USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newburyport > City Officers and the Annual Reports to the City Council of Newburyport 1882 > Part 4
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It is but fair and just here to inquire into another charge, made against the water, viz: its high temperature, a charge equally beyond control. This com- plaint arises probably from the impression that the temperature of the water in the pond or in the reservoir should be retained by it when drawn in the city. This is erroneous, for the temperature in the supply pipes is entirely dependent on the temperature of the surrounding ground, whatever it may be in the reservoir or pond. The temperature of the water during the mouth of August has been invariably 65.3 degrees, as measured at different hours of the day and in various localities, although the temperature during that period ranged from 93 to 47 degrees-showing that at a depth of 4 feet, at which the pipes are laid, the daily variations had no effect. In fact they are no longer felt even at a depth of 2 or 3 feet, owing to the earth being a bad conductor of heat. The time for making these observations was too short to give a correct idea of the temperature of that depth during a whole year. Yet one result we state for sure already, namely that 65.3 degrees was probably the maximum temperature reached by the water, for we notice in this month a gradual fall- ing off, being at present 62.6 degrees. Now 65 degrees is nearly the mean temperature of the summer season(June, July, August) which was 68 degrees for the present year. At a still greater depth all variation disappears and a uniform temperature, corresponding with the mean annual temperature of the locality will be found. The mean annual temperature of our city is 47 to 49
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degrees, and the water from all the deep wells or springs is of nearly that tem- perature more or less, as a few of them will show :
Bartlett spring. 48° | Spring corner Fair street. 48°
Market square. 50° South Green Street . 50°
The foregoing, we believe, will explain that we cannot reasonably expect to draw water in the city in the same condition-"fresh and cold"-as it leaves the springs, yet we may expect its other qualities least impaired, and this is certainly the case with our water In clearness is equal to any spring or well water. By clearness we mean the absence of that extremely fine divided matter, suspended in water, which, although scarcely visible yet would lessen its transparency. Wherever a foreign smell or taste is perceived, we have to search for the cause in the conducting pipes. The water from Marlborough street, for instance, when at first examined (August 21st ) had a decidely smoky, tarry taste, together with a faint reaction of ammo- nia. This was scarcely perceptible a fortnight later. The "soapy " feeling must likewise be charged to the presence of caustic lime from the hydraulic cement. The fact that such complaints are limited to one or the other locality only, would aiso prove that the quality of the water from the springs has in the whole not changed, which, considering the high tempera- ture of the summer season (the mean of July and August being two degrees above the average) speaks certainly in favor of our present water supply. Moreover one thing, and not the least of importance, should be considered and will always give us great comfort, namely, that the danger of sewerage contamination, to which the wells and cisterns in the city are more or less exposed, is entirely precluded.
Newburyport, Sept., 1882.
KARL CASTELHUN.
PUBLIC SEWERS.
With the introduction of aqueduct water, there has arisen a ne- cessity for a better system of sewerage than our city has hitherto possessed. In fact, it can hardly be said that we have now any sewers at all. It cannot be denied that the natural drainage of the city is excellent ; we have the river with its tide-washed banks be- low us, and a gradual descent to the river, so that heavy rains car- ry down all surface impurities. Nevertheless, no adequate disposal is yet possible for all the filth, slops, etc., produced in houses, es- pecially since the introduction of modern improvements and the aqueduct water, and overflowing cess-pools, (too often these cess- pools are in dangerous proximity to the wells or cellars of citizens) in many places testify to the need of better sewerage.
It will be one of the problems of the future, how best to deal with the question : In the opinion of the board a little may advantage-
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ously be accomplished every year towards the extension through the main street of culverts already existing. Towards the clearance and deepening of the main culvert at the foot of Inn street the board has already attempted something; it is expected that the work will be completed early in the summer.
What shall be done with the sewerage of this city, how it may best be removed from our dwellings, is one of the problems which awaits solution. Cess-pools and vaults being always an abomina- tion, especially when not properly "trapped" and ventilated, it may be deemed desirable to construct large sewers for the purpose of draining off house slops, excreta and storm water. This system of sewerage is very expensive, and is perhaps hardly necessary in a city so well situated for surface drainage as ours.
