Orange.

Tap, public supply

.014.100.004 0.02 2.80

1+1++ 1·

CLAYVILLE

HERMANN M. BIGGS, M.D., State Commissioner of Health:

I beg to submit the following report on an investigation of the public water supply of Clayville, made by Mr. C. M. Baker, assistant engineer, on July 25,

1917.

Clayville is an incorporated village of 972 inhabitants, located in Oneida county, on the Utica branch of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railroad, about 11 miles south of the city of Utica. The village is on the Sauquoit creek. Several private sewer systems have been constructed in the village, some of which are provided with septic tanks for treatment of the sewage, while others discharge directly into the creek without purification. Some 25 houses are served by these sewers. The principal industry in the village is that of the Clayville Knitting Company.

The supply is owned and controlled by the Clayville Knitting Company, and is not regularly used as a public supply. The company supplies its own tenant houses and some others with the water without charge. The water is not generally used for potable purposes, notices being posted in the tenant houses not to drink the water, nevertheless it is probably used for domestic purposes at times. Hydrants are located on the system near the property of the company only. The supply is derived from a small impounding reservoir in the bed of a small brook about one-half mile west of the village. It was first put into operation in 1908 or 1909, and since its original installation the only improvements have consisted of extensions to this system. Possibly 50 per cent of the total population of the village is served with the water, there being in all 103 families, 5 stores, 1 postoffice and 1 hotel supplied with the water. The distribution system consists of about 1 mile of mains, ranging in size from 6 inches to 8 inches in diameter. The pressure in the main section of the village is about 84 pounds per square inch. Due to the lack of meters or other method of measuring the water used no definite information could be obtained regarding the consumption. The majority of the water, however, is probably used for milling purposes.

A cross connection equipped with a single check valve and a gate valve is provided between the regular supply and an auxiliary fire supply of the knitting company whereby water may be pumped from Sauquoit creek into the distribution system.

The reservoir is formed by an earthen dam constructed across the channel of the stream and has a capacity of about 2,000,000 gallons. From the reservoir the water is first received in a settling basin about 10 feet by 5 feet in plan, and 5 feet deep. From this settling basin the water flows by gravity through the distribution system.

The watershed tributary to the supply is about .65 square miles in area and has a total population of 15 persons or an equivalent of 23 per square mile. This area is used mostly for pasture land, and the slopes are somewhat precipitous. Two of the three groups of farm buildings located on the watershed are well back from the stream. The upper end of the stream. however, flows along a road gutter for a short distance, the third group of farm buildings being located directly across the road. A private fishing pond tributary to the stream is maintained on the watershed.

Samples of the water were collected at the time of the inspection and sent to the Division of Laboratories and Research for analyses, the results of which are recorded in the appended table.

The results of these analyses show a water satisfactory. in physical qualities with respect to color and turbidity at the time the samples were collected, but it is probable that at times of heavy rainfall the water is turbid. The figures for nitrogen in the form of free and albuminoid ammonia and nitrites are moderate, but those for nitrates and chlorine appear to he above normal. The bacterial count was high and colon bacilli were present in the 10 c.c. inoculations, thus indicating the presence of a moderate amount of active contamination. The water is very hard.

As a result of this investigation it may be concluded:

1. That the water supply furnished by the Clayville Knitting Company, to its tenants and other residents of the village of Clayville, is derived from a source which is subject to pollution from inhabitants and trespassers on the watershed.

2. That although notices are posted regarding the use of this supply for drinking purposes, it is undoubtedly so used to a considerable extent.

In view of the above, I beg to offer the following recommendation to be acted upon by the Clayville Knitting Company:

1. That if the present water supply is to be used for domestic or potable purposes:

a. Adequate purification be provided.

b. Pending the installation of a purification plant apparatus be provided and the supply be sterilized with liquid chlorine.

Finally, I would recommend that copies of this report be transmitted to the Clayville Knitting Company, to the local health officer and to the sanitary supervisor of the district.

Respectfully submitted,

+ Present.

Absent.

Results are expressed in parts per million. Abbreviations used to describe odors of water: 0, none; 1, very faint; 2, faint; 3, distinct; 4, decided; 5, strong; 6, very strong; a, aromatic; d, disagreeable; e, earthy; f, fishy; g, grassy; m, musty; v, vegetable.

CLINTON (Hamilton College)

LINSLY R. WILLIAMS, M.D., Acting State Commissioner of Health:

I beg to submit the following report on the public water supply of Hamilton College and vicinity, town of Kirkland, Oneida county. An investigation of this supply was made on May 8, 1916, by Mr. M. F. Sanborn, assistant engineer, who was assisted at the time of the inspection by Dr. R. B. Dudley, health officer of the town of Kirkland.

