Documents of the Assembly of the State of New York

SONYEA (Craig Colony for Epileptics)

HERMANN M. BIGGS, M.D., State Commissioner of Health:

I beg to submit the following report upon examination of plans for control apparatus for chlorine sterilization of the water supply of the Craig Colony for Epileptics, Sonyea, N. Y., submitted to this Department on April 16, 1917, by Hon. Lewis F. Pilcher, State Architect.

Plans for improvements to the water supply system of this institution were approved on August 3, 1916. These plans showed a chlorine control apparatus so arranged and connected as to permit the sterilization of either raw or treated water. The type of apparatus, however, was not indicated on the plans approved. The recently submitted details of this apparatus show a three unit dry feed chlorinator manufactured by the Wallace & Tiernan Co. Assuming this apparatus connected with the suction line of each of the raw water pumps and with that of the filtered water pumps, as shown on the plans approved August 3, 1916, it is evident that the proposed apparatus will be capable of adequately sterilizing the water provided proper operation is maintained. For filtered water, the amount of chlorine applied should not be less than 0.25 part per million by weight, and for raw water, not less than 0.50 part per million.

I would recommend, therefore, that these plans be approved.

ALBANY, N. Y., April 24, 1917

Yours very truly,
THEODORE HORTON,

Chief Engineer

SONYEA (Craig Colony for Epileptics)

HERMANN M. BIGGS, M.D., State Commissioner of Health:

I beg to submit the following report upon the examination of supplementary plans submitted by Hon. L. F. Pilcher, State Architect, on May 29, 1917, showing modifications in the plans for proposed alterations to the water softener plant at Craig Colony for Epileptics at Sonyea, N. Y., approved by this Department on August 3, 1916.

On April 24, 1917, a conference was held between Mr. Booth of the L. M. Booth Company of New York, contractors for the softener plant, and representatives of the State Architect's office, and a representative of this Division. At that time Mr. Booth suggested certain modifications in the arrangement of the water softener plant and at the request of Mr. Nichols of the State Architect's office agreed to prepare plans showing such modifications. The plans now under consideration contain these modifications which consist essentially of the following:

1. The arrangement of the chemical feed pipe so that the softening chemicals may be applied to the raw water at a point near the bottom of the reaction tank at the inlet end of the raw water pipe instead of in the weir box as shown on the plans approved August 3, 1916.

2. The arrangement of the piping in such a way that the reaction tanks will always be used in series and in the same order instead of in either direction or independently as in the layout shown in the plans previously approved.

3. The arrangement of the alum feed pipe so that the alum will be applied to the water at a chute connecting the two reaction tanks instead of at the weir box as previously shown.

4. The placing of the sludge blowouts in the bottom of the chemical mixing tanks instead of in the sides.

The reason for modification No. 1 is that the softening chemicals form incrustations which would clog the raw water inlet pipe thereby reducing its capacity. The reason for the second modification is that it is desired to use an open chute to convey the treated water from the first reaction tank to the second, such a chute being easy to maintain and also obviates the possibility of clogging in the pipe connecting the two tanks as shown in the plans previously approved. The objection to this arrangement is that less flexibility of operation is secured although there is practically no object in having such flexibility save in case of accident to the stirring apparatus and there is so little apparatus in these reaction tanks that repairs could be made very easily and quickly. The reason for modification No. 3 is that when the alum is added at the same point as the lime reaction takes place between the acid alum and the basic lime thus using up the chemicals unnecessarily. The 4th modification simply allows better facilities for cleaning out the chemical mixing tanks.

From our examination of these proposed modifications it would appear that they would not be detrimental to securing the proper treatment of the water and I would therefore recommend that this plan be approved.

ALBANY, N. Y., June 5, 1917

Respectfully submitted,

THEODORE HORTON,
Chief Engineer

SOUTH GLENS 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 South Glens Falls, made by Mr. C. M. Baker, assistant engineer, July 3, 1917.

South Glens Falls is an incorporated village with a population of 2,350, located in the extreme northeastern part of Saratoga county, on the right bank of the Hudson river, directly opposite the city of Glens Falls. It is also on the Hudson Valley electric railroad. A complete system of public sewers is provided, which discharge into septic tanks, the effluent flowing into the Hudson river.

