USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Wilton > Annual reports of the selectmen and other town officers board of education and report of water commissioner 1905 > Part 3
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Wilton, N. H., Feb, 15, 1905.
At the town meeting held June 18, 1904, the town heard the report of the committee on water supply, ap- pointed in March previous and voted to accept it and to build the water works as the committee recommended. At this June meeting the undersigned were appointed water commissioners and empowered and instructed to carry out the purposes of the town.
Our first care was the solution of the problem of the capacity of the pond at the intake and of a reservoir for storing water enough to carry the inhabitants through a drought. This involved the question of the treatment of Burton pond. To advise us on this matter we called in a new consulting engineer, Mr. X. H. Goodnough, en- gineer of the state board of health of Massachusetts. This Massachusetts office was established in 1886 and has in its charge all the public water supplies of Massachusetts, numbering now about 150. Mr. Goodnough himself has had an experience of about twenty years. His report is printed herewith, to which the reader is referred. It may be summarized as follows : that Burton pond is undesir- able as a sole source of supply, that the water from it is innocuous to health and is also unobjectionable aestheti- cally when mixed with the water of Mill Brook and that a reservoir could be built at the top of Gaerwen Falls,
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amply large to hold water enough to carry the town through a time of drought. He also confirmed Mr. Barnard's judgment that the quality of the water of Mill Brook was entirely satisfactory. When later on we found that we could build a concrete-steel damat Gaerwen Falls that would hold about two million gallons, for a com- paratively small sum we decided to abandon all idea of a storage reservoir and to build the sole dam and de- pend on the sole impounding at Gaerwen Falls. Thus all the difficulties relating to Burton pond were avoided. This judgment was approved by Mr. A. W. Dudley who was the preliminary consulting engineer and was now employed as the permament engineer and superintendent of construction of the pipe line, reservoir, etc. This plan had the unusual merit of solving all problems and that too at the least cost. It is true that Mr. Dudley and the commissioners in their capacity as a committee had recom- mended the purchase and control of Burton pond as a storage reservoir, but the superior possibilities of Gaerwen Falls as a site for a reservoir were not then understood.
As soon after our appointment as the preliminary work could be done we advertised for bids for constructing the pipe line. There were about a dozen responses. Of these Mr. Loring N. Farnum of Boston was next to the lowest. The very lowest was less than $100, lower than Mr. Farnum's, but it was from a man who had done but one small job and who was unknown to the trade. More- over he did not bid on a certain extra piece at the ridge in Gregg's woods, though requested to do so. On these accounts we accepted Mr. Farnum's bid, thereby securing
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a contractor of large experience. We are pleased to say that his work has been done to our entire satisfaction. Prices paid Mr. Farnum were as follows : for laying com- plete 12in. pipe, 29 cts. per linear foot, including laying the pipe 23ft, beneath the surface at the ridge; laying complete 10in. pipe, 21 cts. per linear foot ; laying com- plete 8in. pipe, 19 cts. per linear foot; laying complete 6in. pipe, 17 cts. per linear foot ; setting hydrants at $2 each, setting gates at $1 each; excavating rock $3.60 per cubic yard. Mr. Farnum has been paid for all his ser- vices and a bond taken in the sum of $500 as security for his warrant of the soundness of his work for one year.
The lowest bid for the pipe was from the Donaldson Iron Co., of Emaus, Pennsylvania, being $22.95 per ton of 2000 pounds, for the 8in., 10in. and 12in. pipe and $23.40 for the 6in. pipe and 2 1-2 cts. per pound for specials. This bid was accepted. The quality and punctualness of shipments of this company's goods have been entirely satisfactory.
