HERKIMER

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

I beg to submit the following report on an investigation of the public water supply of Herkimer made by Mr. C. M. Baker, assistant engineer, on October 26, 1916.

Herkimer is an incorporated village of 10,000 inhabitants located in Herkimer county on the main line of the New York Central Railroad and the Mohawk river. The village is 14 miles east of Utica. 14 miles east of Utica. There are numerous prosperous manufacturing industries in the village and it is probable that there will be a considerable increase in population in the future. A complete system of public sewers is provided which discharges the sewage without treatment into the Mohawk river.

The water supply is owned by the municipality and is controlled by a municipal commission. The supply was first put into operation in 1888 and is derived from wells in the northeastern edge of the village near West Canada creek, from which water is pumped through the distribution system into a standpipe. Since the original installation additional wells have been drilled and numerous extensions have been made to the distribution system. Due to inadequacy of the present supply, however, the village is now developing a new supply, which will also be discussed in this report.

Practically all of the population is served with the public water supply, there being 1,945 service taps, only 130 of which are metered. The water consumption at the present time averages approximately 1,000,000 gallons daily or an equivalent of 100 gallons per capita. The pressure in the main part of the village is about 70 pounds per square inch but is considerably less in higher sections. The distribution system consists of about 15 miles of mains ranging in size from 3 inches to 8 inches in diameter, a large portion consisting of the smaller sizes, which at times of large consumption results in undue loss of pressure due to pipe friction. At times therefore the working pressure is considerably less than 70 pounds, and for this reason and also on account of the shortage of the present supply the system offers inadequate fire protection. It is only through rigid enforcement of rules and regulations regarding economical use of the water that the present source is now able to supply the needs of the village.

The pumping station, which is located near the wells, also houses a municipal electric lighting plant. The pumping equipment consists of one Knowles compound duplex pump 11 x 181⁄2 x 12 x 12 and a similar pump 12 x 181⁄2 x 10 x 12. In addition to these pumps there are two Knowles vacuum pumps. The standpipe is 60 feet in diameter by 25 feet high and has a capacity of 230,000 gallons.

The wells from which the supply is derived consist of some 30 driven or drilled wells 4 inches in diameter by 20 feet deep and one dug well or collecting gallery about 10 feet wide by 122 feet long. The wells first pass through 10 or 12 feet of a fine yellowish loam and for the rest of the distance through water bearing gravel from which the supply is derived. Below the gravel is a clay stratum. No insanitary conditions were observed in the vicinity of the wells at the time of the inspection. Due, however, to the inadequacy of the supply at times of maximum consumption, water is pumped from West Canada creek onto the ground directly over the wells in order to augment the supply. This method of increasing the amount of water tributary to the wells has been in use for two or three years. The creek intake consists of a submerged concrete gravel-filled channel in the bottom of the stream, so that the water must filter through two or three feet of sand and gravel before it reaches the pumps. From the pumps the water is discharged into a brick manhole which overflows on the surface of the ground. Embankments have been thrown up to retain this water on the area in which the driven wells are located. West Canada creek is subject to considerable pollution both direct and indirect. There are a number of villages along its shores a few miles above Herkimer, some of which discharge sewage directly into the

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stream without purification. The water of the creek is therefore undoubtedly contaminated. The extent to which the water is purified in passing through the soil to the ground water tributary to the wells is somewhat indeterminate. It is very probable, however, that this purification is not at all times complete since, due to the heavy draught on the wells, the infiltration of the water is probably quite rapid, and furthermore channels are apt to form along the pipes.

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 very hard. The figures for nitrogen in the form of free and albuminoid ammonia are moderate but those for nitrates and chlorine appear to be above normal, thus indicating that pollution finds its way into the ground water tributary to the supply. In all of the samples up to and including those collected in 1914, the bacterial counts are low and colon bacilli are absent except in one 10 c.c. inoculation. Samples collected in 1916, since water has been pumped from West Canada creek, however, both prior to and at the time of the inspection, showed the presence of considerable active contamination as is indicated by the presence of colon bacilli in 1 c.c. and 10 c.c. inoculations. The limited number of analyses made by this Department under existing conditions however, doubtless do not show the full extent to which pollution may at times exist. Regarding the present supply, therefore, it may be concluded:

1. That the well supply is insufficient to meet the present consumption. 2. That the distribution system is inadequate for fire protection. 3. That due to the necessity of pumping water from West Canada creek on to the ground for augmenting the present well supply the water is at times contaminated, and cannot be considered safe for potable purposes under these conditions.

Realizing the inadequacy of the present supply, particularly with respect to the limited amount of water and insufficient fire protection, the village has taken steps to secure a new supply. A consulting engineer whose services have been obtained, has made a thorough study of the situation and submitted recommendations regarding the development of this proposed new supply. The village has voted an appropriation of $350,000 for carrying out the plans.

