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MONTOUR FALLS

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 Montour Falls made by Mr. C. M. Baker, assistant engineer, on May 29, 1917.

Montour Falls is an incorporated village of 1281 inhabitants, located in Schuyler county, on Catherine creek, the inlet to Seneca lake. The village is on the North Central railroad, and may also be reached by trolley from Elmira. It is three miles south of Watkins and 19 miles north of Elmira. No sewer system is provided, the houses being served by privies, cesspools, etc. There are, however, a few drains to carry off surface water from the streets. The water supply was installed about 1898, and is derived from an impounding reservoir on Johns brook at a point about 2 miles northeast of the village. From this reservoir the water flows by gravity through the distribution system. About 50 per cent of the population is served with the water. It was stated, however, that although the water is used by some for drinking and potable purposes it is principally used for sprinkling and flushing purposes, the water for drinking and domestic purposes being obtained mostly from private wells. There are in all 130 or 135 service taps, none of which are metered. The distribution system consists of 7 or 8 miles of mains ranging in size from 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Due to the lack of meters or other method of measuring the water used no defiinte information could be obtained regarding the consumption, but based upon a per capita rate of 100 gallons daily, the total consumption would be approximately 65,000 gallons per day. The reservoir is located about 400 feet higher in elevation than the city. Pressure reducing valves, however, reduce the pressure to about 85 pounds per square inch in the distribution system. A connection is also provided whereby water can also be turned into the system from another creek located south of Johns creek, as an auxiliary supply should occasion demand.

The reservoir is formed by a concrete dam constructed across a narrow gorge in the creek. It is roughly 300 feet wide by 400 feet long and has a capacity estimated at about 10,000,000 gallons, which is equivalent to about 154 days storage when based upon the consumption stated above, but is considerably less when based upon the stream flow. The intake consists of a screened pipe extending into the reservoir.

The private wells of the village from which the water for domestic purposes is principally obtained are said to be somewhat artesian in character, some of them being flowing wells. The strata consist of 6 to 8 feet of gravel, several feet of a continuous clay stratum and finally a water bearing gravel stratum, from which the supply is obtained. The wells are 40 to 60 feet deep. Cesspools are sunk into the first stratum of gravel, but do not penetrate the clay stratum.

The watershed tributary to the reservoir is about 3.68 square miles in area and has a total population of approximately 150 persons, or 41 per square mile. Topographically the area is very precipitous, a large portion is wooded, the remainder being used for farming and agricultural purposes. There are in all some 30 farms on the watershed. The buildings, however, are located well back from the streams. There appears to be little possibility of direct pollution except accidental, incidental or wilful pollution from the inhabitants or trespassers on the watershed.

Due to lack of containers samples of the water were not collected at the time of the inspection. Later, however, the local health officer collected samples and sent them 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 at times high in color and turbidity, also a water that is somewhat high in hardness. The figures for nitrogen in the form of free and albuminoid ammonia and nitrites are moder

ate. Those for nitrates and chlorine, however, are somewhat high, thus indicating that pollution at times finds it way into the supply. The bacterial counts are at times excessive and colon bacilli were found present in practically all of the 10 c.c. inoculations and occasionally in the 1 c.c. inoculations, thus indicating the presence of active and potentially dangerous contamination. As a result of this investigation it may be concluded:

1. That the water supply of Montour Falls is obtained from a source which is subject to considerable pollution from inhabitants on the watershed tributary to the supply.

2. That, although the supply is not used by all for domestic purposes, it is so used to a considerable extent.

3. That, although the private well supplies from which water is generally obtained for domestic purposes, may in most cases furnish water satisfactory in quality it is quite probable that pollution at times finds its way into some of them from cesspools, etc., by seepage along the pipes of the wells.

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

1. That consideration be given as soon as possible to the installation of a modern purification plant for treating the public water supply.

