The Public Water Works, an Asset of SOuth N1
Worth One Million Dollars “
Clem Waters asin
The public water system of South Norwnlk
has been-in operation for thirty-six years. It
has established a good record dlor its value
and efficiency. which possibly cannot be more
tersely expressed than by the simple state»
ment that from its.original installation up to
y the present moment. the city has not been out
of water. A still more convincing demon-
stration of its resourcefulness 111111 high stand-
ard of proficiency is furniphud from the exper-
ience. of last year.. The continued thought of
nearly six months produced a water famine
throughout this section of the country. Sevl
eral public water systems were exhausted. and
many adjoining towns had empty reservoirs.
During this strenuous period South Norwnlk
had ample water for all demands and supplied
the City of Norwalk for nearly two months.
£1150 furnished the New York, New Haven 15’:
Hartford Railroad with a double allowance of
their usual consumption on account of failure
of their own supply at Rowayton.
WATER-SHED, RESERVOIRS AND
' GROUNDS.
The area of water~shcd that supplies the
South Norwalk public water system. comprises
ten square miles. It is located in two valleys.
the watershed of the east valley being cen-
nectcd with the west valley by pipe line laid
at hydraulic grade. across the country for one
and one— half miles. the city owning a deeded
per manent right of way through the properties
where it is: laid The water is 1011111111 to £0111
tesmvoirs which cover about We" '
acres oi ground having a Storag ‘V ‘
680. one one gallans.
turn the overflow of the city lake at
'rilio’zn can
At a 11011111131 eupemliu”
00o gallons more and make .1 1111.11 storage of
Over 900.000.0011 gallons (11' water. The rtsexu
voirs are loreteol at .111 altitude of two hun.
dred and Sixty feet 111111111 high water 21nd from
them the Water flows by gravity to the 1111mm
tion plant. thence to the city through 11 Slxll?€‘§l~
inch and tWelvc‘inch main nittr i111 purification.
Surroundinn the remrvnlrs there are over two L
'hundred and fifty acre: more of land thereby
aiiordiiig protection to the iinpoundediwater.
At another point on the water- shed the city
owns one hundred acres more of land where
there is a natural site 1'11 build another reser-
voir that would hold 3,011,000,000 gallons or
more of water. Also on the grounds, located
at convenient points there are five cottages.
one is occupied by the inspector of reservoirs
and pipelines. one by the chief operator and
one by the assistant operator of 4he purifica-
tion plant, and two by the workmen on the
system.
WATER—MAINS. FIRE lIYDltAN'fS.
1111133111213.
The distribution of theypublic water is by
gravity and requires forty-eight miles of pipe
lines. The source of supply from the clear"
water hauin of the filtration plant has an alti-
tude of about two hundred and forty feet and
maintains a normal pressure through the city
of from sixtyohve to ninety pounds. and the
largest and 111031 stubborn 111111111. controlled
and promptly extinguished. Five public
111511351 taunts}; lu‘pM twp, hundred 111111 titty
1:11:11 hy 11511111111111 ‘ ’ ‘ Van?“
upfhihlitmilushing 111' «comm 11111. 11141 etiy‘
building‘s wilful/ah!!! y the water d€§aiim¢n£
without 1511111111111 111 t cfiy. . ‘ _1.
1
rurttrICArtoN rum. , :1
Ohe oi the most important and valuable ad-
llpt- ruling House
A
1
(litions to the puhlie water synte‘n was the“
cmmtrtntiou of 11 .11111l01'n purification plant.
which ins 11.1w been in operation for three
years. It is known as the slow-sand filtration
with the auxiliary 1 l aerfuion. The plant was
erected from plans and under the supervieion
11nd commutation of 12113111051 expert and best
authorities in the counlrv. in numerous ways
stinie passes the v11‘uc of the plant iwhecozn-
i111; 1111111: apparent. “We; thé direct rescuer
oi twp citiu'. irom a wéler {amine last year.
The Consolidated 121111611111 claims that it pro—
fers to have their steam lommotiyés take water
.11 South Nuz'walk. as it is the bent on the line.