It is proposed to obtain a new supply from Mill creek at a point near Gravesville, about 18 or 20 miles northwest of Herkimer. From the source of supply the water will flow by gravity to a storage reservoir of about 43,000,000 gallons capacity located on high land northwest of the village from whence the water will be distributed by gravity to the consumers. The intake is to be located on Mill creek, at an elevation of about 1,051 feet above sea level, about 1 mile northeast of Gravesville. No storage is to be provided at this place since gaging of the stream and detailed studies of the conditions by the consulting engineer indicate that the flow of the stream is in no case less than 2 million gallons per day. The watershed directly tributary to this reservoir is 5 square miles in area. A small brook to the north, however, known as Taylor brook, with a watershed area of .81 square mile, and a stream to the south, known as Russia brook, having a watershed of 1.27 square miles, may be diverted into this intake, thus giving a total area tributary to the supply of slightly over 7 square miles. It is estimated that the yield of this total area will in no case be less than 3,000,000 gallons per day and by proper conservation of the supply the yield could be increased to about 6,000,000 gallons daily.

The first portion of the conduit from the intake to the storage reservoir near the village is to consist of 16-inch pipe while the later portion which is at a steeper gradient is to consist of 14-inch pipe. The estimated capacity of this conduit is 3,000,000 gallons daily. The distribution reservoir near the village is to be 25 feet deep and constructed of earth embankments.

Plans are also prepared for improvements in the distribution system. Prior to the development of the plans for the proposed supply a detailed study was made of other sources of supply including the possibility of developing ground water sources and also other surface streams near Herkimer but these plans with the exception of possibly two, namely, purification of West Canada creek water and the development of a supply from White creek were eliminated either on account of inadquate supply, insufficient quantity of water or excessive cost. It was finally concluded that the development of the supply from Mill creek would furnish the most satisfactory water at a reasonable cost.

The watershed from which the proposed supply is to be obtained is used almost entirely for pasture land. Because of the sandy soil a large part of the precipitation on the watershed enters the ground and finds its way into the streams as ground water. This is also indicated by the large yield of the streams during the dry season. There are in all 37 houses on the watershed, 3 or 4 of which, however, were unoccupied at the time of the inspection. The population is probably about 170 persons, an equivalent of 24 per square mile. One house is located on a hill just above the proposed intake at a distance of 300 or 400 feet from the stream. A road also crosses the stream just above the proposed intake. Two other houses are located within 200 or 300 feet of the stream but no insanitary conditions nor cases of direct pollution of the streams were observed at the time of the inspection, other than that from cattle which have free access to the streams tributary to the supply. Most of the houses are well back from the streams and there seems to be little chance of direct pollution from them under normal conditions. A portion of the watershed of Taylor brook is owned by the village.

While the purifying effect of the sandy soil of the watershed would probably be considerable during the summer, except in cases of excessive rainfalls, it is quite evident that during the spring, fall or winter when the ground is frozen considerable pollution from the residences and pasture land on the watershed must find its way into the streams tributary to the proposed supply in addition to that which they receive directly from live stock in pastures and barnyards along the streams. As mentioned above the proposed intake is located just below a road and near a farm house. By extending this intake a short distance up the stream, possibly 1,000 feet, however, it could be placed above this highway and beyond the danger of direct pollution from the farm house.

It is said that the water from these stream's is seldom turbid and that its general physical characteristics are very satisfactory. It is proposed therefore to use the water without purification.

Samples of water were collected from Mill creek and Taylor brook at the time of the inspection and sent to the Division of Laboratories and Research for analyses, the results being recorded in the appended table.

The results of these analyses show water satisfactory in physical qualities but a water that is somewhat hard, although not nearly so hard as that of the present supply. Figures for nitrogen in its various forms are low but those for chlorine appear to be somewhat in excess of the normal for this locality. The bacterial counts are moderate for surface supplies and B. coli were found present in only one of the three 10 c.c. inoculations of each sample tested. While these analyses indicate a supply of a fairly satisfactory sanitary quality, it is quite probable that samples collected at times of rapid surface run-off would "show considerable contamination from the various sources of pollution on the watershed.

Regarding the proposed supply, then it may be concluded:

1. That the proposed source should furnish a satisfactory supply with respect to quantity and physical qualities.

2. That, however, it seems, due to the number of inhabitants on the watershed and the extent to which it is used for pasture land, there is considerable danger of pollution, and that, therefore, the supply should not be used for potable purposes without purification.

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

1. Regarding the present supply: That in view of the possibility of pollution due to the necessity of pumping water from West Canada creek on to the ground to augment the well supply, apparatus be provided and this supply be sterilized with liquid chlorine pending the development of the new or proposed supply.

2. Regarding the proposed supply: (a) That apparatus be installed at a point where the water can at all times be sterilized with liquid chlorine and that this apparatus be effectively operated at all times or (b) that the water be otherwise satisfactorily purified.

The providing of apparatus for the sterilization of the present supply with liquid chlorine would entail no extra expense to the village since this apparatus could later be used for the purpose of sterilizing the proposed supply. It is possible that sterilization of the new supply would render it satisfactory from a sanitary standpoint. If this treatment does not render the water satisfactory, however, more adequate purification by means of filtration or otherwise should be provided.

Should the village encounter any difficulty in maintaining satisfactory sanitary conditions on the watershed of the proposed supply, application should be made to this Department for the enactment of rules and regulations for the protection of the sanitary quality of the supply.

Respectfully submitted,

THEODORE HORTON,

Chief Engineer

ALBANY. N. Y., January 24, 1917

RESULTS OF WATER ANALYSES

Herkimer

Tap, public supply

9/5/16

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