2. That pending the installation of the complete purification plant apparatus be installed and the water be sterilized with liquid chlorine. While it is possible that the private wells of the village are used to furnish much of the water for potable purposes, it has been the experience of this Department that, where running water is available in the houses, the latter water is used to a considerable extent for drinking and other domestic purposes. Furthermore, experience has shown that wells located in a thickly populated district, as in Montour Falls, sooner or later become contaminated. This is particularly true where no sewers are provided and where a large amount of sewage is discharged into the ground through leaching cesspools. We believe, therefore, that the matter of proper purification of the public water supply so as to render it safe and satisfactory for potable purposes is of vital importance to the health of the village. The above recommendations should, therefore, have the careful consideration of the various village officials. Finally, I would recommend that copies of this report be sent to the local health officer and board of trustees, also to the sanitary supervisor of the district. Respectfully submitted,

THEODORE HORTON,
Chief Engineer

ALBANY, N. Y., July 19, 1917

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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MORRISVILLE

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 Morrisville, made by Mr. C. M. Baker, assistant engineer, on April 11, 1917.

Morrisville is an incorporated village of 582 inhabitants, located in Madison county, about 25 miles southwest of Utica, and some three miles west of Morrisville station, on the Oswego branch of the Ontario and Western railroad. Sewage disposal is provided principally by privies and cesspools, although there are some private sewers, which discharge without treatment into a small brook that runs through the village.

The public water supply is derived from an impounding reservoir, fed principally by springs and located about 4 mile west of the village. The water supply is owned and operated by the municipality and was first put into operation in 1895. Practically the only improvement since this time has consisted of the raising of the elevation of the dam and improving the watershed in the immediate vicinity of the reservoir. From the reservoir the water flows by gravity through the distribution system. Practically all of the population is served with the water, there being in all about 150 service taps, all of which are metered except a few public taps and four water motors, each of which is connected with a 12-inch tap. There are in all about 21⁄2 miles of mains, ranging from 4 inches to 10 inches in diameter. The pressure in the center of the village averages about 86 pounds per square inch.

The reservoir is formed by the construction of an earthen dam with clay puddle and originally had a capacity of about 7,000,000 gallons, but now since the raising of the elevation of the dam, its capacity is 16,000,000 gallons. The intake consists of a 10-inch pipe which extends about 40 feet into the reservoir and is supported by a rubble pier and protected by a screen. A screen chamber is also provided just below the dam which is fitted with removable screens for the purpose of removing any large material that may find its way through the intake.

The watershed tributary to the reservoir has an area of only 50 or 60 acres and is used mostly as a meadow, there being no resident population. Although two roads cross the watershed, one is seldom used and the reservoir is protected from drainage from the other by means of ditches, which were clean and in good condition at the time of the inspection. A large portion of the watershed in the immediate vicinity of the reservoir is owned by the village and is enclosed by a fence. Most of this area has been reforested.

Some trouble has been experienced during the summer in the past, due to tastes and odors in the water. This trouble is said to be caused by a growth in the reservoir, which begins about the first of July and lasts through the summer. Samples of this vegetable growth were sent to the United States Department of Agriculture by the village officials for analyses. In its reply the Federal Department stated that "the growth responsible for the trouble is a plant which is quite resistant to the action of chemicals, and I regret, therefore, that it is not feasible to recommend any chemical treatment for avoiding this trouble." It was suggested, however, that the reservoir be covered or that the water be filtered and aerated. Samples of this growth were not available at the time of the inspection and detailed information regarding the trouble could not then be obtained.

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 a previous analysis are recorded in the appended table. The results of these analyses show a water satisfactory in physical qualities. with respect to color and turbidity and one moderate in hardness. The figures for nitrogen in its various forms are low and although the bacterial counts in these samples recently collected were high, colon bacilli were not found present in the inoculations tested.

As a result of this investigation, it may be concluded:

1. That the water supply of Morrisville, although derived from a source which may at times be subject to pollution by surface wash from roads, is nevertheless, comparatively well protected from this pollution by drainage ditches and by the careful supervision of the supply exercised by the village authorities.

2. That some trouble has been experienced with tastes and odors in the water during the summer, due apparently to a vegetable growth. In view of the above, I beg to recommend:

1. That the village authorities continue their careful supervision of the sanitary conditions on the watershed, in order to prevent pollution of the supply.

2. That the village authorities have a careful study made of the conditions causing the disagreeable tastes and odors during the summer when they exist and that means of obviating these unsatisfactory conditions be devised and put into operation.

In conclusion I would recommend that copies of this report be sent to the village board, to the local health officer, and to the sanitary supervisor of the district.

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

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