USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1906 > Part 7
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$10,915 31
Amount uncollected
301 85
Amount abated
52 69
Amount of overcharge repaid
67
$11,270 52 $11,270 52
Amount of 1905 bills uncollected
$184 33
Amount of abated bill recharged
6 29
Amount collected and paid to E. F. Parker,
Treasurer
$132 21
Amount abated
53 00
Amount uncollected
5 41
$190 62
$190 62
Amount of 1904 bills uncollected
$7 62
Amount abated
$7 62:
Service pipe bills rendered in 1906
$569 38
Service pipe bills previous years
117 87
Amount collected and paid to Edward F. Parker, Treasurer
$540 49
Amount uncollected
146 76
$687 25
$687 25
LEWIS M. BANCROFT, Registrar.
Reading, Jan. 31, 1907.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
Reading Water Commissioners :
GENTLEMEN : The seventeenth annual report of the Superin- tendent is submitted for the year ending December 31, 1906.
The extension of mains has been six hundred and seventy-five feet of six inch pipe on John street between Haven and Green streets. Two gates were set in this pipe.
There have been no leaks in the main pipe during the year.
The following table shows quantity and size of pipe, size and number of gates and number of hydrants in the whole system.
LENGTH OF PIPE
NO. OF GATES
NO. OF HYDTS.
12 in.
10 in.
8 in.
6 in. 4 in.
12 in. 10 in. 8 in. 6 in. 4 in.
Arlington St.
613
Ash St. .
223
960
1
1
1
2
A von St. .
803
1
1
Bancroft Ave ..
713
1579
1
4
1
Beacon St ...
269
Belmont St.
715
2
Berkley St.
871
2
1
Brook St.
307
1
1
Centre Ave.
615
1
1
Charles St.
52
Chute St ..
935
4
Cross St
1
Deering St.
943
2
1
Eaton St.
1528
2
2
Federal St.
1252
2
1
Franklin St.
52
7
7
Fremont St.
458
1
1
Forest St.
58
1
Gould St ..
621
Grand St.
815
1
1
Green St
3409
8
2
Grove St
4099
4
3
Hancock St.
769
1
1
Hartshorn St.
337
4
2.
1
5
Haverhill St
2951
2
2
6
High St ..
700
4
2
4
Highland St ..
1365
2
2
Highland Ave.
531
1
Hopkins St ..
1747
2
Howard St.
1005
2
1
John St.
2153
6
2
King St
1593
3
1
Linden St
1593
4
1
Locust St.
417
1140
2
2
Lowell St
2885
2525
6
1
6
Main St ..
13784
1292
10
5
17
5
22
Manning St ..
500
1
Maple St.
255
1
1
Middlesex Ave.
2197
5
1
Middlesex Ave. Ext ...
632
1
1
Mineral St
1745
4
1
3
Minot St ..
1583
3
3
Mill St.
850
1
1
1
Mt. Vernon St.
1530
2
1
Oak St.
1430
1
1
Orange St
970
1
1
Parker St
399
1
Park Ave.
435
1
1
Pearl St.
3505
3
5
Pierce St
667
2
1
Pleasant St.
257
1037
1
3
1
Pratt St ..
329
1
Prescott St
842
1626
2
2
1
4
Prospect St.
2086
3
3
Prospect St. Ext
334
1
Salem St ..
3660
3
5
1
6
Sanborn St.
1160
4
Scotland Road
635
2
1
South St.
436
1
Spring St.
576
2
Summer Ave.
2473
5502
4
7
10
Sweetser Ave.
300
1
Temple St ...
1426
2
1
Union St.
693
2
Vine St.
532
2
Village St
771
1
1
Walnut St.
2719
3
4
Wakefield St
3597
4
2
Warren Ave ..
622
1
1
Washington St.
535
1630
2
4
1
West St
8418
5
10
Willow St
747
1
1
Wilson St.
265
1
Winter St.
743
2
1
Winthrop Ave.
438
7
2
2
10
Railroad Land .
807
1806
2
7
571
1
1
15543
1426
37762
100280
897
14
7
53
173
17
165
2
4128
5
3
Auburn St. .
Woburn St ...
