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GREEN ISLAND

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 Green Island made on July 3, 1917, by Mr. E. S. Chase, assistant engineer.

Green Island is an incorporated village located in the northern part of the county of Albany on the west bank of the Hudson river opposite the city of Troy. The village is provided with a sewer system which discharges without treatment into the Hudson river.

The public water supply is derived from an infiltration gallery located on an island in the Hudson river between the village and the city of Troy. The supply is subjected to rapid sand filtration and sterilization. The waterworks are owned and operated by the Green Island Water Supply Company of which Mr. W. J. Drummond of New York city is president, and Mr. Ŵ. H. Blair local superintendent and manager. The water supply was originally installed in 1888. At that time the supply was operated by a company known as the West Troy Water Works Company, later as the Green Island Water Company and since 1900 by the present company. In 1901 the filter was constructed and put into operation. At one time prior to 1901 a supplementary intake was laid in the river just back of the pumping station, this intake has not been used for years and is now sealed. Another intake from the river is located on the east shore of the island on which the infiltration gallery is located but no water has been pumped directly from the river since November, 1915.

The entire population of Green Island is supplied with the water and about 1,200 in the town of Colonie. A connection exists between the Green Island mains and those of the city of Watervliet, but this connection has not been opened in the past four years. The average daily consumption is approximately 350,000 gallons. Previous to the introduction of meters the consumption was materially higher. There are approximately 12 miles of water mains ranging in size from 4 to 12 inches in diameter. Of the 1,000 service taps some two-thirds are metered. The water is distributed by pumping directly into the distribution system against the pressure maintained by a reservoir located west of the village on a hill in the town of Colonie. This reservoir also serves as storage for the water pumped in excess over consumption. This reservoir is of masonry and brick construction with a diameter of 81 feet, a water depth of 121⁄2 feet and a total capacity of approximately one-half million gallons. The reservoir is covered with a flat wooden roof. The infiltration well from which the supply is obtained is 115 feet long with horseshoe shape cross section 6 feet high. The invert of this well is located 22 feet below the surface of the ground. The side walls are constructed of loosely laid stone and the arch is of brick. The stratum in which the gallery is located consists of water bearing sand. Above this sand the strata consists of sand and fine gravel and a thin layer of clay. The gallery was thoroughly cleaned in November, 1915, at which time it was found to be nearly full of sand. Prior to that time difficulty had been experienced in securing sufficient water from the gallery to supply the demand. Since then, however, no trouble has been experienced, the estimated yield of the gallery being in the neighborhood of 1,000,000 gallons daily. From the gallery the water enters a receiving well 9 feet in diameter from which it is siphoned to a suction well 20 feet in diameter by 28 feet deep. From this latter well the suction line leads across the river channel to the pumping station.

The pumping station is a brick building approximately 30 by 60 feet in plan. The pumping equipment consists of a low lift 1,000,000 gallon Snow plunger pump, used to raise the water from the suction well to the filters, and 2 high service 1,000,000 gallon Worthington double-acting non-condensing duplex plunger pumps. The Worthington pumps are operated alternately and are so connected that they may serve also as low lift pumps for delivery to the filters. These pumps are operated by steam furnished by two 125-horsepower Erie horizontal return tubular boilers.

The filter plant is housed in a separate building of brick construction approximately 25 by 50 feet in plan. The filter plant consists of 2 gravity mechanical filters of the original wooden tub type manufactured by the New York Continental Jewel Filtration Company. These filters are 16 feet in diameter and consist of two compartments, the lower being a sedimentation and a coagulation compartment and the upper a filter bed comprising 3 feet of sand overlaying 6 inches of gravel underdrained by a manifold system with slotted strainers. The compartments are separated by a false bottom. Both filters are operated at the same time and are in service about 8 hours per day. The capacity of the filters is rated at 500,000 gallons per day each or 110 million gallons per acre per day. With the present daily consumption the rate of filtration is approximately 175,000 gallons per day each or 40 million gallons per acre per day. The water level over the sand is maintained at a depth of about 2 feet. The rate of operation is controlled by a balanced valve rate control of the Jewel type. The filters are cleaned about once a week. The loss of head gauges are out of repair and consequently the loss of head before cleaning is not known. When the filters are cleaned the sand is agitated by mechanical rakes. No data are available regarding the amount of wash water used at each cleaning, the filters being washed until the filtrate runs clear. After washing the filtrate is allowed to run to waste for 8 minutes.

