EDMESTON

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 Edmeston made by Mr. C. M. Baker, assistant engineer, on April 13, 1917.

Edmeston is an unincorporated village of about 700 inhabitants located in the town of Edmeston, Otsego county, at the northern terminus of the New Berlin branch of the N. Y. O. & W. railroad, 32 miles north of Sidney. No sewer system is provided in the village, the houses being served by privies, cesspools, etc.

The water supply is owned and operated by the Edmeston Water Works Company of which Mr. A. C. Moorehouse is president and Mr. Homer Underwood, superintendent. The system was first put into operation in 1896. In 1908 a new supply was developed, the old supply being retained as an auxiliary supply for fire protection. The regular or domestic supply is derived from springs located about 14 miles west of the village from which the water flows by gravity through the distribution system into a storage reservoir located on the hillside west of the village. The fire supply is derived from springs located about three-fourths of a mile west of the village from which the water flows by gravity to a storage reservoir just above the domestic reservoir and from which the water may be discharged into the distribution system. About 95 per cent of the population is served with the water, there being in all about 150 service taps, none of which are metered. Due to the lack of meters or other method of measuring the water used no definite information could be obtained regarding the consumption, but based upon a per capita rate of 100 gallons per day the total consumption would be about 70,000 gallons daily. The flow of the springs of the domestic supply is said to have been estimated to be about 175,000 gallons daily. It thus appears that there is an abundant supply of water for the present needs of the village. There are in all some 6 miles of water mains ranging in size from 4 to 10 inches in diameter. The pressure from the domestic reservoir is about 60 pounds per square inch while that from the fire reservoir is approximately 105 pounds per square inch.

Each of the reservoirs is constructed of concrete and covered. The one for the domestic supply is 20 by 25 feet in plan and 10 feet deep and has a capacity of about 30,000 gallons. The fire reservoir is 95 by 55 feet in plan by 23 feet deep and has a capacity of 900,000 gallons.

The springs from which the domestic supply is obtained are located on the side of a hill near a small stream. They consist of drain or collecting tile laid 5 or 6 feet below the surface which collect the ground water and discharge into a collecting basin whence the water flows by gravity to the distribution system. There are two groups of springs at this place, the main one of which is enclosed by a fence, the other, however, is not so protected. Considerable trouble has been experienced because of roots growing through joints of the tile and it is planned, therefore, so the engineer was informed, to cover the area over the springs with concrete and in connection with this improvement to construct a wall at the upper side to divert surface wash. The springs are located in pasture land there being no inhabitants in the vicinity. It seems, therefore, that the only possibility of pollution is that of infiltration of surface wash from the pasture land. Due to the depth of the drain tile, however, it seems that there is little danger of contamination from this source.

The spring from which the fire supply is derived is located in pasture land about one-fourth of a mile north of the fire reservoir and is developed in the same manner as those of the domestic supply except that the tile are not laid so deep as a result of which this supply is subject to more direct pollution from surface wash from the pasture land. There are no inhabitants, however, and it appears that there is little danger of pollution except that mentioned above. No fence is provided about the spring.

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 together with those of previous analyses are recorded in the appended table.

The results of these analyses show a water satisfactory in physical qualities with respect to color and turbidity but a water that is somewhat high in hardness. The figures for nitrogen in its various forms are low although the figures for chlorine appear to be somewhat above normal. The bacterial counts are usually low although colon bacilli are occasionally present in 10 c.c. inoculations, thus indicating the presence of a certain amount of active contamination. It is probable, however, that this pollution is due to infiltration of surface wash from the pasture land and that it is of animal rather than of human origin.

As a result of this investigation it may be concluded:

1. That the domestic water supply of Edmeston is derived from a source which appears to be free from pollution except possibly that due to indirect infiltration of surface wash from pasture land.

2. That the fire supply is derived from a source which is subject to pollution by the infiltration of surface water somewhat more directly than is that of the domestic supply and since this supply may be turned into the distribution system at times of fire or other emergency it should be adequately protected from pollution.

In view of the above, I beg to offer the following recommendations to be acted upon by the water company:

1. That the contemplated improvements in connection with the domestic supply be carried out with as little delay as possible and furthermore that a fence be provided about the second group of springs.

2. That in reference to the springs from which the fire supply is derived, it seems advisable that a fence be constructed about the area and that cattle be not allowed within the enclosure.