1426
1319 150
Reading Rubber Co ..
O. P. Symonds & Sons.
1
Haven St ..
1540
276/
2092
3728
5665
1
10237
2
1
100
2
1299
LOCATION
132
There have been forty-one services put in during the year, making twelve hundred and forty-six in the system. One service leak has been repaired. This leak was caused by electrolytic action on a pipe passing under the electric railroad track on Woburn street near West.
The following table will show the amount of service pipe in use :
6 inch
Cast Iron
1} inch
14 inch
Enamelled
1} inch
Galvanized
1 inch
Galvanized
12 inch
Lead Lined
1 inch
Lead Lined
¿ inch
Lead Lined
1 inch
inch
2 inch
& inch
Galvanized
Owned by the town Owned by individuals
452
33.7
14030.3
181.7
30.8
887.2
21496.6
367.1
9919.9
1688.3
1463.4
814
47
123
1324.2
754.6
89.4
73
22657.4
78
12497.2
314.6
1693.8
Total
814
499
156-7
15354.5
936.3
120.2
960.2
44154.0
445.1
22417.1
2002.9
3157.2
The stand pipe should be painted before another winter.
The following kinds and sizes of meters are in use :
No.
NAME
2 in.
1} in.
1 in.
& in.
§ in.
81
Crown
2
2
1
76
624
Nash .
201
Empire
1
200
1
Gem ..
1
40
Lambert
2
38
12
Thompson.
1
1
10
7
Worthington Disc.
7
116
Hersey Disc
2
4
6
104
2
Neptune
2
11
Union Rotary
3
1
3
4
6
King
6
27
Columbia
27
1
Niagara
1
1
Keystone
1
1130
11
7
19
1
1092
5
617
2
Cement Lined
Cement Lined
Galvanized
Galvanized
SIZES
133
YEARLY RECORD OF PUMPING SERVICE FROM JAN. 1, 1906, TO JAN. 1, 1907.
MONTH
No. Days
No. Hours
No. Min.
Gallons Pumped
Total Head
Pounds Coal
Rain Fall
January
31
133
4,013,371
219
39,177
2.60
February
28
123
45
3,712,247
38,181
2.53
March
31
137
45
4,160,612
43,579
6 48
April
30
153
30
3,952,969
38,678
2.84
May
31
150
45
4,631,138
40,653
5.14
June
30
153
4,849,467
35,339
2.63
July
31
152
45
4,859,029
36,188
5.88
August
31
159
5,051,975
38,738
4.18
September .
30
152
30
5,041,170
39,929
1.36
October
31
131
30
4,484,375
36,078
2.38
November
30
134
30
4,229,900
34,894
3.31
December
31
140
30
4,564,830
41,642
3.08
365
1772
53,551,083
463,076
42.41
.
134
Table showing amount of rain and melted snow for the year ending Dec. 31, 1906:
Day of Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Day of Month
-
1
...
..
2.17
.80
2
. 12
....
..
. 14
2
3
1.01
2.10
..
.45
.18
.08
4
5
G
. 62
6
7
..
. .
.25
..
.10
.11
.07
7
8
.07
1.09
. 11
.05
.35
9
1.15
.96
2.10
.. . .
.02
1.24
1.18
.11
.12
.19
.24
1.39
.12
.. 13
.03
.13
... 14
..
. .
.15
.38
...
. .
..
. 16
.90
1.03
.55
1.10
.34
. . .
...
. .
.. .
.53
21
.. 22
.68
..
.05
...
1.13
.08
....
. .
.15
.22
... 23
.14
...
.23
.20
.79
..
..
.35
.24
. . 25
..
... 26
.32
.42
..
..
..
. .
..
. . . .
.21
.27
... 28
...
1.86
..
.90
.14
..
....
.. 28
... 29
..
1.30
....
.06
-57
...
.42
..
. .
.10
.30
.. 31
.58
.28
...
.. 31
2.60
2.53
6.48
2.84
5.14
2.63
5.88
4.18
1.36
2.38
3.31
3.08
. .
...
....
. .
. .
. .
... 10
.10
.11
.36
.50
...
.07
...
.
.18
· 15
.. 17
.17
.. 18
. .
