_LORO, NATHANIEL Ww... Bad condition of Opringfield wells. ie > ae An 4 ¥ ; 7 ‘ . x x rOh 1 © IN. [1] WATER SUPPLY. QUALITY OF WATER USED IN SPRINGFIELD FOR DOMESTIC PUR- POSES.—STARTLING REVELATIONS OF CHEMICAL ANALYSIS BY PROFESSOR LORD. ° At a meeting of the City Council last (Tuesday) evening George H. Frey of the Water-Works Committee read the report of Prof. Lord, of Columbus, who recently made analyses of the water used in this city in houscholds. The report is given below in full. Its revelations are decidec ly startling: . SPRINGFIELD, OcToOBER 19, 1880. To the City Council of the Cit: of Springfield:-— On behalf of the Committee on Water-Works I hereby submit the report of Prof. Nat W. Lord, of Ohio University, Columbus, on the analyses of water taken from the gravel beds east _ of Lagonda, in what is supposed to be the original bed of Buck Creek, from the points where it is supposed that the largest and best supply of pure water can be obtained for the supply of this city. The report of Prof. Lord includes the analyses also of the waters q of a number of wells, located in various sections of the city, which it is hoped may bef value to our citizens generally in leading ; ie x i) 2 , i om" : ¥ to the exercise of discrim' nating judgment in the use of so important an article as water. Bills covering expenses incurred by your committee to date are herein submitted in memoranda. GEORGE H. Frey, Secretary of Water- Works Committee. BAD CONDITION OF SPRINGFIELD WELLS. REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF ANALYSIS OF WATER TAKEN FROM WELLS IN AND IN THE VICINITY OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, BY NAT L. LORD, E. M., ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MINING AND ‘METALLURGY OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, COLUMBUS. Brrore giving the results of these examinations it is important to briefly state the methods used and the reasons for the special determinations made. Natural waters fit for domestic use, are never pure in the chemical sense of free from other substances, but are very dilute solutions of such substances as can be leached out from the earth from which the water is drawn or the air through which, as rains, it falls, the principle of which is carbonates, and sulphates of lime and magnesia, with some chlorides as common salts (or chloride of sodium.) ; When present in small proportions these salts are not only not injurious, but perhaps positively beneficial, many waters: ot good quality containing thirty to thirty-five grains in the gallon. Much more than this would, however, render the water undesirable, making it very “hard” or unfit for washing purposes from not forming a lather with soap. When water is evaporated, these matters are left and can be weighed, constituting the “total solid residue” ot the analysis—an important determination, which residue should not exceed in a first-class water the limits above stated. These salts are then normal constituents of potable water, and, unless excessive, not important. But other matters may occur in water, never present in pure supplies, hence strictly impurities and of the greatest influence in determining its fitness for domestic use. Those most important are the contaminations introduced by the admixture of sewage. It isa well ascertained fact that nothing is a more potent cause of disease than the use of water polluted by the decomposing refuse of houses, stables or cities ; hence in examining any water supply the first and most important question is, Does it in any way receive such contamination ? eeu eee & Cee ( & e e ee eee © ¢ Lag € € eecece . \ [3] The method of ascertaining this is founded upon the fact that decomposing animal and vegetable matters yield ammonia. Were natural waters always free from this, it would be sufficient to simply test the water for its presence, which is easy to de with the utmost delicacy, but while well and spring waters contain but a trace of this substance, rain water contains it frequently, and hence a further test is necessary, which consists in, after removing from the water all the free ammonia present, testing the remainder for matters capable of yielding amnionia by decomposition, or, in ether wards, fer “organic The further supply of aramonia thus ob- , introgenous substances.’ tained, known and reported in the analysis as “‘albuminoid ammonia,” is of paramount importance as determining and indicating the extent of sewage contamination. An important element of Sewage is salt, or chloride of sodium; hence the presenee of an excessive amount of chlorine in water is suspicious unless other causes can be shown to account for it. From the above facts it appears that an examination of water with reference to its potable character should comprise first a determination of the free ammonia, the albuminoid ammonia and the chlorine. Then should the amount of these present be found so minute as not to condemn the water, the amount of the “total solids” and their charaeter should be determined. A few obvious conclusions may be stated as of interest in connection with the analysis to follow: Ist. Rain water may be expected to contain some free ammonia, but no albuminoid ammonia or chlorine. 2d. Well water tainted by fresh sewage should contain little free ammonia, but much albuminoid and chlorine. 3d. Well water from ground well steeped with old sewage may be very high in free ammonia and chlorine. 4th. A well from which much water is drawn and which receives a steady supply of fresh sewage, would show little free ammonia, but much albuminoid in proportion to the extent of the contamination. As to the quality of sewage dangerous in water, the least trace may be so considered, for while water very slightly tainted may seem harmless for a time, it is pretty well established that in case of fevers and similar diseases water acts as a carrier for the disease even where the slighest communication exists. ray rey 165678 L4 J The following table of the results of analysis of the Springfield waters reports the ammonia and chlorine in “parts of one million,” and I have added a fourth column giv og the equivalent sewage contamination in percentages. These lat‘cr figures are approximate only, and are based upon the fact that average sewage yields about five parts of ‘‘albuminoid ammonia in o21e million.” The figures are, however, rather below the truth than »bove it. The albuminoid ammonia to the extent of .05 parts may be considered as due to the vegetable matters and not injurious. as the purest water may contain this amount; all above this is si