The public water supply is obtained from a small spring brook, located on low land adjacent to the Hudson river and just south of the village. The waterworks were originally installed in 1889, and then consisted of an impounding reservoir on a stream formed by the confluence of Baker and Wetsel brooks, a gate house with coke strainer, a pumping plant and distribution system. In August, 1898, however, a new impounding reservoir on Baker brook was added and later a second or upper reservoir was constructed on Wetsel brook. The old original reservoir and coke filters are now out of service.

A previous investigation was made of this supply in 1909, and the report thereon published on page 339, volume 2 of the 30th Annual Report. At that time it was pointed out that pollution at times found its way into the supply and the following recommendations were made to the board of trustees, that:

1. A thorough inspection of the watersheds of Baker and Wetsel brook should be made and measures should be taken to remove all sources of pollution and to prevent their recurrence.

2. The streams entering the reservoir from the side are polluted, and it is therefore important that they carry out their intention to divert these streams from the reservoir.

3. In case any difficulties are experienced by them in removing pollution, or if they otherwise find it impracticable to protect their water supply, they should consider the question of application to this Department for the enactment of rules and regulations, in accordance with sections 70 and 71 of the Public Health Law.

Since this previous report recommendation No. 2 has been complied with by the construction of the upper reservoir on Wetsel brook. With this improvement, the use of the coke filters has been discontinued.

Practically all of the population of the village are served with the water, there being some 600 service taps, none of which are metered. The distribution system consists of about 71⁄2 miles of mains, ranging from 4 to 14 inches in diameter. The daily consumption averages 350,000 or 400,000 gallons, with a maximum of possibly 600,000. The pressure is approximately 60 pounds per square inch.

An intake was formerly provided whereby water could be pumped directly from the Hudson river to provide additional supply in case of fire. Although this connection is now abandoned, cross connections are maintained between the village supply and that of the International Paper Mill, by means of which river water may be pumped directly into the distribution system. Gate and check valves are provided between the supplies of the paper mill and the village to prevent the flow of water from the mill system into that of the village under normal conditions.

Ordinarily the reservoir on Baker brook is the main source of supply, but at the time of the inspection this reservoir was being cleaned and the water from the upper reservoir on Wetsel brook was being used. From the impounding reservoirs the water flows by gravity to a masonry reservoir located adjacent to the pumping station, from which it is pumped through the distribution system into a steel standpipe.

The reservoir on Baker brook has a capacity of about 248,000 gallons, and that on Wetsel brook 280,000 gallons. The Baker brook reservoir is constructed with concrete walls and earth bottom, while the Wetsel reservoir is formed by the construction of a concrete dam crossing the natural channel of the brook. The elevation of the water in this reservoir was only 2 or 3 feet above that of the river at the time of the inspection. The standpipe is constructed of steel and has a capacity of about 230,000 gallons. The reservoirs are cleaned yearly and the mains are flushed about three times each year. The pumping equipment is housed in a brick building and consists of two compound duplex 10-inch by 16-inch by 81⁄2-inch by 10-inch pumps, each having a capacity of 750,000 gallons per day. Steam power is furnished by 285 h. p. Franklin return tubular boilers.

The area of the watershed on Baker creek tributary to the supply, is approximately 22 acres, and on Wetsel brook about 32 acres. The sources of the streams are springs, the surface watershed of which is an extensive sandy plain lying just east of the reservoir. There is no permanent population on the watershed of Wetsel brook, but there are two or three houses on that tributary to Baker brook. These areas, however, lie very close to the village, and as no property adjacent to the reservoir is owned by the village and no One pernotices are posted regarding trespassing, visitors frequent the area. son was fishing in the vicinity at the time of the inspection and well beaten paths wind through and over the watershed. Fecal matter was noticed in some cases near the reservoirs. The houses on the watershed tributary to Baker brook are located well back from the streams proper. A state road, however, passes at the top of an embankment, at the foot of which issues a large spring constituting the main source of supply for Baker brook. A catch basin, constructed on the side of the road, near the spring, overflows into a leaching cesspool on the opposite side of the road, this cesspool being about 75 feet only from the spring. The soil is gravelly or sandy and very porous and the road wash, therefore, doubtless finds its way quite directly into the ground water tributary to the spring. Another source of pollution is the overflooding of the Wetsel reservoir and vicinity by the Hudson river at times of high water, this condition having existed only a short time prior to the time of the inspection. Along this point the Hudson drains a populated area and receives direct sewage discharge at points. The danger of serious contamination by such flooding is therefore evident.

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.

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

CHEMICAL (PARTS PER MILLION)

BACTERIOLOGICAL