.06
.06
.18
... 19
.14
.19
.. 20
1.41
20
. .. 21
.07
.96
.33
.39
.. ..
... 24
.38
.36
..
.07
.. 26
... 27
.05
.09
..
.08
. .
..
....
.29
... 30
...
..
...
. .
.. .
. .
3
..
. .
.09
. .
. .
1.29
.16
. .
..
.47
.. 23
.05
..
The average rainfall for Massachusetts is 45.34 inches. The rainfall at Reading Pumping Station was 42.41 inches, making a deficiency of 2.93 inches. There was an excess of rainfall in March, May and July, and a deficiency during the remaining nine months. The greatest excess in any one month occurred in March when the rainfall was 6.48 inches. The greatest deficiency occurred in September when the rainfall was 1.36 inches.
. .
1
4
.23
5
.15
. . .
8
9
.14
.. 25
..
....
.41
. .
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS-STATE BOARD OF HEALTH
ANALYSIS OF WATER FROM READING WATER WORKS
PARTS IN 100,000
DATE OF
APPEARANCE
ODOR
No.
Collec- tion
Exami- tion
Turbidity
Sediment
Color
Cold
Hot
Evaporation
Free
Albu- mi- noid
Ni- Ni- trates trites
Oxygen
Consumed
Hardness
Iron
1906
1906
58997
Jan.
23
Jan. 24 Slight
Cons.
Fil.
.48 None
None
9.60
.0112
.62
.0050 .0050
.0001 .0008
.39
2.6
.3000
Filter Gallery
58998
Jan.
23
Jan.
24 None
None
Fil.
.23 None
Faintly Un.
9.00
.0006
.0060
.62
.0060
.0001
.18
2.6
.0600
Ex. Filter
59337
Feb.
23
Feb. 23 | V. slight iron Slight iron
Fil.
.45 None
Faintly Un.
9.10
.0110
0088
.63
.0050
.0000
.35
3.3
.2700 Filter Gallery
59338
Feb.
23
Feb. 23 Very slight
None
.21 None
None
6.20
.0022
.0068
.66
.0060
.0000
.19
2.3
.0380
Ex. Filter
59433
Feb. 28
Feb.
28 Slight
Cons.
Fil. .33 None
Faintly Un.
8.70
.0100
0098
60
.0070
0002
.40
2.7
.2900
59434
Feb.
28
Feb. 28| None
None
T'rbid .60 Very F. U.
Very F. U.
7.80
.0082
0096
.57
.0030
.0000
.32
3.1
.2560
Filter Gallery
59663
Mar.
13 Mar. 14 Very slight
None
T'rbid .26 None
None
12.60
.0078
.0076
.58
.0030
.0003
.21
6.1
.0630
Filter Weir
59664
Mar.
13 Mar. 14 Very slight
None
.08 |None
None
7.00
.0006
0062
.57
.0020
.0000
.10
2.7
.0190
Ex. Filter
60167
10
Apr.
10 Slight
Cons. floccul't Fil.
.34 Very F. U.
Very F. U.
7.50
.0098
0120
.54
.0040
.0000
.40
2.1
.1900
Filter Gallery
60168
Apr.
10
Apr. 10 None
None
.21 None
None
11.90
.0070
.0106
.55
.0030
.0003
.25
7.0
.0250
Filter Weir
60337
Apr.
21
Apr. 23 Very slight
Very slight
.10 None
None
13.50
0062
.0074
.55
.0040
.0003
.31
6.7
.0030
Filter Weir
6058S
May
15
May 15 Slight
Cons.
Fil.
.45 None
8.10
0078
.0110
.56
.0050
.0000
.50
1.8
.1440
Filter Gallery
60589
15
May
15| None
Very slight
.08 None
None
14.20
.0038
0066
.56
.0050
.0001
.18
7.6
0030
Filter Weir
60590
May 15
May 15 None
None
.02 None
None
8.10
.0032
.55
.0050
.0000
.17
2.6
0030
Ex. Filter
61054
June 14
June 15 Decided iron
Cons. iron
Fil.
.06 Faintly Un.
Faintly Un.
