.
operation with the state. For the present It is q dream.
~ construction dreams wax vaster, it will find its day
Anyhow, Sanitary Engineer Bavone has done exceed
lngly well In his first conference. He has stirred up
somethins-many things. In fact. It is not too much to
expect great accomplishments out Of the future OF these
sanitary conferences. It was wise that the gathering.
hes permanently organised itself. It has a big field in
which 70 operate In North Dakota and much good to look
forward 70.