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.

GOWANDA

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

I beg to submit the following report upon an investigation of the sanitary condition of the public water supply of Gowanda made by Mr. C. M. Baker, assistant engineer, on December 5, 1916.

General information

Location. Erie and Cattaraugus counties, on Buffalo and Southern division of the Erie railroad, 34 miles south of Buffalo. Population: Total, 2,524, all of which are served with the water.

Source of supply.- Present supply, springs located on the hills about the village. Developing new supply from artesian wells.

Consumption. Roughly estimated at 350,000 to 400,000 gallons daily or an average per capita rate of 150 gallons.

Distribution system.― Gravity supply, 4 miles of mains, 2 inches to 8 inches. in diameter.

Service taps.- 500, only a few of which are metered.

Pressure.-55 to 74 pounds per square inch.

Storage.- Impounding reservoir 3,000,000 gallons, equivalent to one week's consumption.

Purification.- None.

References to previous investigations.— Annual report, vol. 33, page 667, reinspection June 1, 1915.

Due to certain unsatisfactory conditions in reference to the supply the following recommendations were made in the previous report:

1. That all dangerous and undesirable pollution be removed from the public water supply by

(a) Removing all sources of pollution to a safe distance from the immediate surroundings of all the springs.

(b) Construction of deep and properly graded ditches or cut-off trenches to effectually prevent polluted storm water from passing into the public water supply.

2. That the turbidity in the water caused by the erosive action of heavy rains be corrected by (a) paving the springs and collecting channels and protecting them from surface flow, or (b) passing the whole public water supply through adequately large and suitable settling basins.

3. That owing to the difficulty of protecting the many sources of water supply from organic and possibly dangerous pollution and the expense of installing works for preventing the fouling of the water by suspended matters at certain seasons, the water company investigate other possible sources of water supply with a view to replacing the present sources of supply by some other adequate and unpolluted source whose sanitary quality can be readily controlled.

4. That regular and frequent inspection be made by the Gowanda Water Works Co., of all sources of public water supply for the village in order to prevent any direct and permanent pollution and to minimize the opportunities for accidental or careless pollution of this supply. Although some attempt has been made by the water company to carry out recommendation No. 1 by improving the sanitary conditions in the vicinity of the springs, it is apparent from this investigation that there still remains a number of sources of pollution. Regarding recommendation No. 2, the superintendent of the water company stated that it seemed impracticable to carry out this recommendation because of the numerous springs from which the supply is derived. The water company, however, has been endeavoring for the past few years to secure a new supply of a satïsfactory quality as recommended in recommendation No. 3. They have recently constructed a new artesian well which furnishes a large flow of water and it is expected that additional wells, to be developed, will furnish an abundant supply of a satisfactory quality. During the summer the springs are all frequently inspected in compliance with recommendation No. 4.

The artesian well, which, however, is not yet connected with the system, is located about one-half mile south of the village at the foot of a steep hill. It is 8 inches in diameter by 300 feet deep. The strata through which it is drilled consists of 15 feet of clay and loam, 15 feet of sand and gravel, then clay and fine sand to a depth of 270 feet, the remainder being sand grading into coarse gravel from which the supply is derived. The pipe of the well extended about 8 feet above the surface of the ground at the time of the inspection and the water was flowing freely from it. There are no apparent sources of pollution in the vicinity. A derrick has been erected nearby and work is soon to be begun on the construction of another well.

One reason that the present supply has not been improved, so the assistant engineer was informed, is due to its inadequacy, since at time of drought the supply is somewhat inadequate to meet the demand. The necessity of developing a new supply was therefore apparent and the company did not feel justified in making the expenditure necessary to improve the present supply since it would not furnish sufficient water when developed.

The sanitary conditions of the present supply are substantially the same as described in the previous reports. The most serious condition with respect to pollution appears to be in the vicinity of the Becker springs formerly known as the Bridges springs. At this place farm buildings and a farm yard are located near the edge of the ravine from which the supply is obtained and not far from the springs, the slope of the land being from the buildings toward the ravine. The privy is about 100 feet from the edge of the ravine and the pig pen extends to its edge. The scources of pollution tributary to the McDonald springs and the springs near the reservoir consist of surface wash from pasture land. The Jolls spring which is located about two miles south of the village in a wooded area is apparently not subject to pollution. Aside from this spring, however, all the other sources of supply are subject to more or less pollution, as pointed out above.

Samples of the water were collected from the various sources of supply 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 others made since the previous investigations, are recorded in the appended table. While the results of the analyses of the samples collected from the present supply at the time of this investigation do not indicate active contamination, the sample collected in March of the same year showed a very high bacterial count with colon bacilli present in dilutions as small as 1/10 c.c. thus indicating at that time the presence of considerable active and potentially dangerous contamination. Previous analyses have also indicated that at times the supply is actively contaminated.