7.60
.0102
.0154
.54
.0030
.0001
1.7
.2800
Filter Gallery
61055
June 14
June 15 Slight
Slight
Fil.
.14 None
None
13.90
.0074
.0114
.57
.0030
.0003
.29
7.8
.0200 .2400
Filter Gallery
61433
July 10
July 10 Decided iron
Cons. iron
T'rbid .88 Faintly Un.
Faintly Un. None
13.90
.0050
.54
.0040
.0001
.26
8.0
.0140
61912
Aug.
7
Aug. 7 Slight
Slight
.78 None
None
8.00
0108
.0150
.57
.0050
.0000
.70
2.3
.2100
Filter Gallery
61913
Aug.
7 Aug.
7 Slight
Slight
.10 None
None
13.90
.0068
.0076
.57
.0020
.0003
.34
7.9
0430
61914
Aug.
7 Aug.
7 Very slight
None
.05 |None
None
8.50
.0004
0060
.55
.0030
.0000
.17
3.0
.0220
63542
Nov. 1 Nov.
1 | Decided
Cons.
Fil.
.45|V. F. Earthy
F. Earthy
7.00
0120
0108
.65
.0020
0002
.42
2.6
2400
Filter Gallery
63543
1
Nov. 1 | Very slight
Slight
.27|None
None
8.50
.0090
.0064
.64
.0020
.0002
.12
4.4
.0600
63544
Nov. 1
Nov.
1 |None
None
.01 Very F. U.
Faintly Un.
7.60
.0006
0050
.58
.0050
.0002
.05
3.4
.0180
63687
Nov. 13
Nov. 14 Decided iron
Cons. iron
Fil.
.42 None
Very F. U.
9.10
.0112
.0108
.68
.0020
.0000
.37
2.5
2400
Filter Gallery
63688
Nov. 13
Nov. 14 Slight milky
Very slight
.07 None
None
10.80
0084
0076
.67
.0020
.0001
.10
4.4
.0430
63689
Nov.
13
Nov. 14 None
None
.01 None
None
8.30
0006
.0040
.66
.0020
.0000
.06
3.1
0110
64026
Dec.
10
Dec. 11 Decided
Cons.
Fil.
.47 None
None
8.90
0108
.0088
.73
.0040
.0001
.42
2.7
.2500
64027
Dec. 10
Dec.
11 None
None
.10 None
None
10.80
.0102
.0062
.73
.0020
.0000
.09
4.3
.0400
Filter Weir
64028
Dec.
10
Dec. . 11 None
None
.05 None
None
9.00
.0006
.0062
.73
.0020
0000
.13
2.9
.0150
Ex. Filter
58999
Jan.
23
Jan.
24 Slight
None
.20 None
None
15.10
.0080
.63
.0108
.62
.0040
.0002
.25
5.3
.0180
Filter Weir
59662
Mar.
13
Mar. 14 Slight
Cons.
.18 None
None
12.70
0086
.0096 .0074
Chlorine
NITROGEN AS
Residue on
Filter Weir
.24
8.8
.0080
Filter Weir
7.70
0112
0154
.55
.0040
.0000
.90
2.5
Filter Weir
61434
July 10
July 10 Slight
Slight
.17 None
Filter Weir
Ex. Filter
Filter Weir
Nov.
Ex. Filter
Filter Weir
Ex. Filter
Filter Gallery
Very F. U.
May
.0072
.0086
.63
Filter Gallery
Apr.
AMMONIA
136
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1906
In form recommended by the New England Water Works Association.
READING WATER WORKS READING, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASS. GENERAL STATISTICS
Population by Census of 1905, 5,682.
Date of construction, 1890 and 1891.
By whom owned, Town of Reading.
Source of supply, filter gallery.
Mode of supply, pumping.
PUMPING STATISTICS
1. Builders of Pumping Machinery, Geo. F. Blake Mfg. Co.
L
a. Kind, coal.
b. Brand of coal, Carbon Forge.