One of the most serious subjects of the whole works was the dam. When the reservoir site was purchased, it contained an old stone dam reaching about three quarters of the distance between the shores. To rebuild this dam and line it with plank would cost about $1000, but a res- ervoir so made would hold only about 800000 gallons and even this quantity would be subject to deduction of about 200000 gallons in winter, on account of displacement of water by ice. So small a quantity of water as a sole sup- ply not being thought adequate we had our choice be-
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tween building a higher dam at this place or retaining the old dam and providing elsewhere a storage reservoir as an additional emergency supply. We chose the for- mer alternative, being helped thereto by an offer of the Ambursen Hydraulic Construction Co., of Boston to build a concrete-steel dam and wings for $2835. This sum is about half the price of the cost of either a solid cement dam or a cut-stone dam. The union of steel and concrete in the construction of dams is new. The Ambursen Co., could show but one dam of its own making and that was but a year old, although it had several under way, but in constructions for other purposes these materials have been in use for a long time and for some for a very long time. The ligh possibility of success, the low cost and the unqualified recommendation of the owners of the one dam already built, the approval of the principle of the construction by some of the most eminent engineers of the country, whose opinions were sought, and the support of our judgment by some of our own citizens whom we took pains to consult formally, all seemed not only to warrant us in choosing this kind of dam, but to make it our duty to do so. We accordingly contracted with the above named constructing company. They began work about September 12th, but on account of the poor quality of their first shipment of cement, which had to be thrown away, and of other causes, the completion of the dam was delayed until December 7tlı. On account of the lateness of the season the dam could not be thoroughly tested be- fore. frost set in. and there are still some insignificant things to be done upon it. The company has however,
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been paid in full for its goods and services and we have taken a bond from it in the sum of $500 for completion of the work and as security for its warranty of soundness, etc,, for one year. There is also lacking a fence around the reservoir and some grading. Mr. Dudley measured the capacity of the reservoir after its completion, with the dam at its present height (without flash boards, which can be added) at 2,100,000 gallons. When the gates were closed on the above date the natural flowage of the brook filled the reservoir in about ten hours. Since the consumption of water is estimated at 60000 gals. per day for 1000 consumers, it will be seen that this store alone will last thirty-five days. There is moreover a water shed es- timated by Mr. Goodnough at seven square miles, which could not fail to materially increase the quantity at the driest times ; so that it does not seem likely that any other reservoir will ever be needed. As for the dam itself the makers assert in the strongest terms that it will be practically tight, that a few weeks of seasoning would turn the whole dam into a monolith as hard as flint and that no repairs will be needed upon it for a great many years. These are advantages of which it is almost im- possible to speak too highly.
It need hardly be said that the essential thing to the whole system was the acquisition of the reservoir site. Mr. O. J. Lewis was finally induced to part with this property for $1500. The price seemed high to us but we could do no better. No other land has been purchased in fee. Rights however have been acquired at satisfactory prices and deeds have been taken for all the important cases.
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Before the system was ready for use we established and published a code of rates and regulations controlling the sale of water to water takers. Up to the date of this re- port twenty-three service connections have been made and are now drawing revenue. Also by an arrangement with the selectmen five public watering troughs have been erected and connected with the system, in which water has run all winter.
We invited and received the co-operation of the local board of health for the sanitary care of the water shed. The state board of health was petitioned to establish regu- lations for the protection of the purity of the water and under the authority of the statutes it has established and published such regulations, a copy of which is printed herewith. The local board of health now has charge of the sanitary affairs of the water shed and the duty of en- forcing these regulations.
We have procured from the legislature a charter for the water works which is printed herewith.
The financial status of the works and some statistics follow herewith.
Isaac S. Whiting
Chas. E. Weeks
Starr B. Center
Commissioners.