The analyses of the samples collected from artesian well No. 1 which is one source of the proposed new supply, show a water somewhat mineral in its character, as is indicated by the high figures for solids, free ammonia and chlorine. The figures for nitrogen in the form of albuminoid ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are low. The water although quite hard appears to be somewhat lower in hardness than that of the present supply. Although the analysis shows the presence of some iron in the water it is not sufficient to cause objectionable tastes and odor and it seems that no trouble should be experienced in this respect unless by continuous pumping from the well the water should become more intensely impregnated with iron. The bacterial count is low and colon bacilli were not found present.

As a result of this investigation it may be concluded:

1. That, as pointed out in previous reports, surface wash from pasture land, barn-yards, etc., and also, probably to some extent, pollution of human origin, at times finds its way into the supply.

2. That the water obtained from the artesian well which it is proposed to use as one source of a new supply, although somewhat high in materials, appeared to be of a satisfactory quality for potable purposes. As a result of this investigation I beg to offer the following recommendations to be acted upon by the water company:

1. That the work of constructing new wells and developing a new supply be pushed as rapidly as possible and that this supply be put into operation as soon as practicable.

2. That pending the development of the new supply the present supply be protected from pollution by:

(a) Constructing drainage ditches about the springs to divert surface wash as far from the springs as possible.

(b) Frequent inspections of the sanitary conditions surrounding the springs and the abatement of all insanitary conditions which might in any way pollute the supply.

3. That when the new supply is put into operation the present supply be abandoned with the possible exception of the Jolls springs and the storage reservoir. If the storage reservoir is retained, however, it should be more adequately protected from surface wash in order to prevent pollution from this source.

Respectfully submitted,

THEODORE HORTON,
Chief Engineer

ALBANY, N. Y., February 10, 1917

RESULTS OF WATER ANALYSES

GRAND GORGE

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

I beg to submit the following report upon an investigation of the sanitary condition of the public water supply of Grand Gorge, made by Mr. M. F. Sanborn, assistant engineer, on August 27, 1917.

General information

Location. Northeastern part of Delaware county on the U. & D. R. R., 42 miles from city of Oneonta.

Population.- 450; unincorporated.

Waterworks owned by.- Grand Gorge Water Company.

Source of supply.- Bear Kill, intake 11⁄2 miles northwest of village.
Consumption.- No data.

Distribution system. Gravity through 14 miles of pipe, 4 to 6 inches in diameter.

Service taps.-58; no ineters.
Pressure.— 60 pounds.

Storage.— 84,000 gallons.

Purification.- None.

Previous investigations.— 1913, 34th Annual Report, page 610.

The report on the previous inspection pointed out that the public water supply of Grand Gorge was of an unsatisfactory quality and subject to dangerous contamination from several sources. It was, therefore, recommended that the water company either take steps to secure another supply or remove the sources of pollution above the existing intake. From the results of the recent inspection it appears that practically no steps have been taken to carry out our reommendations.

The complete details of the waterworks system will be found in the previous report. The supply is owned and operated by Mr. J. M. Cronk, who purchased the supply about a year prior to the recent inspection.

The watershed of Bear Kill above the intake is about 15 square miles. Upon this area there is a population of about 550, or 37 per square mile. Numerous insanitary conditions exist upon the watershed, privies, cesspools and barnyards being so located as to afford a constant menace to the quality of the supply. Furthermore, the Ulster and Delaware railroad parallels very closely the main stream for several miles and there is accordingly every opportunity for contamination by discharges from the toilets of passenger trains.

At the time of the inspection, samples of water were collected from the supply and the results of the analyses of these samples made by the Division of Laboratories and Research may be found in the appended table.

These analyses show a colored and turbid water of moderate hardness. The figures for nitrogen in its various forms and for oxygen consumed are somewhat high, indicating the presence of decomposing and decomposable organic matter. The total bacterial counts are high and the presence of organisms of the B. coli type in inoculations as small as 1 c.c. show the occurrence of active and potentially dangerous contamination by animal or human excrement.

In view of the above facts the following conclusions may be drawn:

1. That the recommendations of our report on the investigation of 1913 have not been carried out;

2. That the public water supply of Grand Gorge is derived from a source subject to dangerous contamination from privies, from cesspools and from the toilets of railroad trains;

3. That so long as this supply is used for domestic purposes, there exists the strong possibility of outbreaks of typhoid fever and other waterborne diseases.