2. Description of fuel used
c. Average price of coal per gross ton delivered, $5.70.
d. Percentage of ash, e. Wood, price per cord, $
3. Coal consumed for the year, 463,076.
4. [Pounds of wood consumed] divided by three equals equivalent amount of coal, lbs. 4a. Amount of other fuel used,
5. Total equivalent coal consumed for the year equals (3) plus (4), lbs
6. Total pumpage for the year, 53,551,083 gallons, with allowance for slip.
137
7. Average static head against which pumps work, 219 feet.
8. Average dynamic head against which pumps work, 240 feet.
9. Number of gallons pumped per pound of equivalent coal (5), 115.5.
10. Duty equals gallons pumped (6) x 8.34 (lbs.) x 100 x dynamic head (8) Total fuel consumed (5)
equals 23,125,329.
Cost of pumping, figured on pumping station expenses, viz., $2,532.32.
11. Per million gallons pumped, $47.26.
12. Per million gallons raised one foot (dynamic), $0.196.
FINANCIAL STATISTICS
RECEIPTS
Balance brought forward :
(a) From ordinary (maintenance) re- ceipts $28 19 .
Total .
$28 19
From Water Rates :
B. Meter rates .
. $11,047 52
C. Total from consumers ·
$11,047 52
D. For hydrants · 4,950 00
E. For fountains 300 00
F. For street watering .
500 00
J. Total from municipal depts. 5,750 00
M. From other sources :
Rents, interest, etc. 262 09 .
Service and main pipes .
.
580 92
N. Total
$17,668 72
EXPENDITURES.
Water Works Maintenance :
AA. Operation (manage-
ment and repairs)
$6,268 83
CC. Total maintenance
.
$6,268 83
·
·
DD. Interest on bonds
8,105 00
·
·
CC plus DD
.
14,373 83
Water Works Construction :
GG. Extension of mains 887 59
HH.
Extension of services
1,580 57
II.
Extension of meters
656 79
JJ.
Special :
Experimental filter
160 61
KK. Total construction ·
3,285 56
MM.
Balance :
(au) Ordinary ·
9 33
Total balance 9 33
N. Total
.
$17,668 72
.
$201,000 00.
.
.
.
·
.
·
.
.
.
O. Net cost of works to date P. Bonded debt at date.
Q. Value of sinking fund at date, none R. Average rate of interest, 4 per cent.
DISPOSITION OF BALANCE-CARRIED TO NEW ACCOUNT
140
STATISTICS OF CONSUMPTION OF WATER
1. Estimated total population at date, 5725.
2. Estimated population on lines of pipe, 5625.
3. Estimated population supplied, 5125.
4. Total consumption for the year, 53,551,083 gallons.
5. Passed through meters, gallons.
6. Percentage of consumption metered,
7. Average daily consumption, 146,715 gallons.
8. Gallons per day to each inhabitant, 25.6.
9. Gallons per day to each consumer, 28.6.
10. Gallons per day to each tap, 117.8.
11. Cost of supplying water, per million gallons, figured on total maintenance (item CC), $117.93.
12. Total cost of supplying water, per million gallons, figured on total maintenance plus interest on bonds, $270.40.
STATISTICS RELATING TO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM MAINS
1. Kind of pipe, cast iron.
2. Sizes, from 6 to 12 inch.
3. Extended 674.6 feet during the year.
4. Discontinued 0 feet during the year.
5. Total now in use, 29.528 miles.
6. Cost of repairs per mile, $1.53.
7. Number of leaks per mile, 0.
8. Length of pipes less than 4 inches diam., none miles.
9. Number of hydrants added during year (public and private) 0. 10. Number of hydrants (public and private) now in use, 165.
11. Number of stop gates added during year, 2.
12. Number of stop gates now in use, 265.
13. Number of stop gates smaller than 4-inch, none.
141
14. Number of blow-offs, 14.
15. Range of pressure on mains, 63 lbs. to 78 lbs. SERVICES
16. Kind of pipe, cast iron, lead and cement lined.
17. Sizes, 3-4 to 6 inches.
18. Extended, 4423.1 feet.
19. Discontinued, 87.4 feet.
20. Total now in use, 17.0742 miles.
21. Number of service taps added during year, 41.
22. Number now in use, 1246.
23. Average length of service, 107.88 feet.
24 Average cost of service for the year, $38.55.
25. Number of meters added, 46.
26. Number now in use, 1130.
27. Percentage of services metered, .906.
28. Percentage of receipts from metered water (B divided by C),
29. Number of motors and elevators added, none.
30. Number now in use, 4.
LEWIS M. BANCROFT, Superintendent.