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FINANCIAL STATEMENT
ENGINEERING
A W Dudley, engineering services $572 81
X H Goodnough
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100 00
D N Butterfield .66 66
3 50
telephone, postage etc. 3 73
S B Center, board of engineers, teams, and cash paid for express 94 37
-
$774 41
Of this sum $429 46 was paid for the pre- liminary survey voted in Mar. 1904, and also $200 00 on account of sew- ers voted at the same time
GENERAL EXPENSES
F. W. Spear, printing water reports, $44 00
66 " applications and rates, 8 00
Groom & Co., blank books and bills, 9 60 D. W. Whiting & sons cash pd blank books, 2 05 Engineering, News, advertising, 6 00
Telephone, postage etc.,
8 24
6+ «
9 24
S. B. Center, horse hire, Services of Commissioners
5 00
I. S. Whiting, 150 00
S. B. Center,
125 00
Chas. E. Weeks,
100 00
$467 13
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LAND AND LAND DAMAGES
Clara E. Lewis, reservoir site, $1500 00
D A. Gregg,right of way, 100 00
A. A. Ramsey, et als., right of way, 100 00
C. H. Moore,
10 00
A. C. Townsend, 66
10 00
$1720 00
PIPE LINE
For lead
$2134 92
Pipe and specials, Donaldson Iron Co
20400 06
Jute
74 09
Valves, gates, hydrants etc
1999 11
Small bench and logs
8 18
Superintendence A W Dudley C A Bales
959 74
Laying pipe, setting gates, hydrants etc. L N Farnum
11044 67
Freight and express
86 86
Board of A W Dudley
111 10
Horse hire
22 00
Teaming
8 25
abor on hydrants
50 67
wood and lumber, Gregg lot
19 49
$36919 14
LESS
Allowance L N Farnum setting hydrants $31 60
breakage of pipe 28 21
Cash wood and lumber, Gregg lot 30 76
sale of pipe Bennington Water Works 331 01
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Cash Wilton Woolen Co. private pipe line $491 80 D Whiting & Sons 544 06
$1458 04
$35461 10
LESS STOCK ON HAND
6 in. 8 in. 10 in. 12 in. pipe and specials per inventory on file
745 98
$34715 12
RESERVOIR
Construction of dam Ambursen Hydraulic
Construction Co
$2835 00
Work on water chamber 66 107 47
Excavating basin and backing up dam
1079 88
Grading
27 75
Clearing brook
100 08
Uncovering dam
8 32
Screens and grooves for water chamber
140 00
Door for valve chamber
20 52
Horse hire
4 65
Telephone
81
Watching water in dam at night
8 00
$4232 48
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1
SERVICE PIPES
1
Labor
$990 82
Pipe and Fittings
595 95
Freight
9 00
Teaming
10 60
Supplies
38 48
$1644 85
LESS
Cash rec'd water takers for service pipes
$279 34
$1365 51
Less Stock on hand
427 94
$937 57
TOOLS
Pipe-lining machine
$50 00
2 pumps
58 10
Lead Furnace
27 50
Small tools and bench tools
212 43
Freight
42
$348 45
Less tools on hand per inventory
$337 60
Less 10 per cent for depreciation
33 76
303 84
Net cost of tooly
$44 61
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RECAPITULATION. CONSTRUCTION DR.
Engineering
$774 41
General expenses
467 13
Land and land damages
1720 00
Pipe line
$36919 14
Less allowed by Farnum
59 81
36859 33
Reservoir
4232 48
Service pipes
1644 85
Tools
348 45
$46046 65
CR.
Sewers acct.
$200 00
Pipe line credits named above
1398 23
stock on hand
745 98
Service pipes rec'd from water takers
for service pipes
279 34
stock on hand
427 94
Tools on hand
303 84
$3355 33
'Total cost of water works to date
42691 32
$46046 65
INCOME ACCOUNT
Rec'd from water takers for water $66 20
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STATISTICS
9313 ft. 12 in. pipe 2132 ft. 10 in. pipe 3659 ft. 8 in. pipe 21589 ft. 6 in. pipe 53 hydrants 65 gates
793 cu. ft. rock excavated Capacity of reservoir, 2,100,000 gallons No. of service connections, Feb. 15, 1905, 23
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Report of Mr. Goodnough, Civil Engineer.
Boston, Mass., July 15, 1904.
To Messrs. Isaac S. Whiting, Charles E. Weeks and Starr B. Center, Commitee on water supply.
Wilton, N. H.
Gentlemen : In response to your request I have ex- amined the watershed of Mill Brook above Gaerwen Falls. with a view to the use of this stream as a source of water supply for Wilton, and have especially considered the probable effect of Burton Pond upon the quality of the water, and submit herewith the following report.
REPORT.
The population of Wilton, according to the national census of 1900, was 1,696. The population by the na- tional census of 1890 was 1,850.
A supply of 100,000 gallons per day would be ample for the village unless an excessive quantity should be wasted; but, while the village does not appear to be grow- ing, provision should be made so far as practicable for contingencies, and the source selected for its future water supply should be capable of being developed so as to . yield as much as 300,000 gallons per day if such a quan- tity should become necessary.
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The area of the watershed of Mill Brook above Gaer- wen Falls, as shown upon the new topographical map of this region recently issued by the U. S. Geological Survey, is a little over 7.5 square miles. I have examined this watershed from Gaerwen Falls to the upper highway crossing near the base of the Pack Monadnock range. The upper part of the watershed is mountainous and throughout nearly all of the remainder the country is hilly, with steep slopes, and the brook and its tributaries through much of this region run in narrow valleys. Toward the lower end, about a quarter of a mile from Gerwen Falls, the brook flows through an open meadow for about 3-4 of a mile, but there is no great amount of swamp here nor at any other point in this watershed, the chief swampy areas being found along a tributary flowing from Burton Pond.