The storm water falling per hour in violent rains over an acre of closely built up city land is nearly fifty times the amount of waste water and sewage produced per hour in the same area. In time of rain the sewer will be nearly or quite full of dilute sewage, which is absorbed by the bricks and leaves a coating on them as the water falls. This decomposes and emits foul gases, which, although not themselves the causes of disease when breathed, are nevertheless the carriers of disease germs. The damp wells or cellars present the most favorable conditions for development of these low organ- isms, and occasional flushing by rains can never prevent the growth of " bacteria " on sewer walls, nor will ventilation be sufficient. Perfect plumbing may prevent sewer gas from entering dwellings, but perfect plumbing is the rare exception. In view of these facts and the great cost of the "Combined System" of sewerage, it wonld seem desirable to devise some safer and less expensive method for carrying off excreta and waste water slops from our dwellings. The "Separate System of Sewerage" seems in a measure to realize the requirement. This system provides for carrying off waste water slops, etc., by drains and sewers into which storm water is not ad- mitted. These sewers being made to carry sewage only may be made much smaller than those of the combined system. In Mem- phis, Tenn., where, since the yellow fever epidemic in 1879, this system has been adopted, and where it is now carried out very sat- sfactorily, the sewers consist of six, eight, and fifteen-inch glazed pipe. The main fifteen-inch sewer of Memphis runs three-fourths full at 11 a. m. The sewers being so small and so well-filled by the
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flow of sewage, there is very little exposed wall surface in which bacteria can germinate, and very little space for storing up germ laden air. The gases and heat of decomposition which so power- fully stimulate the growth of organic life, are prevented by thorough daily flushing, which is only possible in small sewers. The smooth glazed surface of pipes is unfavorable for vegetable growth, com- pared with porous bricks, moistoned with sewage. The smaller pipes move rapidly all sewage from dwellings, without connecting them with foul caverns whose sides produce low organic life. The separate system is therefore greatly to be preferred for sanitary reasons. There are engineering difficulties connected with this sys- tem, such as obstruction of these small drain'pipes by sticks, grease, paper and other bodies. In practice these difficulties have been easily overcome.
In Memphis the sewerage system is based upon a flow of forty gallons of sewerage per head per diem. The main outlet sewer is twenty inches in diameter and built of brick, all the other sewers of burnt and glazed clay pipe, ranging from fifteen inches to six in di- ameter, the latter being the size adopted for all branch sewers. At the dead end of every branch sewer is placed a automatic flushing tank, with a capacity of 112 gallons. Each tank is filled from the city water supply through a pipe and spigot, so arranged as to flow continuously with a sufficient stream to fill this tank in twenty-four hours. As soon as this tank is filled to the proper height a syphon comes into play, the tank is rapidly emptied into the head of the sewer, and thus prepares itself for another charge of water. There are at this date over twenty miles of sewerage, and 125 flush tanks at work in Memphis, the total cost of which, including expenditures of all kinds, has been about $137,090 or $685 per mile.
Experts who have thoroughly examined the Memphis system pro- nounce it the most effective and economical method of removing the sewage of towns, and the Committee on Drainage and Sewerage of the State Board of Health of New York earnestly recommend this Separate system to all towns that have a proper water supply, and for general use throughout the State.