Alum and hypochlorite solutions are applied to the raw water in the suction line of the low lift pump prior to admission to the coagulation compartment of the filters. Alum is applied at the rate of 70 pounds per million gallons or one-half grain per gallon. The hypochlorite is applied at the rate of 22 pounds per million gallons or 0.8 part per million of available chlorine, estimating the strength of the bleach as 33 per cent available chlorine. The apparatus for applying the alum solution consists of three wooden tanks of approximately 1,000 gallons capacity each from which the solution feeds by gravity to an orifice box, thence into a lead pipe leading to the pump suction. The hypochlorite apparatus consists of 2 cast-iron tanks of approximately 300 gallons capacity each from whence it flows by gravity to two orifice boxes which control the flow.

From the filters the water enters a clear water basin constructed of concrete approximately 24 by 36 feet in plan by 8.75 feet deep with a capacity of 50,000 gallons. This basin is located under the filters and is covered by a wooden floor.

The character of the raw water from the infiltration gallery is of a fairly satisfactory sanitary quality save at times when the island upon which it is located becomes flooded by the Hudson river. At such times it is possible that a certain amount of river water seeps into the well bringing about active contamination of the waters thereof. Since the non-use of the auxiliary intake from the Hudson the character of the raw water has been materially improved and the difficulties of securing a satisfactory effluent have been decreased. Analyses of raw and filtered water are made at weekly intervals by Mr. J. T. Caird, chemist and bacteriologist, of Troy.

At the time of the inspection samples of the raw and filtered water were collected and the results of the analyses of these samples together with others made in the past by the Division of Laboratories and Research will be found in the appended table.

The results of the analyses of the raw water in 1914 show a seriously polluted supply, the total bacterial counts being excessive and organisms of the B. coli type being present in inoculations as small as 1/10 c.c. At the time these samples were collected in 1914 it is probable that the supply from the infiltration gallery was being augmented by water from the Hudson for it will be noticed that the raw water collected at the time of the recent inspection was of a decidedly better quality. The results of the analyses of the purified water indicate that the filtration and sterilization plant is effective in bringing about satisfactory purification, the total bacterial counts being moderate and organisms of the B. coli type not being isolated from the 30 c.c. volumes tested.

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

1. That the infiltration gallery tributary to the public water supply of Green Island furnishes a raw water of fair sanitary quality although subject to pollution by the Hudson river at times of high water.

2. That the abandonment of the intakes from the river was in accordance with proper sanitary practice and has resulted in securing a raw water of safer quality.

3. That the purification process if at all times properly operated and controlled should render the supply safe for domestic purposes.

In view of these conclusions there seems to be no necessity at this time to make any recommendations other than that the water company continue to operate the purification plant with care and efficiency at all times.

I would further recommend that copies of this report be transmittted to the local health officer, the Green Island Water Supply Company and to the sanitary supervisor of the district.

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Results are expressed in parts per million.

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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.

GREENVILLE

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 Greenville, made by Mr. C. M. Baker, assistant engineer, on October 15, 1917.

Greenville is an unincorporated village located in the town of the same name in the northern part of Greene county, about 35 miles southwest of Albany and 10 miles west of Coxsackie which is the nearest railroad station. There are a few private sewer systems in the village and most of the houses are served by privies, cesspools, etc. The population of the village is estimated to be about 200.

