HILTON

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 the village of Hilton, made on January 11, 1917, by Mr. E. S. Chase, assistant engineer, in this department.

Hilton is an incorporated village with a population of 817 located in the northern part of Monroe county on the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg division of the New York Central Railroad, about 20 miles northwest of Rochester and 4 miles from Lake Ontario. The village is in the center of a prosperous fruit growing section and contains a large canning factory. There is no public system of sewers, the village being served by privies, cesspools, etc.

The public water supply is derived from Lake Ontario after filtration through a gravity mechanical filter. The waterworks are owned and operated by the municipality under the direction of the board of trustees of which Mr. Myron Roberts is president, Mr. C. F. Walters is superintendent of waterworks. The waterworks were constructed in 1915 and first put into operation on February 7, 1916. The waterworks system was designed by Mr. H. C. Kittredge, civil engineer of Rochester and constructed by contract under his direction.

From the purification plant, located on the shore of Lake Ontario, 311⁄2 miles north of the village, the water is pumped through about 7 miles of water mains at an average pressure of about 65 pounds per square inch. The surplus over consumption is stored in an elevated tower located in the southern part of the village. At the time of the inspection there were 133 service taps all of which were metered. Additional service connections are being made from time to time. During the winter the daily consumption is 25,000 gallons, while from July 1st to December 31st the consumption is about 125,000 gallons per day, due to the fact that the canning factory is in operation during those months and consumes about 100,000 gallons per day. The intake extends about 400 feet into the lake to a point where the water is about 10 feet deep. The intake pipe is 8 inches in diameter and at the point of intake ends with an upturned T provided with a check valve. It is proposed to extend this intake 400 feet further into the lake to a point where the depth is about 15 feet and where the lake water is less turbid than nearer the shore. The water from the lake flows by gravity to a low lift suction well at the pumping station. From this suction well the water is pumped by a 500 gallon per minute Rumsey centrifugal pump to a reinforced concrete coagulation and sedimentation basin adjacent to the pumping station. Alum is applied to the water in the suction line of the centrifugal pump at a rate of 1 grain per gallon ordinarily and at times 11⁄2 grains. The coagulation basin has a capacity of 4,000 gallons and is baffled both longitudinally and transversely. The basin is cleaned about every three months. From the basin the water flows by gravity upon a single unit gravity mechanical filter of 300,000 gallons per day rated capacity of the New York Continental Jewell type. From this filter the water flows to a filtered water basin with a capacity of 7,000 gallons. After filtration a solution of hypochlorite of lime is applied to the water as it enters the clear water basin at rates ranging from 1 to 2 parts per million.

From the clear water basin the water is pumped by a Rumsey triplex pump direct connected to a 20 horsepower Fairbanks-Morse kerosene engine at the rate of 300 gallons per minute into the distribution system. The pumping equipment has not as yet been provided in duplicate. The standpipe is a covered steel tank of 100,000 gallons capacity, supported by a steel tower 85 feet high.

The general conditions affecting Lake Ontario are well-known, the nearest point of gross pollution being 12 miles distant where the sewage of Rochester enters the lake. Near the filter plant there are about 30 summer cottages along the lake shore, the drainage from them, however, does not reach the lake directly but flows first through low land to the landward of the beach. In

its decision upon the water supply application of Hilton, the Conservation Commission required the village to secure the enactment of suitable rules and regulations for the protection of the waters of Lake Ontario from local contamination in the vicinity of the intake. No application for such rules has yet been made. It is stated that the water of the lake is frequently turbid several hundred feet from shore and that the extension of the intake pipe would give a water less turbid and one more easily treated at the purification plant.

At the time of the inspection samples of raw and treated water were collected and the results of the analyses of these samples, together with a few previous ones made by the Division of Laboratories and Research will be found in the appended table.

The analyses show that the purification plant is effective in removing turbidity and also in producing a water of satisfactory sanitary quality, the bacterial counts of the filtered water being low and organisms of the B. coli type absent.

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

1. That Lake Ontario at the intake of the Hilton public water supply is subject to local contamination by shore wash, drainage from adjacent lands, by swimming and other pleasure pursuits in summer and possibly at times by the sewage of the city of Rochester.

2. That the purification plant appears to be so designed and operated as to afford adequate purification of the water.

3. That rules and regulations of this Department for the protection from local contamination of Lake Ontario would afford an additional and desirable safeguard.

4. That the extension of the intake pipe would reduce a part of the burden now placed upon the purification plant in view of the fact that the water further out in the lake is probably less turbid than that near the shore.

I would therefore recommend:

1. That the village authorities continue to operate the purification plant with constant care.

2. That, as required by the Conservation Commission, the village make application to this Department for suitable rules for the protection of the water of Lake Ontario from local contamination.

3. That the village extend the intake as soon as it is possible to do so. I would further recommend that copies of this report be transmitted to the local authorities and to the sanitary supervisor of the district.

