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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 McGrawville made by Mr. E. S. Chase, assistant engineer, on December 22, 1916.

McGrawville is an incorporated village with a population of about 887, located in the central part of Cortland county, about 5 miles east of the city of Cortland. It is on the Cincinnatus branch of the D., L. & W. railroad, and is the terminus of the trolley line from Cortland. It is largely residential although there are one or two small factories in the village. The village has no sewer system and the houses are served by privies and cesspools.

The water supply is derived from several drilled wells located near the center of the village. The waterworks were constructed in 1908 and are owned and operated by the municipality under the direction of the board of water commissioners of which Mr. G. H. Miracle is president.

Approximately 90 per cent of the population are served with the supply as are also the railroad and factories. The daily water consumption may be estimated at approximately 75,000 gallons per day or 85 gallons per capita. There are between 3 and 4 miles of water mains ranging in size from 4 inches to 8 inches in diameter. Of the 225 service taps, approximately 100 are metered. The water from the wells is pumped into the distribution system against a pressure of approximately 115 pounds per square inch, maintained by a standpipe located on a side hill about three-fourths of a mile

northwest of the village center. There are at present 9 wells in use, 5 of which were drilled in 1908 and 4 of which were drilled about 1913. Little data could be obtained regarding these wells, either with respect to their size or depth. It was stated that they were possibly 65 feet deep and passed through strata of loam and gravel into shale. The depth at which the shale was encountered could not be determined but it was stated that rock was generally found throughout the village at about 30 feet below the surface. The wells are said to be cased to the rock and are direct connected to the pump.

The pumping equipment is housed in a small concrete building and consists of a 25 horse-power steam engine belted to a 60 gallon per minute triplex pump. The steam for the operation of the pumping equipment is derived from an adjacent box factory.

The standpipe is constructed of steel and is about 30 feet in diameter by 65 feet in height and has a capacity of about 350,000 gallons.

The wells are located not far from a thickly settled portion of the village and while their exact location could not be determined on account of the depth of snow upon the ground it is evident that they are somewhat unsatisfactorily situated on account of the proximity. of the inhabited portion of the village. The privy of the box factory near the pump house is probably within 100 feet of the nearest well, while beyond 100 feet and within 500 feet there are about 5 houses, and beyond 500 feet and within 1,000 feet there are probably 12 houses. About 50 feet from the wells flows Trout brook, a tributary to the Tioughnioga river. It is said, however, that the water level of the wells is not affected by the height of the water in the brook.

Subsequent to the time of the inspection, samples of water were collected by Dr. Ensign, health officer, and sent to the Division of Laboratories and Research for analyses, the results of which together with others made in the past will be found in the appended table.

The results of these analyses show a clear, colorless and hard water. The figures for nitrogen in its various forms are somewhat high for unpolluted ground waters, high figures for nitrates frequently indicating the occurrence of considerable organic pollution in the ground water supply. The figures for chlorine are also rather high and taken in conjunction with the high figures for nitrates indicate the presence of past pollution. The total bacterial counts, however, are on the whole moderately low, and, with three exceptions in the series of 23, organisms of the B. coli type are absent. From the inspection, however, it appears that there are numerous sources of possible pollution in the neighborhood of the wells as is always true where wells are located in the vicinity of a thickly-settled community. While the analyses indicate that the contamination reaching the ground water has been on the whole rendered inactive by the natural processes of purification, there is no positive assurance that such will continue to be the case under different hydraulic conditions of the ground water flow.

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

1. That the public water supply of the village of McGrawville while of a reasonably satisfactory physical quality is derived from wells which are not satisfactorily located with respect to their proximity to a thickly-settled portion of the village and to numerous potential sources of contamination.

2. That the analyses indicate the occurrence of past pollution rendered inactive, however, by the natural processes of purification.

3. That it is impossible to predict the continuance of satisfactory purification by these natural processes.

I would, therefore, recommend:

1. That the village authorities take steps to improve the sanitary conditions in the vicinity of the wells by providing all privies within the radius of 500 feet with water-tight removal containers, the contents of which to be disposed of at satisfactorily frequent intervals at some point remote from the wells and in such manner as to bring about no possibility of nuisance or of pollution of the water supply.

2. That frequent analyses of the supply be made at regular intervals, and that in case active contamination is found at any time steps be taken to determine and eliminate the source or to adequately purify the supply by sterilizing with liquid chlorine.

3. That in case it is impossible or impracticable to carry out the above recommendations the village consider the advisability of abandoning the present supply and developing a new supply free from all possibilities of contamination.

Respectfully submitted,

ALBANY, N. Y., February 27, 1917

THEODORE HORTON,
Chief Engineer

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RESULTS OF WATER ANALYSES

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

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Color

Total

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HARDNESS

Bacteria per c.c.; gelatin 20°, 48 hours

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