USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1900 > Part 6
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It is further suggested that when further extensions of lines are asked for by the railway company such requests be first referred to the City Engineer to ascer- tain the size and location of water mains in the streets over which the new line is proposed to run. This is advised with a view to avoiding such a condition as found on Smith street, where, as has been stated the tracks of the road are placed directly over the important water main in the street, when seemingly they could just as well have been placed upon the opposite side of the srteet."
After showing the selectmen the different reports
157
and talking to them earnestly, Mr. Goff said that the abutters on the north side were, with exception of a small per cent, satisfied, and those on the south side objected, or at least 80% of them, and mentioned two or three. They told him that they did not consider the abutters on either side of the street, but took a broader view of the matter and was looking out for the interest of the whole town and Water Department. The meet- ing then broke up and the selectmen said they would consider the matter.
A few days later in conversation with Mr. Goff and Mr. Sweeney they said they would not change the lo- cation. Mr. Sweeney thought there was politics in it.
About August 29th. the Water Commissioners drew up a petition, asking the selectmen to change the location of the electric road on County street from the north to the south side of the street, and presented the same with one hundred and twenty five names of citizens of the town, 90% of them having no interest on County street, considering only the best interest of the town water supply. They took no action on the petition when presented.
On Sept. 5th. the Commissioners again called on the selectmen and asked what action they had taken in regard to the petition and they said they would not change the location. The Commissioners then drew 11p a petition for a special town meeting and presented it to them that evening asking the town to instruct the select- men to change the location of the electric road on County street, so as not to run over the pipes.
They received the petition and tock it under con- sideration and when Mr. Goff was seen next day he said that he and W. N. Goff would talk the matter over. Saturday morning, September 9th. Mr. Goff was asked
158
what the decision was and he said that probably the selectinen would refuse to call a meeting but would give a definite answer on the following Wednesday, Sept. 12th. The commissioners left the matter then intend- ing to have a town meeting called by a Justice of the Peace after the selectmen refused, but on Sunday night at 10.30 p. m. there arrived from Providence several teams loaded with rails for the Counnty street road and on Monday mornng, Sept. 10th. at 7.30 a. m. they began to lay rails with a rush on the first day but seemed apparently in no hurry after that as the road was not completed until December 2, 1900.
After they began to lay rails the commissioners saw that it would be impossible to stop them by calling a town meeting, as they would have put on help enough to have laid all the rails in one week. Therefore the Water Commissioners gave up the matter and hope if any trouble develops from the track being laid over the pipes the blame will be placed where it belongs, on the present Board of Selectmen.
On Park and Emory streets the selectmen granted a franchise to the Bristol County Electric R. R. Co. di- rectly over the pipe. Previous to the granting of this franchise Supt. Snell conferred with Mr. Goff and inform- ed him where the pipes lay and asked that the location be not given over them. They took no more notice of this than of the County street matter. This we did not feel was so important as it was not the direct main and should trouble occur it would only be necessary to shut off a very short distance as the gates are very close on these streets ; but we have already realized the inconven- ience of working on the pipes under these tracks. We have had one connection to make on Emory street and also one on County street and to dig down between the
159
sleepers and make excavations large enough to work in to make a connection to the main is much more ex- pensive and also dangerous when the cars are running. In view of all these facts presented we sincerely recom- mend that the town instruct the selectmen not to grant franchises to any Electric Railroad Co. to run directly over the water pipes.
This summer we had a great deal of trouble with leaks in our suction p'pes at the pumping station, which has been a source of trouble on account of joints leaking ever since it was put in. On close inspection we found that it had settled in the well so as to start a joint near the wall. We then put in a truss across the well and suspended the suction from that by rods. We then dug up each joint and made a thorough job as far as possible with a lead joint pipe. This experience convinced us that in order to have a complete duplicate system it would be necessary to have an independent suction for each pump. When our new pump was installed the suction was con- nected with the old pump so that it was impossible to use both pumps at the same time and in order to change from one to the other it was necessary to open and close the gates, which would not always shut tight, therefore would cause a leak on the suction. On account of these disadvantages we decided to lay a new suction for the new pump which we laid on a level with the water ends which are eleven feet below the surface. This is a six- teen inch flange pipe and being laid at that depth is nearly always covered with water which would prevent a leakage of air. We feel now as if we were perfectly safe in every respect at the pumping station as that gives us a complete duplicate system which allows us to run either pump independently or both at the same time, should occasion demand it. The cost of this new suction
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pipe was $1,460.50.