Reading, Jan. 31; 1907.
REPORT OF ROBERT SPURR WESTON, SANITARY EXPERT
JANUARY 10, 1907.
To the Water Board, Town of Reading, Mass.
SIRS :- In reply to your request for a brief report upon the proposed improvements to your water purification plant, I would present the following :
In the report made by the writer a year ago it was stated that iron could be removed from the filter gallery water in a fairly sat- isfactory manner and without increasing the hardness of the water, by the so-called electrolytic-iron process in connection with slow sand filters. Further experiments have shown, however, that this process is too expensive to make its adoption worth while.
EXPERIMENTS WITH CLAY TREATMENT
It occurred to the writer that whereas clay is used in the arts to absorb vegetable coloring matter, and the clay in the waters of muddy rivers absorbs the vegetable coloring matter from the waters of some of their tributaries, therefore, clay added to the raw water might absorb the vegetable matter and make it possible to remove the iron from it subsequently by filtration at a considerable saving of cost, as compared with the lime and alum treatment which has been used for the past few years. If successful, this process would, in place of lime, employ clay, an insoluble, inert and inexpensive sub- stance, the use of which would in no way increase the hardness of water.
EXPERIENCE WITH CLAY IN THE TOWN SUPPLY
The clay process was used first on April 19, 1906, with such good success that it has been used ever since for the supply of the
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town, with gratifying results. Even with the present old style fil- ters, which are not designed for the treatment of waters containing clay, the process is an improvement over the lime process and it has effected a saving of sulphate of alumina and has reduced the hard- ness of the water supplied the town, but owing to the defective fil- ter it has not been possible to remove the last traces of turbidity from the water.
The present filters are the so-called Warren filters, and were as good as any on the market when purchased twelve years ago. Since then many improvements have been made in water filters of this type. For example, in the present plant nearly 20 per cent. of the water treated is required to wash the sand in the filters and then run to waste. A modern plant should not use over 4 per cent., or about one-fifth of that which is now wasted. Furthermore, con- siderable power is required to operate the rakes used for stirring the sand in these Warren filters during washing, while in modern filters the same effect is accomplished with currents of wash water.
COMPARISON OF CLAY WITH LIME TREATMENT
The clay treatment affects the character of the water as it goes to the filters in a marked degree, since water treated with clay re- quires the use of finer sand in the filters than that treated with lime.
FILTER SAND
The present filters contain coarse sand of an effective size of about 0.80 mm., and are so designed that the use of fine sand in them is wholly impracticable. Sand having an effective size of about 0.40 mm. should be used in connection with this process.
THE COAGULATING BASINS
The present mixing and coagulating basins hold about 60,000 gallons, or about 1} hours flow when the pumps are operating at their most economical rate. With filters having sand of suitable size, probably these basins would be large enough for some time to come, but they are not large enough to use with the present coarse sand filters. To clarify water by coagulation with clay and sulphate of alumina, followed by filtration, either the coagulating basin must
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be large enough to precipitate most of the clay before the water is applied to the filter, or the sand in the filter must be fine enough to strain out the clay when it reaches the filter.
ACCUMULATION OF LIME IN OLD FILTERS
When the clay treated water was applied to your experimental filter the effluent showed no increase in hardness, but the effluent from the Warren filters in use is still about twice as hard as the raw water, although the hardness has decreased noticeably since summer. This is accounted for by the accumulation of lime (calcium carbon- ate) in the filters, especially around the sand grains, resulting from the many years' use with lime. With new filters using clean sand there will be no increase in hardness.
EFFECT OF WASHING
The design of the present filter is such that there are places in the sand much more open and porous than others with the result that at times, more particularly just after washing, some water gets through these open or porous places without being properly filtered, resulting in turbidity in the effluent.
ALTERATIONS RECOMMENDED
The writer would recommend the construction of new concrete filters of modern type, as illustrated by the accompanying sketches. To do this it would be necessary to do away with the present clear water basin and in its place use the basin under the present filters, and ultimately to do away with the six filters now in use. It will be necessary to operate the present plant during the construction of the new one, without interfering with the purification of the water.
