o. 
 
 REPORT BY E. H. KEATING, EsO^^CITY ENGINEER, 
 TORONTO, ON PROPOSED TRUNK SEWER, 
 
 OTTAWA. 
 
 Toronto, Dec. 26th, 1893. 
 
 To His Worships O. Durochtr, Esq., Mayct of Ottawa. 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 Your letter of the 7th instant, conveys the request that I should 
 examine and report upon the scheme for a proposed system of Trunk 
 Sewers, for which a by-law authorizing a grant of $365,000 to defray the 
 cost is to be submitted to the ratepayers on the ist Januairj, 1894, and 
 
 you ask for my report before that date, v* v>l -■ ^ ?^*^.>#^ ix^ 
 
 ! "'A-'l ' . 
 
 In compliance with this request I visited Ottawa, and spent three 
 days in going over the round, examining the plans and obtaining infor- 
 on necessary for my guidance. '* 
 
 mation necessary for my guidance. 
 
 I need scarcely say that th^ limited time allowed me is not suffi- 
 cient for a thorough investigation of all the questions which are involved 
 in considering a project of this nature. I have, however, given the 
 matter as much study as the time given me would permit, and I am 
 indebted to Mr. Surtees, your engineer, and Mr. Perreault, his assistant, 
 for their kindness and patience in explaining the scheme and in giving 
 me information and, data bearing upon it. ; /vti-; 
 
 I am informed that about half the total area within the present city 
 limits, is now provided with drainage facilities, and that the proposed 
 scheme was prepared with the view to affording means by which the 
 other half of the city area could be drained. 
 
 Much of this outlying district is suburban, and apparently waste 
 land, so situated that it cannot be properly drained without involving 
 the construction of long, deep and expensive main sewers. 
 
 At the time of my visit the water courses were frozen over, the 
 whole country covered with snow and the temperature several degrees 
 below zero, so that the opportunity for inspecting the ground was not 
 as favorable as could be desired, 
 
I ,i-1 
 
 Under the proposed plan the City is divided into four main drain- 
 age areas represented to be of the following dimensions : — 
 
 Area No. i 515 acres. 
 
 2. 738 . 
 
 3' 
 
 4- 
 
 .320 
 , 161 
 
 Total 1742 ; 
 
 Area No. 1 is designed to hav6 an independent outlet into the 
 existing sewer on First Avenue, which, however, is too small to carry 
 off the combined sewage and rainfall of the district, hence Mr. Surtees 
 has proposed the double sewer mentioned in his report, as a means of 
 overcoming the difficulty. 
 
 The other areas, Nos. 2, 3, and 4, have been designed to have a 
 common outlet through New Edinburgh into the Ottawa River below 
 the Rideau Falls. , , . r 
 
 The gradients of the proposed sewers are marked on the profile, i 
 in 500 throughout, except for a distance of 700 feet at the crossing of 
 the Rideau canal, where the inclination is increased to i in 50. 
 
 The proposed plan, as explained by Mr. Surtees, provides for the 
 construction of the following works : — ; , '? 
 
 ' ' ' Eastern Division. ' ' ~ ' - ''"■■" 
 
 SJEe of Sewer. 
 
 Description. 
 
 Thick- 
 ness. 
 
 From 
 
 To 
 
 Average 
 
 depth of 
 
 cutting. 
 
 "Feet. 
 
 Leng'h 
 
 6' 0" steel pipe 
 6'o"x4'o".. 
 6'o"x4'o" M 
 4' 6" X 3' 0" 
 3'3"x2'2" 
 
 Outlet, 
 Brick Sewer. 
 
 II 
 II 
 II 
 
 Inches 
 
 9 
 9 
 9 
 
 
 
 Feet. 
 
 200 
 
 River. 
 
 St. Patrick. 
 
 Neville's Cr'k. 
 
 Cor. Bank and 
 Archibald Sts. 
 
 St. Patrick St. 
 
 Neville's Cr'k. 
 
 Cor. Bank and 
 
 Archibald Sts. 
 
 Concession St. 
 
 24 
 17 
 
 20>^ 
 
 5000 
 8900 
 6300 
 2900 
 
 Western Division. 
 
 3' 6" X 2' 4" 
 3'o''x2'o" 
 
 v'-.-'tr'- 
 
 ;. k- 
 
 Double Sewer 
 Brick Sewer. 
 
 Cor. Elm St. 
 
 and 1st Ave. 
 On Willow, 
 
 Bell & Emily 
 
 Willow Street. 
 
 Total length. 
 
 12 
 
 12 
 
 2250 
 
 2380 
 27830 
 
 Or over 5^^ miles of new main trunk sewers, 
 
•♦'■■i. .'n'' ■•■■", * ■•■ ■ ■: ■^■'■- ■' •■ . ■ ■■'.' - ' ■ ,' .1 ' r .' .1 I'j^.i" ; 
 
 r^K-^:^^ ■■-■!• ■::■■■ .^•■,;' .-'■»":i ^■'"■•■..■'.. -"^^ ■■■'■■' )":'., 
 
 From the information furnished, the above works will involve the 
 excavation of the following quantities of earth and rock according to 
 the gradients laid down on the profile : — 
 
 Rock — cubic yards. Earth — cubic yards. 
 