As this is a matter of vital importance (there being no question at the present day more practical than the question-what shall be done with our sewerage?) we have thought fit to reproduce a portion of the report of W. C. H. Latrobe, sanitary engineer, who has re-
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cently made a thorough examination of the Memphis sewerage and reported to the mayor and city council of the city of Baltimore :
"In my examination of the Memphis sewerage, I was accompanied by Ma- jor Humphreys, the engineer in charge, who is thoroughly acquainted with every part of the work. I first examined the flush tanks at the extreme ends of the branch lines. They fill and discharge with the most perfect regularity ; there are literally no moving parts and their extreme simplicity is manifest. They consist of a brick chamber built on a concrete bottom of any size de- signed (those in Memphis being forty inches in diameter), set below the level of the street, and covered like an ordinary man-hole with a perforated cover; in their center stands an annular syphon four inches in diameter. A three- quarter inch pipe near the top admits the city water, the flow being governed by a spigot. When the tank is filled to the top of the siphon the discharge takes place with a rush, the entire body of water (one hundred and twelve gal- lons) being discharged in from forts to fifty seconds. It first runs into a box under the syphon, and from thence into a sewer-head. As soon as the tank is emptied by the main syphon, its lower end is unsealed by a small subsidia- ry syphon, and the process of refilling the tank begins. The only drawback to the perfect action of these tanks has arisen from the muddy character of the city water, which may be appreciated from the fact that a half-gallon pitcher will deposit during the night one half-inch of solid mud. This muddy deposit it sometimes clogs the action of the subsidiary syphon which has a bore of only one inch. This difficulty has been obviated at Memphis by washing out the small syphon, say once a week, with a small hose about three feet long put on the supply pipe of the tank-a process which takes about ten minutes. One man attends to and keeps in order the entire lot of flush tanks, one-hun- dred and forty-five in number without difficulty. The grade of the branch « wers, which are connected directly with the flush tanks, varies from six inches to three inches in the hundred feet ; and the rush of water from the tanks is distinctly felt at a distance varying from four hundred to nine hun- dred feet, keeping the pipes perfectly clean. No tendency to freeze has been noticed in the tanks, although the temperature has been as low as four de- grees the past winter. These tanks are a patented article and the city of Memphis paid ten dollars per tank for the privilege of building and using them. The total cost of a tank ready for use is forty-five dollars. excinsive of royalty. I should say from observation that these tanks fulfill admirably their purpose, are thoroughly automatic in their action, and require very little attention. Whenever it is practicable, the branch sewers of Memphis are lo. cated on alleys in the rear of the houses, so as to avoid the cutting of trenches in the streets. With the small sewers of the separate system this is per- fectly practicable, and prevents the necessity of carrying the house soil-pipe to the front of the house.
"I next gave a close inspection to the condition of the main and outlet sew- ers, both to the fifteen-inch pipe and twenty-inch brick sewer. This was readily done, as it had been found expedient to break into the crown of the main at several points for the purpose of constructing man-holes. At the time of my inspection-11 a. m., -the sewers were running three-fourths full with a swift current. Nothing solid of any sort was to be detected in the flow, even by dredging; an occasional piece of paper constituted the only undis- solved matter; everything was in solution, and the sewerage was about the color and consistence of Mississippi river water. Although in several places the entire crown of the sewer had been removed, it was difficult to detect any odor until yon were within two or three feet of the flow. Major Hun- phreys stated this was the uniform condition of the mains, and that the venti- lation seemed perfect. I would state in this connection that the main house pipe is required by law to be four inches in diameter, and to connect with the sewer without a trap, its upper end is then carried above the roof of the house, full-size, and left open ; every water-closet, kitchen-sink, bath-tub and waste-sink connects with this four-inch pipe by a trap connection of its own. 9