The only pond in the watershed is Burton Pond, a storage reservoir said to have an area of about 60 acres. though the area shown upon the U. S. Geological Survey map is only about 20 acres. The watershed of this reser- voir is small, amounting, according to the map, to only about a third of a square mile, including the area of the pond, and at the time of my visit in the latter part of June no water was flowing out of this pond, except a small amount of leakage through or around the dan.
No measurements of the flow of Mill Brook at Ga. rwen Falls or elsewhere appear to have been made, but it is said that the brook does not run dry in dry weather and. judging from the flow of streams from similar watersheds in New England which have been carefully measured, it
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is reasonable to expect that this stream will furnish as much as 300,000 gallons per day in a period of very dry weather without a storage reservoir. It is practicable, however, to construct a storeage reservoir having a capac- ity of from 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 gallons in the neighbor- hood of the proposed intake, and such a reservoir, with the natural flow of the stream, would without doubt fur- nish an ample supply of water for the present village of Wilton, If a greater quantity of water should be re- quired in the future than now seems likely further stor- age could easily be provided on this watershed.
Several analyses of the water of Mill Brook at Gaerwen Falls have been made by your state chemist, and I have also caused an analysis to be made of a sample collected on June 27 by another chemist. The results show that the water of Mill Brook at Gerwen Falls is soft and has but little color and is otherwise of good quality for the purposes of a public water supply.
Some apprehension appears to be felt of the possible ef- fect upon the quality of the water of Mill Brook at Gaer- wen Falls of the water which may flow from Burton Pond and the swampy watershed below. An analysis of a sample of water from Burton Pond collected at the same time as the sample from Mill Brook at Gaerwen Falls shows that this water at this time was quite highly colored, had a vegetable and unpleasant odor and contained a some- what large quantity of organic matter; and the water of this pond, if taken directly for use as a public water sup- ply, would without doubt be objectionable, on account of its color and at times at least on account of a noticeable taste and odor.
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The pond is an artificial one formed apparently by the flooding of meadow land which was not prepared for the storage of water for water supply purposes, and the water standnig in this reservoir evidently comes in contact with much mud and organic matter which affects its quality unfavorably. 'Such waters, while objectionable for drink- ing on account of their color, taste and odor, have not been found to be injurious to health.
Under present conditions, as already indicated, little or no water flows naturally out of this reservoir during the drier portion of the year when the quality of the water of such ponds is usually more objectionable than in other sea- sons, since the watershed is so small in proportion to the storage capacity of the reservoir that the evaporation from its surface and filtration through or around the dam are together as great or greater in ordinary years than the flow into the pond from its watershed, so that during the period of low flow in Mill Brook the water of this reser- voir has ordinarily little, if any, effect upon the quality of the water. In wet seasons and in the wetter portion of each year a considerable quantity of water flows out of this pond and into the brook, but it is evident, from the small area of its watershed as compared with that of the stream as a whole, that even at such times the flow from the pond must be small in proportion to the whole flow of the brook above Gaerwen Falls, and the analyses show that the water from this pond has but little effect upon the quality of the water of the stream at that point. Moreover, experience has shown that water such as that contained in Burton Pond is greatly improved in quality and has much of its organic matter removed-by flowing in
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the bed of a stream such as Mill Brook, and water from this pond must flow two or three miles in Mill Brook be- fore reaching your intake.
Under the circumstances, while the water of Burton Pond is unfavorably affected by color, taste and odor, as indicated, this water is unlikely to have any noticeably unfavorable effect upon the water of Mill Brook at any time. It is not a desirable storage reservoir, but there is no objection, in my opinion, to allowing it to remain as it is. If at any time the pond should be so manipulated as to let down a large quantity of water in very dry weather the effect of this water might be to increase slightly the color of the water of Mill Brook taken at Gaerwen Falls, but, even this effect could not be maintained for any con- siderable length of time, since, if enough water were drawn from the reservoir to noticeably affect the water of the brook at Gaerwen Falls, the storage in the reservoir would soon be exhausted.
