The Ely miner., 1930-08-08
CITY WATER PROBLEMS.

water practically colorless and this
treatment has been put in operation
and is functionsbg with the efficiency
that was observed in laboratory tests.
T. A longer period of Sedimentation
to permit the alum to precipitate and
better do its work has showed up ex-
cellent results and a final better fill
tered water.
5. A combination chlorine and am
monia treatment was experimental
with and has now been in operation
for two weeks The object of this is
to kill harmful bacteria and wipe out
odors and tastes. This treatment has
thus far been very satisfactory and Ely
is one of very few cities in the entire
country and the first in the state to
use such a water publication process
and this method is regarded as the
last word in water publication and is
expected to supplant plain chlorine
treatment, generally. AS a matter of
comment, Is years ago Ely was the
first city in the state to put into op-
Grafton water filter, which through
out the country where ever surface
water supplies are used, is now gener-
al practice.
6. 1t is deemed advisable to further
improve conditions at the filter plant
to build clear water reservoir to hold
at least days supply of treated water.
Our present clear well is little more
than one hour in capacity and it was
built in 1904. A large clear well will
give us more fire protection, uniformi
ty in taste, and a cooler water in the
summer season.
z. 1t will be necessary to make i'm
provements at the sewage disposal
plant to increase it's capacity and
efficiency.
In order to arrive at the above con-
clusion for necessary improvements, it
was necessary, with the aid of the
Division of Sanitation representatives
of the State Board of Health, to de-
vote all of these past two years for
study in order to know what changes
to make. Now that such information
has been obtained, the necessary pro-
gram of designing the proposed
changes and means of financing same,
must be undertaken. The water as de-
livered to the public at present is ap-
proved by the State Board of Health
and no diseases have originated from
the Ely water supply during the past
twelve years. Our State Board Of
Health approval means considerable
when it is understood they are recOg-
niZed as about the most rigid and
strict state board in the entire country.
Our water supply is also approved by
the U. S. Treasury department which
has supervision of water taken on
trains by the railroads for the use of
passengers.
The men that have been working on
the matter of improving the city water
supply feel that the water now entering
the city mains is high quality water
| and much beyond the water in most
cities. We have subjected various
people to tasting various samples of
water and these tests have been run
without the subject knowing what
sample he is drinking, and results thus
far have shown preference to the
city water as has been delivered for
the last two weeks. The raw lake
water at present is heavily loaded with
foul taste and odor producing algae
and thus far, our present publication
efforts are very satisfactory in re-
moving same. You will get the best
taste test on the city water by
drinking it cold.
1t should be needless to state in con-
clusion, but still it seems necessary,
that persons going to springs and
poorly constructed wells for drinking
water are sacrificing the safety offered
by our city water supply to overcome
what appears to us at present an i'm
aginary distaste for the public water
supply.