The Public Water Works, an Asset of SOuth Norwalk
Worth One Million Dollars
.. 4.“...
Clear Water Basin
The public water system of South Norwalk
has been in operation for thirty-six years. It
has established a good record for its value
and efficiency. which possibly cannot be more
tersely expressed than by the simple state-
ment that from its original installation up to
the present moment, the city has not been out
of water. A still more convincing demon!»
stration of its resourcefulness and high stand-
Prlmary Section No.4
.. .u...... a. .. .... “oath.
Primary Section Ne. 3
000 gallons more and make a-total storage of
over 900.000.000 gallons of water. The reser-
voirs are located at an altitude of two hun-
dred and sixty feet above high water and from
them the water flows by gravity to the filtra-
tion plant, thence to the city through a sixteen-
inch and twelve-inch main after its purification.
Surrounding the reservoirs there are Over two
hundred and fifty acres more of land. thereby
ard of proficiency Is furnished frongfiwweg-u affording protection to the impounded water.
ionce of last year. The continued
i. At another point on the watershed the city
nearly six month? produced a m; ., a“ gowns one hundred acres more of land where
throughout this section of the country. Sev-
eral public water systems w'ere exhausted, and
many adjoining towns had empty reservoirs.
During this strenuous period South “Norwalk
had ample water for all demands and supplied
the City of Norwalk for nearly two months.
also furnished the New York, New Haven &
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-shed that supplies the
South Norwalk public water system, comprises
tcn‘ square miles. It is located in two valleys.
the water-shed of the east valley being con-
nected 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
permanent right of way through the preperties
where it is laid. The water is conveyed to four
I:
reservoirs which cover about two hundred
acres of ground. having a storage‘ capacity of,
680,000,000 gallons. [It a nominal expendi-
tIn-e the overflow of the city lake-at Wilton can.
he raised five feet and the roadway: changed.
By this alteration it would add about 250.000.“
I _ . 9 ‘
, there is a natural site to build another reser-
voir that would hold 300,000.000 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 pipe-lines, one by the chief operator and
one by the assistant operator of the purifica-
tion plant, and -two by the workmen on the
systbm. :o
WATER-MAINS. FIRE HYDRANTS. .
PRESSURE.
.
The‘distribution of the public water is by
gravity and requires forty-eight miles of pipe‘
lines. The ‘source of supply from the clear
water basin of the filtration plant has an alti-
tude of about two hundred and forty feet and
mainxpine a normal preegtne through the city
bl from sixty-five to ninety pounds, and the
largest and most stubborn fires ark controlled
and promptly extinguished. . Five, public
drinking fountains and two hundred and fifty .
fire hydrants are maintained Water for street
sprinkling. flushing of sewers and for the city
buildings is furnished by the water department
without expense to the city
PURIFICATION PLANT
One of the most important andtvaluable pd-
.
3
Second Aerator (thumb-r j":
BIRDMS EYE VIEW OF PURIFICATION PLANT AT WILTON, CONN.. fix MILES NORTH OF CITY. COVERING ONE AND QNE-HALF AOREG. ELEVATION 260 FEET ABOVE CITY. BUILT OF SOLID CONCRETE. CAPACITY 4,000,000 GALLONS DAlLV'
Operating House
ditions to the public .water system was the
construction of a modern purification plant,
which has now been in operation for three
years. It is known'as the slow-sand filtration
with the auxiliary of aeration. The plant was
erected from plans and under the supervision
and consultation of the most expert and best
authorities in the country. In numerous ways
as time passes the value of the plant is becom-
ing more apparent. It was the direct rescuer
of two cities from a water famine last year.
The Consolidated Railroad claims that it pre-
fers to have' their steam locomotives take water
at South Nth-walk. as it is the best on {lie line.
Manufacturers have volunteered their testi-
mony of the saving and help that itifurnishea
them in many ways. A prominent druggist
state that there' Is no spring water of any kind
or name that compares with the filtered public
water for compounding prescriptions. The
most important benefit of all is the confidence
that is afforded to the public, that the use of
the public water is helpful and healthful.
AUXILIARY HILL SERVICE.
During the year £909 a special auxiliary ser-
vice was constructed on tho bill. About one
hundred 1.0qu no supplied from «this plant.
The residences in this immediately locality
are about one hundned and seventy-five feet
Above high water. The equipment comprises
a 50.090 gallon tank erected on metal trestle
eighty feet high. the entire height 0! the 0&0-
surcbelngonebuodredfeetabove themrfaee.
A pumping station built at stone in which are
set two centrif pl My attached to
electric motors.
water to the tank. The power for operating is
supplied from the city electrical works. This
aualilaty mummy forall
WMWIMwu-wuua‘
The flattens who have “service are very
much pies-Id within: _ if;
coumvmva. PWTJCAL Busi-
' uses nauseous“
angovernedbymm»
‘ made W01 muesli. supplies the
Primary Section N0. .2
Inventory. supplies and fixtures. ..,. 9,670.00
Accounts receivable ....... .. .. 11,190.60
Sinking fund. established 1910 . . .. ascent
Cash in office and treasury. ..... 109.64
' 3585.741“
Liabilities.
, Bonds payable, 4%. ......... .. $315,000.00
Note payable. 4% ........ . ....... 4,000.00
Surplus ................ .........266.747.68
I
seeindary Filter
0 “
good evidence 'of the practical operation of
the department.
RECEIPTS.
Gross receipts, water rents ........ $45,761.15
EXPENDITURES.
Paid for interest .................. $123907:
For maintenance ............ 11,956.01
Paid for taxes . ................... ' 271.16
Rebates ..... . ............. I ...... 36.2:
Profits for year ............... .. . 20,998.04
$45,761.15
From the year's profits. $5,000 of bonds were
paid ofi’, $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... . . $561,675.02
, $505,557.63 that in its entirenese make it an ideal
The above anthracite shows the condition oi'
I
. “Wk—5‘“ .. W.M.‘_~ .
, delitednees at this date, 335.000. The a ,
a. w-.. .
Primary Sectlon No.1 First Aerator Chamw
the public water works at the close of the city':
financial year. These figures expres! the very
flattering facts that our municipal water work,
while possessing the great essential fundw
mentals of unlimited supply and superior q
ity of purity, also has the all-important
vital factor of maintaining itself and pa
its liabilities without any Women m
therctty or tax from the peopflj f ~
earnings it is operated“!!! ' .
cost is nearly one-half paid for.
nual statement was mag—M ,_
$4,000 of bonds paid off, leaving the ‘
increase in the revenue from water rents
about $1.200 annually. By expressing Iv"
in figures one can see much more plainly
convincineg the actual merit of any ,
that may be presented for consideration. ' «
this standpoint, thetconception would b?!
1
Value of water works, $1,000,000; pm
incsme $45,761.15, or» 450%. Cost of wool”:
works. $561,675; present income $45,761.15,-
1957’. Debt of water works, $319,000; .. ,9
income $45,761.15, or 14%. Income for 19’
$45, 761.15; profit for 1910, 300,408. 04.“
The prospective value of the public m
system is almost unlimited; as a going p , "
don for investment knee“ offer moot ,
live possibilities. Today the income is -
foiu-timwtho interest charges. The - ~»
worth of the public water works of ’1.”
Is I small amount, in comparison to the . ,
pective value of ten or twenty years it 7'
,J‘he' public water works has all the ’
and is not excelled throughout New
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Norwalk Chronicler