If the reservoir can be acquired by the town for a rea- sonable sum it is possible that, by drawing it off late in the fall, cleaning the bottom somewhat and allowing it to remain empty occasionally during a winter season, the quality of the water would be improved and the pond might be used as a storage reservoir, if such use should ever become necessary or desirable, but it is doubtful whether any material improvement could be made in the quality of this water without thoroughly cleaning the bottom of the reservoir and perhaps doing other work upon its watershed and below which would involve con- siderable expense and is, from present indications, un- necessary.
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The watershed of Mill Brook above Gerwen Falls contains a considerable population located, for the most part, in scattered farmhouses well away from the streams. In a few cases, however, buildings are so situated that po'luting matters might find their way from them into the stream or its tributaries. There are approximately, 25 dwelling houses upon the watershed, and there is consid- erable farming land in the valley of the main stream and near some of its tributaries. It will be essential, in order to protect properly the health of the people of Wilton from danger of injury by the pollution of the water, to make provision for the prevention of the pollution of the brook from these buildings, Privies and cesspools should be provided for the reception of sewage, so located and constructed in all cases that their contents cannot escape into the stream or any of its tributaries, and when these receptacles are cleaned out the material should be so de- posited that it cannot be washed by rain or otherwise es- cape into any of the streams or feeders of the brook, unless by passing for a long distance through the ground.
It will be best, in order to adequately protect the source of supply, to acquire some of the buildings nearest the stream. If this should be done and the conditions about the others inspected frequently and pollution of the stream and its feeders prevented, the source can be used with safety. This danger is one which cannot be avoided by the selection of any other source in the neighborhood, since the other sources which have been considered and are deemed adequate for Wilton appear to be affected in as great, or even a greater degree by population within
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their watersheds, judging from the recent map of this region.
The most effective means of preventing danger of injury to the health of the people using the water of a stream having population on its watershed is by filtering the water, and it would be easily practicable to filter the water of Mill Brook supplied to Wilton by constructing filters near the intake through which the water could be passed before entering the pipe leading to the town. Filters to do this work efficiently should be composed of fairly fine sand and have a depth of at least five feet. They should be operated at a rate not greater than about two and one-half million gallons per acre per day, and filters having an area of 0.1 of an acre, or about 4,000 square feet, should be ample for Wilton. If the consumption of water is kept within reasonable limits half of this area would be sufficient.
If difficulty is found in preventing effectually the pol- lution of the water after thorough inspection of the water- shed, or if the cost of adequate protection should be found to be large, I would advise that suitable filters be con- structed and protection of the purity of the water se- cured in this way. The filters could be built at a some- what lower level than the reservoir and should be covere l by a roof. They should be divided into sections so that their surfaces could be cleaned when necessary and the supply to the town constantly maintained. If it is de- cided to build them, they should be designed by someone of experience in such work.
In conclusion, I have no hesitatation in recommending
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Mill Brook as the most appropriate source of water supply for Wilton. The water is naturally of excellent quality, and while the water of Burton Pond is poorer it is not in- jurious to health, and its admixture with the water of the stream will have no appreciable effect upon the quality of the water reaching the town. Compared with more than forty such sources in Massachusetts which have been under examination for many years, the quality of the water of Mill Brook would be better than the majority, and in an experience of many years with waters of this character, when not subject to long storage, they have al- ways been found satisfactory.
The possible contaminations of Mill Brook are few and can be prevented in the manner herein indicated or their effect entirely removed by filtration. As the protection of a water supply from pollution is the most important es- sential, the necessary steps for such protection should be taken before the water is used.
Respectfully submitted,
X. H. Goodnough,
Engineer.
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Charter for the Water Works.
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and five
An act to establish water works in the town of Wilton
Be it enacted by the senate and house of representa- tives in general court convened :
Section 1. That the town of Wilton in the county of Hillsborough is hereby authorized and empowered to construct, manage, maintain, and own suitable water- works, for the purpose of introducing into and distribut- ing through the villages in said town or in any part there of an adequate supply of water, in subterranean pipes, for extinguishing fires and for the use of its citizens, and for other purposes ; and for that purpose may take, purchase, and hold, in fee simple or otherwise, any real or personal estate, and any rights therein, and water rights, necessary for carrying into effect the purposes of this act; and to excavate and dig canals and ditches in any street, place, Square, passway, highway, common, or other place throug which it may be deemed necessary and proper for building said water-works; and relay, change and repair the same
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