The water supply is owned by the Greenville Water Company of which Mr. Charles L. Andrus of Stamford is president and Mr. D. E. Powell of Greenville is superintendent. Water is obtained from a small impounding reservoir on a spring fed brook about 1 mile north of the village. From this reservoir the water flows by gravity to the distribution system. About 65 per cent of the population are served with the water, there being in all some 30 service taps, none of which are metered. The distribution system consists of about 11⁄2 miles of mains ranging from 4 to 8 inches in diameter. The pressure is approximately 60 pounds per square inch.

The reservoir is formed by the construction of an earth dam, the upper side of which is riprapped across the bed of the stream. The reservoir is about 50 by 100 feet in size and has a capacity of approximately 225,000 gallons. The water is fed from the reservoir into the main leading to the village through a charcoal filter.

The watershed tributary to the supply is about 1.15 square miles in area and has a total population of about 65 persons or a total of 56 per square mile. The area is used mainly for farming and agricultural purposes, a large portion of the area directly above the reservoir being used for pasture and meadow land. The buildings on the watershed are located well back from the stream and there appears to be little opportunity for direct pollution of human origin. In fact, at the time of the inspection the stream extended only to a spring located about one-fourth of a mile above the reservoir.

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 quality with respect to color and turbidity. The figures for nitrogen in its various forms are low. The bacterial counts, however, from all samples collected are rather high and colon bacilli were found present in dilutions as small as 1/10 c.c. thus indicating the presence of considerable active contamination. It is quite probable, however, that this pollution is due principally to surface wash from pasture land.

In view of the above it may be concluded that the water supply of Greenville is derived from a source which is subject to considerable pollution by surface wash from pasture land and possibly to some extent by pollution of human origin due to accidental, incidental or wilful pollution by the inhabitants on the watershed or by visitors thereto.

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

1. That apparatus be provided and that the supply be sterilized with liquid chlorine.

2. That if it seems inadvisable to purify the water in this manner, a new supply be developed from a source free from all sources of pollution. Finally I would 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.

Respectfully submitted,

ALBANY, N. Y., December 29, 1917

THEODORE HORTON,
Chief Engineer

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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, aromatie; d, disagreeable; e, earthy; f, fishy; g, grassy; m, musty; v, vegetable.

HALCOTTSVILLE

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 Halcottsville, Delaware county, N. Y. The investigation of this supply was made on August 6, 1917, by Mr. M. F. Sanborn, assistant engineer, who was assisted at the time of the inspection by Dr. Charles S. Allaben, health officer, and by Mr. H. L. Hewitt, former superintendent of the water company.

Halcottsville is an unincorporated village in the eastern part of Delaware county and is on the east branch of the Delaware river and the Ulster and Delaware railroad. The population at the time of the inspection was estimated to be about 150, of which about 130 are served by the water supply. There are no private or public sewers in the village, the houses being served by cesspools and privies.

The water supply is owned by the Halcottsville Water Company and the waterworks were constructed in 1910 under the direction of Mr. W. Phinole. The water supply is obtained from a brook passing through Bragg Hollow, the intake being about one-half mile west of the village. There is about 1 mile of water mains varying from 4 inches to 6 inches in diameter. There are about 35 houses in the village, of which 30 are served by the water supply, and of these services none are metered. The supply is distributed by gravity at a pressure of about 48 pounds per square inch. Ten hydrants are placed in various parts of the village for fire protection.

The water is collected in a small intake dam across the brook, then passes to a reservoir a short distance below, and from this reservoir to the mains in the village. Between the intake and the reservoir the water passes through a box about 15 feet long by 4 feet wide and 4 feet deep. This box contains several screens which divide it into several compartments. These compartments were originally filled with sand or gravel or charcoal. At the time of the inspection none of this material was in the box and the screens had become badly clogged and covered with scum. The intake and reservoir had apparently not been cared for for some time.

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