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The varying height of the four-inch house mains, together with the constant flow of sewage, stimulated by the intermittent discharge of the flush tanks, keeps the whole system well ventilated and in perfect order. The main and outlet sewers have an inlcination of from one in four hundred to one in six hundred feet, and the sewage is finally discharged into Wolf river, near its confluence with the Mississippi. To assist the ventilation and afford means for inspection, it was originally intended to place a fresh-air inlet at every junction of a lateral sewer with the main; this is so arranged as to let in air and keep out dirt, and is covered with a grating. I found that out of forty provided, only nine had been used from this belief that they were unnecessary. The only deposit which has ever been noticed in the mains is a fine silt of moderate tenacity, supposed to be a mixture of the mud held in solution by the river water, combined with the pulp of dissolved paper. This readily washed out by passing the ball through the mains from man-hole to man-hole. A hollow ball of galvanized iron having an inlet and stopper, and about three inches less in diameter than the sewer is charged with water sufficiently to keep it in contact with the roof, along which it rolls; it is then dropped into the sewer at the man hole, the current instantly gorges, and rushes under the ball with great velocity, and scours the bottom of the sewer, the ball in the meantime rolls along the roof of the sewer, and is stopped, if desired, at the next man-hole and taken out. Balls of different size are used as desirable. The above-mentioned deposit or silt in the mains has never been more than from one inch to one and a half inches in depth. The only obstructions which have occurred (thirteen in number) in the branch pipes during the twelve months in which the system has been in use have invariably been oc- casioned by sticks about six inches long getting across the pipe. The obstruc- tion is immediately located by the rising of the sewage in the yard waste-sink of the house just above it. The sewer is then uncovered at the proper place, cut open on top, and the obstruction pulled out with a hook of twisted tele- graph wire. This would seem to indicate that any slender article, not over six inches long, will pass through a four inch trap; this is further proved by the fact that a number of two-feet carpenters' rules, which fold to six inches have been taken out of the sewers. This being so, the remedy would seem to be either to use no pipe less than seven (7) inches in diameter, or to ar- range the traps so as not to pass six-inch sticks. No obstruction has ever tak- en place in the eight-inch or ten-inch pipes, or in the twelve-inch, fifteen-inch or twenty-inch mains.
I understand, from Major Humphreys that not a single case has occurred of the breaking of the pipe The drainage of the sub-soil by common agricul- tural drain pipes, from one to three inches in diameter, is excellent. They are laid alongside of the sewer pipe in the same trench, and at the proper points are carried off to empty into the nearest water-course. Now, as to the house arrangements, the regulations are stringent, no plumbing is allowed on any plan but that adopted by the authorities and carried out under rigid inspect- ion by the engineer, and no house is permitted to connect with the sewer until inspected and passed. Every outlet for waste is connected with the four-inch house pipe and trapped; a slop waste is insisted on for each house, so that nothing is thrown into the gutter or on the soil. No pan closets or Brahma closets are allowed where there is an air space beween the trap and the pan ; the use of some form of hopper closet is preferred All connection with sew- ers are made by Y's and not by T's.
"The city lays a branch every twenty-four (24) feet to the curb; to this the householder joins his iron four-inch house pipe. This avoids tearing up the street to make house connections.
"There has been to this date, no complaint, in so far as I could find out, of sewer gas, and I cannot see how there could well be with so constant and rap- id a flow of sewage, thoroughly dissolved, as was plainly visible in the mains. I learned from a prominent citizen and householder that the only inconven- ience he had ever experienced arose from the breaking down, temporarily, of the water-works, which are on the Holly system, and which at the time de-
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pended on a single engine ; for a few days he could not use his closets for want of water.
"By gaugings taken at the head of the twenty-inch mains I found the hour- ly flow of sewage to beremarkably uniform. Thus, from 6 a. m., till 1 p. m., the following morning, a period of twenty hours, the flow oscillated in centre depth from twelve and one half to fourteen and one half inches, the minimum area of flow being 206.5 square inches; the maximum, 245.73 square inches. From 1 a. m. until 5 a. m., a period of four hours, the center depth of flow varied from eight and one-half inches to eleven and one half inches; minimum area being 107.6 square inches ; maximum area, 186.9 square inches. Taking the twenty-four hours, the minimum flow is 43.7 per cent of the max- imum; taking the twenty hours of greatest flow, the minimumn is eighty- four per cent of the maximum, and eight-ninths of the daily flow of sewage passed in twenty hours, one-ninth in four hours. This marked uniformity of flow during twenty hours of the day, and its oscillating character within such small limits must be somewhat influenced by the action of the flush-tanks, which probably discharge in small groups.
"The force employed in maintaining the sewers alone and its cost I could not obtain accurately, as they were doing much other work with the same men ; but, approximately, a force of four men watch and keep in order the en- tire system, including the flushing tanks. house visitations, etc. All the work at Memphis has been admirably and faithfully done under the immediate su- pervision of skilled engineer assistants.