Finally I would recommend that copies of this report be sent to the water company, the local health officer and to the sanitary supervisor of the district. Respectfully submitted,

ALBANY, N. Y., May 29, 1917

THEODORE HORTON.
Chief Engineer

BACTERIOLOGICAL

RESULTS OF WATER ANALYSES

supply

ELMSFORD

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 the village of Elmsford, Westchester county. The investigation of this supply was made on December 26, 1916, by Mr. M. F. Sanborn, assistant engineer, who was assisted at the time of the inspection by Dr. L. P. Dosh, health officer of the village of Elmsford.

Elmsford is an incorporated village in Westchester county about 20 miles north of New York city and about miles east of the Hudson river. It is on the Sawmill river and the Harlem Division of the New York Central and Hudson River R. R. It also has trolley car service from White Plains and Tarrytown. The population at the time of the inspection was estimated to be about 1,380.

There are no public or private sewers in the village. Execretal and other wastes are disposed of in septic tanks, cesspools and privies.

The waterworks are owned by Gordon-Gallagher Co. of New York city, of which Mr. M. J. Gordon of 100 5th avenue is president and Mr. J. Sokol of Elmsford is collector and local representative of the company. The water

works were constructed in 1890 by former owners of the waterworks.

The water is obtained from a drilled well located in the lower and southern part of the village. Water from this well is pumped from the pumping station located over the well direct to the village mains and to the reservoir located on a hill a short distance east of the well. About 380 residents or 28 per cent of the total population are served by this water supply. The average daily consumption was estimated to be about 8,000 gallons. There are about 11⁄2 miles of water mains varying from 1 to 2 inches in diameter. The average pressure in the village is about 30 pounds per square inch; this, however, varies considerably, depending upon the amount of water being used at any one time. There are four hydrants on the system which are rarely if ever used on account of the small amount of water than can be supplied through the service mains.

The reservoir is of concrete, 21 feet in diameter and is covered with a frame roof. It has a capacity of about 11,300 gallons and at the time of the inspection there were about 6 feet of water in the reservoir.

The well is about 170 feet deep, the larger part of the depth being drilled through rock. Water usually stands within about 6 feet of the surface. The pumping station located at the well is about 8 feet by 12 feet in plan and is a frame building. The pumping equipment is in duplicate and consists of two direct acting 5 by 5-inch plunger pumps. Each pump is operated by a three horse-power Century electric motor. The pump attendant visits the plant to start the pump in the morning and when the reservoir is about filled he again visits the station and shuts the plant down for the day.

There are 17 houses within 500 feet of the well and about 10 more houses within from 500 to 1,000 feet of the well. The district school having a capacity for about 400 pupils is located on the hillside, a short distance above the well. It is proposed to use a subsurface irrigation system for the disposal of the sewage from the school although at present large privies are being used. Many of the houses on the hillside above the well have privies and cesspools and the drainage from these and from the privies at the school undoubtedly pass through the ground and eventually reaches the ground water tributary to the public water supply.

At the time of the inspection a sample of the water was collected from a tap in the village and the analysis of this sample will be found in the appended table.

From the results of this analysis it will be seen that the water at the time of the inspection was clear and free from color and odor. The figures for nitrogen in its various forms were low with the exception of that for nitrates and the high figures for the nitrates together with the high figures for chlorine indicate considerable pollution of the ground water which had been rendered inactive by the natural processes of purification. The bacterial count was low VOL. II-11

and organisms of the B. coli group were not found in the 10 c.c. inoculations tested.

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

That the well from which the water supply of Elmsford is derived is unfortunately located with respect to the numerous opportunities for pollution of the tributary ground water by drainage from cesspools and privies located on the hillside adjacent to and above the well. That pollution of the ground water occurs is shown by the analysis and although this pollution was not active at the time of the inspection, it is possible that under different hydraulic conditions of the ground water active and potentially dangerous contamination of the well may occur at any time.

In view of the above conclusions, I would make the following recommendations:

1. That the water company consider at once the securing of a new source of water supply free from all possibility of pollution, or

2. That all the houses and buildings within 500 feet of the well be provided with satisfactory sewerage facilities to properly dispose of the sewage from such buildings, or,

3. That all privies within this area be provided with removable tight containers and that no leaching cesspools or subsurface irrigation plants for the disposal of sewage be permitted within this area.

I would also recommend that copies of this report be sent to the water company, to the local health officer and to the sanitary supervisor of the district.

Results are expressed in parts per million.

250.0 248.0

10

10 c.c.

0+3

1 c.c.

0+3―

1/10 c.c.

0+3

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.