The Water Commissioners for a number of years have deemed it necessary to own the land next to the pumping station on the north but have been unable to buy it at a reasonable price until this year.
Last spring a fire ran through said land damaging the wood so that it was necessary to be cut. H. A. Smith bought the property and sold the same to the Town of Attleboro, Water Department, for $16.00 per acre, there being twenty seven acres in all thus amounting to $432.00.
We afterwards sold the wood which will amount to nearly $100.00. Now the town owns all the land on the side on which the pumping station is situated, from Orr's factory to West street, which we consider is necess- ary for the protection of the purity of the water in the pond and it also gives abundant opportunity for more filter wells should the department need them in the future.
We recommend the connecting up of pipes on as many dead ends as possible. It not only gives better water but saves a large amount of flushing of hydrants, enough being saved in the cost of pumping to pay the interest on the outlay in most cases. This year we laid pipe on Orange, Cherry and Brownell streets so as to connect three bad dead ends, which pipes were supply- ing about twenty families who could hardly use the water during the summer months but since connecting them we have heard very little complaint. Another dead end on Emory street has been connected which relieves that street. There are now two on Hazel street and one 'each on Holman and Falmouth streets tliat should be connected.
There are some which will be impossible to be con-
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nected, viz. those running out of the village.
We feel that we have flushed hydrants on streets that have a circulation more than necessary but have done so to try and satisfy the people who complain of rusty water. We were satisfied at the same time that the trouble was in their service pipes instead of the main pipe. The water will affect galvanized pipe very quickly, and as advised by the State Board of Health more than a year ago to use either cement or tin lined service pipe, we have complied with the suggestion and used the same in every case, and when we could have run the cement lined pipe to the cellar and would recommend the use of tin lined pipes in the houses. It is more expensive at first cost but much cheaper in the end. We have the most trouble with rusty water in the houses where the piping has been in for a number of years and when they have changed to tin lined pipe they have had no more trouble with rust. We intend to make more extensive experiments in the future.
In setting meters where the service pipe has been in for a number of years we have found the pipe entirely filled with rust and in some cases completely rusted through, and in all cases the pipes were galvanized pipes. On the cast iron main the water does not rust them as much, as we have taken out pipe that has been in a number of years and find very little rust.
In one case where the main had been in nine years we cut out a piece and found the inside almost as clean as when laid, the coating of tar was nearly perfect. On all wrought iron pipes we find a heavy coating of rust and the worst cases of rusty water are from long runs of service pipe.
It is not our purpose to deceive the public but to give the facts just as we find them. We do not claim
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there is no rust in the mains, but we do claim the greatest trouble is found in the wrought iron service pipes, and we are doing all we can to give the public the best water possible and if they will use either cement lined or tin lined pipe in their houses we feel certain that they will have very little trouble from rusty water.
Following this will be found a letter just received from the State Board of Health which they give as the result of their investigations in the matter for the benefit of this town.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Office of the State Board of Health, State House, Boston,
February 7, 1901.
To the Attleborough Water Board,
Attleborough, Mass.
Gentlemen :-
In response to an application from you for advice as to the result of studies made by this board with a view to eliminating iron from the public water supply of the town of Attleborough, the board, on January 24, 1899, presented a statement of the results of investigations which had been made up to that time. The results showed that the water, as it was drawn from the well used for the supply of the town was clear, nearly color- less and odorless and was soft and in other respects of excellent quality for drinking and domestic uses; but it was found that the water as drawn from the pipes in various parts of the distributing system in the town, con- tained an excessive quantity of iron, and since the quantity of iron present in the water of the well had al- ways been insignificant,it was evident that iron was taken up by the water in its passage through the pipes.