Hamilton College is located in the town of Kirkland, about 1 mile west of the village of Clinton, and about 10 miles southwest of the city of Utica. Clinton is connected with trolley service to Utica, and the N. Y. O. and W. R. R. passes through the village. The population at the college, during the school year, is about 260, of which about 160 are students. There are also about 25 houses outside of the college, which are served by this supply. This would make a total population of about 400 during the larger part of the year.

The college and neighboring houses are served by a public sewer and disposal plant which is under the jurisdiction of the sewer commissioners of the Hamilton College sewer district, in the town of Kirkland. The disposal plant consists of a screen chamber, an Imhoff tank, and a sludge bed. The effluent from the Imhoff tank is discharged directly into Oriskany creek.

The public water supply is owned by Hamilton College, Dr. M. W. Stryker being president, and Mr. E. A. Conklin, bursar, the latter having charge of the waterworks. The works were designed by Mr. A. M. Scripture, civil engineer, of New Hartford, and were constructed under his direction in 1896.

The water supply is obtained from two reservoirs, located about 2 miles west of the college. These reservoirs are fed largely by springs, although they receive a small amount of surface run-off. The water is delivered by gravity to the college, the average pressure at the college being about 80 pounds per square inch. About 400 people are served by this supply, and the estimated daily consumption varies from about 30,000 to 40,000 gallons. There are about 2 miles of water mains varying from 4 inches to 8 inches in diameter. Hydrants for fire protection are placed in the various parts of the college grounds and the surrounding district.

The two reservoirs are formed by the construction of earthen dams across two natural drainage valleys. The brooks upon which the reservoirs are located are tributary to Oriskany creek. The reservoirs are about 12 to 2 acres in area, and each contains from 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 gallons of water.

The area of the watershed was estimated to be about one-fifth of a square mile, practically all of which is owned by the college, and the supply is well protected from pollution. There is only one house upon the watershed, and that is about one-fourth of a mile from the reservoir.

At the time of the inspection a small amount of chara and frog spawn were noticed in the shallow parts of the reservoir. The chara, which is a. higher type of algae, upon decaying gives off strong hydrogen-sulphide odors. The watershed has a gentle slope and the underlying rock is covered with elay, sand and gravel. The rock stratum of this vicinity is of a limestone formation with some gypsum and comparatively easily eroded. Considerable re-foresting is being carried on by the college and several thousand white pine trees about three years old have been set out upon the watershed.

At the time of the inspection a sample of the water was collected for bacteriological analysis and later a sample was collected for both chemical and bacteriological analyses and the results of these analyses will be found in the appended table.

From the results of these analyses it will be seen that the water is very hard, much of which is of a permanent character, due to the gypsum and limestone of the local rock. The water contains a small amount of color. Nitrogen in its various forms is comparatively low. Oxygen consumed is fairly high and is undoubtedly due to the color in the water. Chlorine, while

fairly high, is undoubtedly due to the character of the local rock, it probably being in the outskirts of the salina group of rock. In the bacterial analysis the total counts of bacteria were moderate and no organisms of the B. coli group were found in the sample tested.

As a result of this investigation and of the analyses the following conclusions may be drawn:

1. That the water is apparently satisfactory from a sanitary standpoint, although quite hard.

2. That the chara and frog spawn found in the shallow parts of the reservoir are objectionable on account of the odors and organic matter which are derived from them.

In view of the results of this investigation I would make the following recommendations:

1

That any frog spawn occurring in the reservoirs in the spring be removed, and that at no time should the chara be allowed to grow in any large quantities, since it will, upon decaying, give rise to very unpleasant odors and tastes in the water.

Absent.

Results are expressed in parts per million. + Present. Abbreviations used to describe odors of water: 0, none; 1, very faint; 2, faint; 3, distinct; 4, decided; 5, strong; 6, very strong; a, aromatic; d, disagreeable; e, earthy; f, fishy; g, grassy; m, musty; v, vegetable.

COHOCTON

HERMANN M. BIGGS, M.D., State Commissioner of Health:

I beg to submit the following report upon an investigation of the public water supply of Cohocton, made by Mr. C. M. Baker, assistant engineer, on September 4, 1917.

Cohocton is an incorporated village of 958 inhabitants, located in the northern part of Steuben county, on the D. L. & W. railroad and the Rochester branch of the Erie railroad, about 50 miles south of Rochester.