Respectfully submitted,

ALBANY, N. Y., March 7, 1917

THEODORE HORTON,
Chief Engineer

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.

*Sample frozen in transit.

HOLLEY

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 Holley made by Mr. C. M. Baker, assistant engineer, on August 1, 1917.

Holley is an incorporated village of 1780 inhabitants, located in the eastern part of Orleans county on the Rochester and Niagara Falls branch of the New York Central Railroad about 30 miles west of Rochester. The village is provided with a municipal sewer system and disposal plant, the latter consisting of Imhoff tanks and sprinkling filters. The effluent from the disposal plant discharges into Sandy creek.

The water supply is owned and operated by the Brockport, Holley Water Company and is derived from springs or shallow wells located 1 to 11⁄2 miles southwest of the village. This supply was first put into service about 1887 and originally supplied both the village of Brockport and Holley. About 3 years ago, however, Brockport installed a municipal supply and bought the interest of the water company in that village. Since this time the water company has supplied only the village of Holley. Practically all of the inhabitants of the village are served with the water, there being in all about 500 service taps, 350 of which are metered. The average water consumption is about 75,000 gallons daily with a maximum of possibly 125,000 and a minimum of 65,000 gallons. These figures correspond to per capita rates of 42, 70 and 36 gallons respectively. The distribution system consists of 5 or 6 miles of mains ranging in size from 4 inches to 10 inches in diameter. The pressure in the village averages about 75 pounds per square inch.

The water from the various springs and wells flows by gravity into a collecting reservoir located near the main pumping station whence it is pumped into the distribution system and standpipe. An old pumping station is still maintained as a reserve equipment. The regular pumping station or station No. 1 consists of a brick building in which are located two Snow pumps each having a capacity of 1,000,000 gallons per day. These pumps are operated either by a water power turbine or by steam from two 75 horse-power boilers. The old pumping station is equipped with two Snow pumps, each having a capacity of 500,000 gallons per day, power being provided by one 75 horse-power

boiler. The standpipe is constructed of steel, is 75 feet high by 24 feet in diameter and has a capacity of about 180,000 gallons.

There are in all four groups of wells or springs as follows:

1. The Clarington wells are located about 11⁄2 miles southwest of the village. Originally there were two of these wells but since discontinuing the Brockport supply the western well supply has been abandoned. The one now in use consists of an "L" shaped infiltration gallery, one wing being 140x8 feet and the other 80x20 feet. The depth of the water in this well at the time of this inspection was about 8 feet. A wooden house and curb are provided over and about the infiltration gallery. The well is located near a small brook and is probably subject to surface wash at times.

2. The Guilden wells are located near the old pumping station about 1 mile southwest of the village. There are 2 wells, one 18 feet in diameter by 20 feet deep. The depth of the water in this well being about 15 feet. It is located in a creek valley about 50 feet from the brook and is at times subject to surface wash. It is protected by a small wooden structure. The second well is located beneath the pumping station which is provided with a wooden floor. The drainage from the floor undoubtedly finds its way into the well.

3. A well 16 feet in diameter by 20 feet deep is located about % of a mile southeast of the regular pumping station or about 1 mile south of the village. The water in this well rises practically to the surface. It is protected by a stone curb and provided with a wooden roof. There is apparently no opportunity for surface wash to find its way into this well. 4. The Salisbury wells are located in pasture land about 1/4 of a mile southwest of the regular pumping station. There are 2 wells each 20 feet in diameter by 18 feet deep with drilled holes in the bottom 65 to 72 feet deep. The water rises in these wells to within about 2 feet of the surface. They are equipped with stone curbs and wooden roofs. Surface wash probably at times finds its way into these wells.

Samples of the water were collected just prior to the time of the inspection by Dr. Padelford, Health Officer, and sent to the Division of Laboratories and Research for analyses. The results of these analyses together with others previously made are recorded in the appended table.

The results of these analyses show a water at times somewhat colored but usually clear, also a water high in hardness. The figures for nitrogen in the form of free and albuminoid ammonia and nitrites are moderate but those for nitrates and chlorine are at times somewhat high thus indicating that pollution finds its way into the ground water tributary to the supply. The bacterial counts are at times high and colon bacilli are frequently present thus indicating the presence of active and potentially dangerous contamination. This contamination is probably caused by surface wash which finds its way into the supply due to inadequate development of the springs and wells. As a result of this investigation it may be concluded:

1. That the Clarington well, one of the Guilden wells and the Salisbury wells are inadequately protected from surface wash and furthermore, that the well located under the old pumping station is subject to pollution by drawing from the floor to the station.

2. That with more adequate development, however, these wells could be satisfactorily protected from pollution.

In view of the above, I beg to recommend that the water company take the necessary steps to adequately develop the wells or springs, from which the supply is derived, in such a manner that surface water cannot find its way directly into the supply.

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,

THEODORE HORTON,
Chief Engineer

ALBANY, N. Y., August 23, 1917

RESULTS OF WATER ANALYSES