163
The cause of the action of the water upon the pipes was found to be the presence of large quantities of car- bonic acid gas and oxygen, and various means of remov- ing these substances from the water were tried. But while it was found to be feasible to remove the carbonir acid, it was also found, in several of the processes tried, that so much oxygen would remain that the water would continue to act upon the pipes and probably take up enough iron to injure its quality. The experiment of adding lime to the water had also been tried, and investi- gations on this line have been continued, but no practi- cable way of treating the water has been found that could be depended upon at all times to prevent its action upon the pipes without involving danger of injuring its qual ity.
Further investigations made soon after this reply was sent you, indicated that the trouble with the water was almost wholly due to its action upon the service pipes nearly all of which were of galvan zed iron, and not to action on the cast iron mains, and it was suggested to you to try the effect, at various p'aces where complaint of the quantity of iron in the water had been made, of changing the service pipe and introducing a service pipe of some other metal or one lined with some otin: substance that would prevent the water from coming in contact with the iron.
In accordance with this suggestion, you have re- placed several service pipes of galvanized iron where such complaint has been made of the character of the water at nearly all times, and where analyses showed the presence of excessive quantities of iron in the water, with pipes lined with cement or tin, and. after a long period of use it appears that no further trouble from iron has been observed in the water and only an insignificant
$64
quantity is found by analysis.
As a result of its investigation both at Attleborough and many other places, the board is of the opinion that trouble from iron in the water of the Attleborough water supply can be largely and wholly avoided by discon- tinuing the use of galvanized iron service pipes such as those which have been used in the past, and using p pes lined with cement or some other substance not acted on to any noticeable extent by the water.
The board would especially caution you against the use of lead or lead lined services in connection with this water, since the carbonic acid and oxygen when present in the water in such quantities as are found in the Attle- borough supply, have been found to take up lead in large quantities from pipes of that metal when they are used as service pipes, and many severe cases of lead poisoning in other places in the state have been traced to the use of such waters through lead service pipes.
While the expense of changing all the service pipes in the town would be considerable, it nevertheless seems probable that this will be the least expensive way of avoiding further complaint from the presence of an ex- cessive quantity of iron in the water.
It may be also said that the trouble from iron has probably not yet occurred in a large proportion of the service pipes to such an extent as to make the water seriously objectionable, and it is probable that by re- placing a portion of them in the beginning, and gradually replacing the remainder as complaint occurs, trouble from the presence of iron in the water would soon be prevented.
By order of the board,
SAM'L. W. ABBOTT, Secretary.
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We would recommend that the Sprinkling Depart ment put in stand pipes for their own use entirely so as not to interfere with the hydrants. In using the hyd- rants for this purpose the water is turned on continually and causes a great deal of leaking which in case of fire would cause delay. Next year the Water Department will furnish a man to operate hydrants when being used for public purposes as we have had some trouble in the past year with caps being left off and leaks occurr- ing of which we were not notified.
We recommend taking out this year the rest of the old cement pipe and replacing with iron pipe. There is now left on Union street 1200 feet, Pleasant street 1500 feet, East street 1500 feet, Park street 1500 feet, making a total of 5700 feet. The estimated cost of same work amounts to $5,500.00.
We do not believe it possible to hold the pressure with these pipes and find them very hard to repair or to make connections with. The pipes which replace the old pipes on these streets should be of largei sit c
We are often asked the question "Is the water de. partment self sustaining ?" We believe we can honestly say to the citizens that the water department is self supporting when we consider the public service. In a majority of towns and cities the practice of making a charge for the rental of public fire hydrants, which charge appears in the accounts of the water department simply as credit, is a very common one and also a very proper custom.