"In suinming up my impressions as to the separate system as developed at Memphis, I would say that it is well planned and well executed, and fully an- swers the purpose for which it was intended and which I conceive to be prima- rily the object of all sewerage, viz. : to carry off all human and industrial waste with rapidity and cleanliness to its ultimate destination.
"The accompanying system of tile drains has also thoroughly drained (as far as I know) the very tenacious sub-soil of the city. As to the storm-water at Memphis, it can safely be left, from all I learn, to take care of itself.
The following preamble and resoltions were adopted by the State Board of Health of New York at their recent meeting :
WHEREAS, Many traces of disease directly traceable to contamination of water and earth by the soakage from privies and cess-pools have come within the knowledge of this Board; and
WHEREAS, Disease from this case will continue to increase more and more rapidly unless action is taken to avert the evil; therefore be it
Resolved by the State Board of Health :
1. That the use of privy vaults, privy-pits and cess-pools is seriously affect- ing the public health.
2. That all excreta should be removed from the neighborhood of human dwellings instead of being storod up near them in pits, vaults or pools, to poison the water, earth and air.
3. That in villages and cities this removal of excreta should be done by the local authorities, who shall be responsible for its proper performance. and iso- localities by the individuals interested.
4. That this removal of excreta may be cheaply and healthfully done either by "dry removal" or by "water-carriage."
5. That we recommend the method of "dry-reinoval, called the tub or pail system," as the best for villages, hamlets and isolated dwellings which are without water supply, or have not the means to build sewers.
6. That towns having proper water supply should be provided with a sys. tem of sewers adapted to carry only sewage, including excreta, slops and waste water, and excluding storm-water, which should be taken care of sepa- rately.
7. That the costly plan of large combined sewers, for carrying sewage and
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storm-water together, has proved a sanitary failure both in England and in this country ; while the "separate system," when properly constructed, avoids in grear measure the evils from sewer-air, now so common, and is much less expensive for most towns.
8. That the "separate system of sewers," with flushing tanks, is hereby recommended for general use in this State .*
Published and distributed in answer to requests for information.
By order of the Board,
ELISHA HARRIS, Secretary.
SWINE.
Rule 43, adopted in June 1880, forbade the keeping of swine within the city limits. A written complaint, made to the board of health of a nuisance arising from the keeping of swine, made it obligatory on the board at once to cause the removal of the swine outside the city precincts.
It did not appear to the present board that a rule so stringent as the rule adopted in 1880 was necessary to the well being of the city, and believing that in many localities it is possible to keep pigs in a cleanly manner so that the pens shall not be a serious offence to neighbors, the board in June adopted the following amendment to Rule 43 :
"After April 1st, 1882, no swine shall be kept within the limits bounded by Ashland street on the northwest, by Merririmac river on the northeast, by Marlborough street on the southeast, and by High street on the southwest, including the premises on both sides of said streets, without a special license from the board of health. Such licenses will be issued at a charge of twenty five cents, and any violations of the conditions named therein will be sufficient cause for each revocation.
All pens or enclosures for swine must be kept free from standing water; and further, it shall be unlawful to allow any stable, shed, house, pen, or any en- closure in which domestic animals are kept to become filthy or to emit nox- ious gases or offensive odors.
A written complaint made to the board of health of a nuisance arising from the keeping of swine or other domestic animals, within the above limits, will receive the immediate attention of the board."
FROG POND
Although numerous complaints have been made to the board of the unsavory nature of emanations from Frog Pond during the hot weather, and although the present board has had seriously under consideration the propriety of ordering Frog Pond to be cleaned, nothing has yet been done. There are, in fact, practical difficulties in the way of the effective cleansing of this ancient pool, and in
*Under the head of Public Sewers we acknowledge our large indebtedness to the New York State Board of Health Report for 1882.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
the opinion of the board all the labor and expense would be entirely unnecessary could the wishes of the board and of citizens be carried out in the introduction of aqueduct water into Frog Pond. A fountain, communicating with the main on High street, might easily be put into the pond and at no serious expense to the city, and the water in the pond kept constantly renewed by fresh supplies from the aqueduct.
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