Ma11uf3;turrrs have volunteered their testi-
mony oi the tuning and help that it iurniuhes
them in 11‘1any ways. A prominent druggist
r-ltth'S that there is no spring water of any kind
or name that compares with the filtered public
water for compounding pres:ripti0ns, . The
man important benefit of all is the confidence
111 it is aflorded to the puhlh. that the use of
the puh lic mum is helpful and healthful. ’
AUXILIARY HILL SERVICE.
During the year 1909 111 special auxiliary ser-
vice was constructed on the hill. About one
hundred familial. are supplied {tom this plant.
The residences“ in this’immedlhtcly locality
are about one hundred and seventyLIive ”feet
above high water. The equipment comprises
3551.000 gallon tank erected on a stool trestle
nighty feet high, the entire height ofi'thnmuoi.
M11111; one htlitdtcd Tim above’khé silflace.
A: 7 ping station 1111111 of 11111111 in which 1111,
' centrifugal pump: directly hunched t6"
. electric 111011111. which are gowrnodhyloutdé
matié devicetiand novirehboord. Mliu'the"
mm to the tank. The power for 111111111111; it
1111 11 . a city elliptical 111111.111
" on up 11111111111111 supply in- all
Primary 5111111311
fiends payable. 4C3 ,.. .1 ..
"Note 11111111111111.4111.
Surplus ‘
’9‘
and elm uMwood 11111 11111111111011:
fiat)! who have thin 111111111111 are? Very
112th
good evidence of the praci‘ilzal opemtion of
the department. 11
111
' RECEIPTS.
Grow receipts, water rents . . . ....1313~76.1.15
EXPENDITURES.
i
Paid 111: interest .......... l ....... $1 1.999312
For maintenance ................. I 1.956.01
Paid for taxes .............. 221.15
Rebuilt“; ..... ............ . ........ 36 ‘2
Prelim for year .............. . . . . . 20 493 04
$457151 15
From the year‘s profits, $5.000 of bonds were
paid off. $2.500 was deposited in the sinking
fund. the balance was put into new extensions
and betterments.
STATEMENT. OCTOBER 31, 1910.
Assets.
Water works and extensions. . . . . $561,675.22
Inventory. supplies and fixtures ..... 9.672.211
Accounts receivable . . . .1 . . . ..... 11.79060
Sinking; fund. established-1910 . . . . 2.500 00
Cash in office and tieasury ...... . 1015. 64
W
1‘ $585,747. 68'
11111111111113. ‘
. . . . .. $315,000.99
4 one on
1166.747 681
$585 747 63
The above statement shows-the condition of
1.1.1:.111'111o1i
l 1
11
11 1
.. {our timeout! inlet-est chaiges. The p;
\ -t
the put» '1: watch if; 1."..1 cal. the close of the Cl"
bnanciai year."i $.11 c figures express _.
flattering inci§ that o. 11 municipal water 1111
while possessingh the great essential f
rrei. tals of umrctted eupply and superior 1‘;
it" of pulliy". aim has the all— importapt
v tnl lactoni cl" mgintaining itself and
its liabilitib‘t without any appropriation
the city or tag; from the peeple. From
earningsit is operated and today its
cost is nearly one-half paid for. Since t
nual statcmmt was made there hav ,
$4. 000 of bonds paid oil“. leaving the to
in figures one can see much more plainly
convincingly the actual merit of any _
that may he presented for consideration. 3
this standpoint. the conception would be:
11
‘1.
Value of water- works, $1 090.000: new
inume $45761i15. or 4‘60. Cost of‘W' ' '
works. $561 .675; present income $45 761.35,.
8'12. Delt oil: later works, $319,000; present
income $45.76;,i3. or 14%. Ingome for 19,1.
$45.761.15; profiti‘for 1910. $20,498.04, or 4.5
The pros'pectlye value of the public.
system is alrno‘gtamlimited: as a going pm
1111.. for invqg eat it would ofier mos t attract; g
tivc positib'tlfifl W Today the income is n " '
Worth of thé' blitz water works of $ - .
it; a 3.:1all {at 1E8 111. in comparison to t ’
pectin value‘af ‘ten or twenty yen
'lhe public on! 1' "World! 111111 all thé‘hc
that in its ehti ac1111 make it an ideal
and is not REE led throughout New
1111111 91
has:
1
Norwalk Chronicler