A water department of a town or city in order to make a good showing financially is supposed to be self supporting and often yield a revenue, but to do this it should be run and managed practcally in the same way as a private enterprise. In other words a water depart-
166
ment in furnishing water for fire hydrants is performing a service in protecting the property of the whole community, whether they be water takers or not, and this charge or its equivalent in shape of credit on books of the department should be borne by the whole commun- ity. That is to say the value of the hydrant rental and the water used in public buildings, street sprinkling and drinking fountains should be charged up to the town as a whole and the amount credited to the earnings of the water department.
It is the belief of the water commissioners that the department should receive credit for the use of water used for public purposes.
We have at present 263 hydrants and the amount of credit for hydrant service in different cities and towns average from $25.00 to $50.00 thus calling ours $30.00 each would make a low average.
The following is an estimate of water used for public purposes here.
263 hydrants @ $30.00, $7,890 00
Street sprinkling,
1,200 00
Other public uses.
1,000 00
$10,090 00
This is a low estimate compared with other towns of our size that gives the water department credit for public water used.
The past year the town voted $6,000.00 for the use of the department and that was the total expense to the town. With that amount, together with the revenue we paid all the running expenses of maintenance, with the interest on all outstanding bonds and placed $5,000.00 in the sinking fund for the payment of bonds at maturity.
Owing to the increase of revenue from water rates
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and the saving to the department by doing its construct- ion work and repairs we were able the past year to cut down the appropriation by the town eleven hundred dollars and for the coming year shall be able to cut it down another thousand dollars and thus recommend five thousand dollars for the sinking fund for maintenance together with the receipts from the department.
For the coming year we estimate the receipts and expenses as follows :-
Receipts.
From water rates, $23,000 00
Appropriation by the Town for
sinking fund, 5,000 00
For sinking fund, $28,000 00
Expenditures.
Pumping expenses, $3,200 00
Repairs, incidentals, labor, salaries and insurance, 6,000 00
Interest account,
13,800 00
$23,000 00
Sinking fund,
5,000 00
$28,000 00 Respectfully submitted, Wm. M. STONE, GEO. H. SNELL, D. E. MAKEPEACE, Water Commissioners.
SUMMARY OF MAINTENANCE.
Pumping Expenses.
Coal and wood,
$1,084 45
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Engineer at pumping station, 900 00 Assistant engineer at pumping station, 900 00
Oil and packings,
IOI 50
$2,985 95
Repairs.
Repairs at pumping station,
$369 65
General repairs on pipe system,
255 18
Repairs on meters,
106 52
Repairs on telemeter,
24 20
Repairs at Orr's factory,
125 00
$880 55
Incidentals.
Telephones,
$160 75
Pumping station inc.,
233 13
Incidentals on servce, hydrants and pipe,
484 25
Printing and books,
78 65
Freight and express,
43 59
Fittings at shop,
246 82
Postage,
64 20
Gas,
2 85
Coke,
12 60
Lamp and batteries,
5 25
General incidental,
170 94
Clerk hire,
480 00
Rent,
132 50
Teaming,
42 95
Extra help at station at fire alarm calls, 63 00
$2,221 48
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Labor.
Pay rolls, $1,406 41
Salaries.
Superintendent and Registrar,
900 00
Insurance.
Insurance, 194 00
Team.
Horse, wagon, furnishings and
keeping, 484 65
Tools.
Tools,
165 35
SUMMARY OF CONSTRUCTION.
Services, hydrants, pipe and lay-
ing same,
$16,651 54
Pump,
8,512 39
Meters,
993 00
$26,156 93
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF WATER WORKS.
To the Water Commissioners of Attleborough :- Gentlemen :-
I submit my report as Superintendent of the Water Department. During the year 5,287 feet of cast iron water pipe have been laid by the department on the streets as given in the following table. Twelve new hydrants have been added to the system. . . :
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Length and Size.
Street.
8 in 6 in 4in 11-2 11-2 Ft. Ft. Ft. Ft. Ft.
Wolfenden street,
379
Orange street,
703
Brownell,
68
Morey street,
506
Park street,
505
Fairview avenue,
468
Martin street,
313
153
South Attleboro,
300
Cherry street,
295
North avenue,
216
Hazel street,
280
Falmouth street,
152
Thacher Brock Drain.