No changes are recommended in the devices for adding the coagulant or in the coagulating basin for the present.
SIZE OF PLANT
The normal capacity of the present filter plant is approximately 40,000 gallons per hour, and it would seem best to construct three filters, of equal area, two of which will have a capacity of 40,000 gallons, so that there may be no diminution in flow when one is being washed or out of commission for any reason.
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DESCRIPTION OF FILTERS
The three filters could be arranged on the north side of the present filter house and would occupy the space now used for the clear water basin and filters 1, 2 and 3. The filtered water would di«charge through controllers directly into the basin beneath. Each filter would be 17 feet long by 10 feet 8 inches wide, and would therefore have an area of 181 square feet. A branch from the present outlet pipe would lead to each filter. Wash water would be pumped from the filtered water basin by means of an ejector actuated by water from the standpipe-that is, a mixture of water from the basin and water from the standpipe would be forced into the filters for washing. The waste wash water would be discharged into the same pipe as that used by the present filters.
The writer would recommend the same strainer system for the filters as that in use in Paris, Ky., and Exeter, N. H. This consists of concrete channels covered with concrete slabs, the latter carrying perforated brass strainers. The strainers should be covered with graded gravel to a depth of about a foot, and three feet of sand having an effective size of about 0.40 mm. should be placed above the gravel.
The water level on the filters would be about four feet above the sand, or the same as the water level in the present basin and filters.
METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION
The main difficulty is the construction of the new filters while keeping up the supply of filtered water to the Town and this will considerably increase the expense.
The following steps would be necessary :
FIRST. Water-proof the basin beneath the present filters and get it ready for use as a clear water basin.
SECOND. Discharge the effluent from the present filters into this basin and connect with the suction of the high left pumps.
THIRD. Remove the present clear water basin and replace three of the present filters with the three concrete filters described above.
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FINANCIAL
COST OF IMPROVEMENTS
It is extremely difficult to make accurate estimates of the cost of improvements based upon other plants, because of the intermit- tent nature of the construction. The space for working is cramped, and materials-especially concrete-must be placed in the work in small quantities. Bearing these difficulties in mind, the writer would estimate the cost of improvements as follows:
Water-proofing new clear water basin $2,950 00
Changes in suction piping
300 00
Three filters complete, including sand
8,275 00
Allowance for temporary piping
250 00
$11,775 00
Special contingencies
1,000 00
Engineering, 10 per cent.
1,177 00
Say
$14,000 00
FACTORS AFFECTING THE COST OF OPERATION
VALUE OF SOFT WATER
Mr. George W. Whipple estimates the depreciation in the value of the water due to hardness by a carefully devised formula based upon observation and experiment. With the clay treatment water can be supplied having a hardness not exceeding 2.7 parts per 100,000 as against 8.7 parts using lime. According to Whip- ple's formula the difference in value between these two waters would be $5.40 a million gallons, which is the saving affected by a filter plant designed to operate without lime and obviates the in- creasing hardness due to its use. Assuming a yearly consumption of 60,000,000 gallons, the annual saving due to the use of soft water over the hard would be $325, without taking into considera- tion the fact that it is much more acceptable to the consumer.
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SAVING IN WASH WATER
Properly designed filters should effect a saving of 15 per cent. of the water used for washing over that used by the present plant. This would amount to $3.75 per million gallons, assuming the cost of treating the water to be $25 per million gallons or $225 per year.
SAVING IN COAGULANT
The clay treatment would require much less sulphate of alumina. This reduction may be estimated to be 1.5 grains per gallon, equivalent to a cost of $2.85 a million gallons or $171 per year.
SAVING IN LIME
The average expenditure for lime during the last few years has been practically $125 a year, equivalent to $2.08 a million gallons.
INTEREST AND DEPRECIATION
Allowing 6 per cent. for interest and depreciation, the fixed charges per million gallons would be $14.
COST OF CLAY
Assuming the cost of clay to be $4.00 per ton, the cost per million gallons would be $0.25.
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