159
Jefferson street,
60
Franklin street,
II6
Totals,
379 4420 I53
176 159
We have laid 9,912 feet of cast iron pipe to replace cement pipe on the following streets :
Street.
10 in
8 in Ft.
Ft. Ft.
Bank street.
1,109
57
14
Peck street,
1,858
21
Sanford street,
327
Dean street,
1,433
Walter street.
346
Charles street,
440
Florence street.
345
137
Leroy street,
535
Hope street,
941
Perrin street,
339
Union street,
300
20
Pine street,
1,152
163
Capron street,
375
Totals,
1,409 3,414 4,952 137
6 in 4 in
Ft.
Length and Size.
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There have been sixty five new services laid during the year, in all cases using cement lined service pipe which has amounted to 919 feet used for this purpose. Where it was possible we have run the cement 1 ned pipe for the owners of the houses to the cellar wall and have used 1,558 feet in this way.
In replacing the old cement pipe with iron pipe we put in 178 new connections, and when the balance of the old cement pipe is replaced I believe it will be best to run cement-lined service pipe to the sidewalk line as the old ones are badly rusted in most cases.
During the year we have had eighteen leaks, three on cement pipe, nine on iron pipe and six on services.
Of the two most important leaks one was on July 12th. at Dodgeville opposite the ice house. The department was notified at 11 p. m. and the work was begun at once and was completed at 10 a. m. next day. After getting to the pipe we found the lead was out of the joint. During the time of repairs Hebronville was supplied with water only on the first floor of the houses but the whole village was without fire protection.
Another important leak was Sept. 12th. under the bridge on Countystreet and in this case found the ead was blown out of the joint. This leak was on the direct force main from the station and was about two feet under water at the time but the force of the water in the pipe showed on the surface so that it was discovered from A. A. Bushee's shop on County street and the department notified at noon. The water was shut off from the stand pipe to Bates shop on County street and the town was supplied by direct pumping through Fourth street. There had to be a coffer-dam built around the break and the hole pumped out so as to make the repairs which were completed the same night at II p. m.
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During the time the repairs were being made we could have had very little pressure for fire purposes. I feel that it is the most dangerous place we have in the whole system for a leak. The joints are all lead joints and the pipe lays about fourteen inches under the river bed and should a leak occur in the winter time when the water is high it would be most impossible to repair in any reasonable length of time and then only at a large ex- pense. I believe if further trouble should occur at this point a flanged pipe should be put in under the river and extended about twelve feet each side of the bridge.
In February the final test was run on the new Barr pump and the result was very satisfactory in every respect. Attleboro has now as complete a pumping plant as any town in Massachusetts. There is a saving of one third in the amount of coal used over the Dean pump and there would be still more if we had greater storage capacity so we could make longer runs, which would save much coal in banking.
In April we found the work shop which we were using in the cellar of the Loan Fund building was inade- quate for the work to be done and was very poor y lighted so decided to build on to the storehouse that we had near the old well. We built on thirty feet in length and twenty feet in width at a cost of $185.00. This gives us a very good work shop and storehouse for stock and tools. We here repair all of the meters, make the leads for connections and cement all of the service pipe and find it a great saving to the department.
In September the iron pipe, gates, and fittings were taken out of the ground in the A: A. Bushee & Co's. yard. This system had been laying there filled with stagnant water since 1893 when the old well was abandoned and had all of this time been connected direct to our mair
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with the stand pipe. The connection was broken and plugged then the pipe, gates and fittings taken out and the value of same amounted to $325.00; the cost of taking them out was $38, besides lessening the danger of leaks and helping the quality of water by getting rid of so much dead water so near the the stand pipe. dead water so near the stand pipe.
Appended will be found tables showing a condensed statement of the pumping records for the year and cop es of the analyses made from samples of water taken from the well.
Respectfully submitted. GEO. H. SNELL. Superintendent.
REPORT OF WATER REGISTRAR
For Six Months Ending June 30, 1900.
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