 Eastern Division 58,800 79,000 
 
 Western Division 5>5oo 7,200 
 
 Totals — 64,300 86,200 
 
 /'' Assuming that the works should be carried out in accordance with 
 the above data, and as at present designed, the following is my estimate 
 of their probable cost, exclusive of land damages : — ^ 
 
 ESTIMATE. 
 
 Eastern Division — 
 
 Rock, 5S.800 cub. yds., at $2.00 $ 117,600 
 
 Earth, 79,000 cub. yds., at ,70 5S>3oo • 
 
 Bricks, 4,610 M at $22 101,420 
 
 Junctions, allow 2,500 
 
 Man-holes 8,000 
 
 V , Canal and River crossings, allow extra. . 15,000 
 
 '^ ' '• Outlet r. ■. 8,000 
 
 Engineering and contingencies, allow To% 30,780 
 
 /%^v V $ 338,600 
 
 Western Division — 
 
 Rock, 5500 cub. yds, at $2.00 $11,000 00 
 
 Earth, 7200 cub. yds- at 50 cts 3,600 00 
 
 Bricks ir lower or egg shaped . 
 
 -* ,> sewer only 525 M. at $22.00 11,55000 
 
 Junctions and man-holes, allow 1,500 00 
 
 Engineering and contingencies, 
 
 allow 10 % 2,75000 
 
 ■ iu; ; ' 30,000 00 
 
 Total probable cost, exclusive of . , v ^ 
 
 upper or storm sewer in area 
 No. I $369,00000 
 
 In this estimate I have Omitted the double or storm water sewer 
 proposed to be built immediately over the projected sanitary sewer on 
 
Preston and Cedar stieetsand on First avenue, because I have no details 
 showing the precise method proposed for its construction, and also' for 
 other reasons which I will explain further on. 
 
 In going over the ground a few alterations in the alignment sug- 
 gested themselves, which would, I think, be beneficial and likely to 
 reduce the cost of the works considerably. 
 
 In Area No. i a saving could be effected by following the course 
 of the creek from the intersection of First avenue and Spruce street to 
 Cedar street, if the right of way could be acquired free or at trifling 
 expense, which I am told' is the case ; or otherwise the line might 
 advantageously be diverted from Cedar to Spruce street. 
 
 In Areas No. 2 and 3 I should prefer changing the crossing of the 
 Rideau Canal from Neville's Creek to Ann street, and conveying the 
 sewage across the canal by means of a submerged street pipe. If the 
 line is then carried diagonally across the ordnance property to Nelson 
 street, there would be a saving in distance of about 400 feet and a 
 corresponding saving in expense. 
 
 From an engineering point of view, however, the best location for 
 this nortion of the sewer appears to be across the Canal at Baxter's Creek, 
 following down the east side of the Rideau Canal and diagonally across 
 the Ordnance property to Nelson street. The adoption of this route 
 would shorten the sewer by about 1,200 feet and would avoid a good deal 
 of heavy and expensive work. The only objection to this route apparently 
 is that a portion of the sewer would be outside the present city limits . 
 
 In suggesting these alterations to Mr. Surtees I was informed that 
 it is the intention to make such changes in the location as may appear 
 advisable after the passage of the By-law, when further and more com- 
 plete plans and surveys will be made before the actual work of con- 
 struction is commenced. There can be no doubt that such surveys 
 and plans are needed, and the information which they will afford may 
 result in other alterations and improvements being made which will 
 still further reduce the expenditure. I need scarcely say that it is true 
 economy to spend a liberal sum of money in preliminary surveys and 
 investigations before commencing a project of this nature, and that I 
 
5 
 
 hope you will not make the fatal mistake, which is sometimes commit- 
 ted by municipalities, of curtailing the allowances for engineering 
 expenses 
 
 Regarding the sizes of the proposed sewers, I am informed that 
 they have be^n proportioned, when running two thirds full, to carry off 
 the sewage from a prospective population of 400 to the ucre (which i"; 
 assumed at 40 gallons per head per day) in addition to a rainfall of 
 three inches in 24 hours. Mr. Surtees estimates that on this basis an 
 allowance of 8 cubic feet per minute per acre is sufficient to carry off 
 the combined sewage and rainfall. He has referred me to the existing 
 trunk sewer (the size and capacity of which were proportioned on this 
 basis) as evidence that no greater allowance need be made, it being 
 asserted that this sewer has never been over-taxed. Assuming that this 
 mformation is correct, the sewers should be capable of discharging the 
 following quantities of combined sewage and rain water, and to do so 
 would require to be of the dimensions given below, providing that 
 grad'ents of not less than i in 500 are adhered to as proposed : — 
 
 Table giving the required dimensions of Egg-shaped and 
 Circular Sewer* to discharge 8 cubic feet per acre per 
 minute. 
 
 
 ttJ'O 
 
 
 
 
 
 ."t.^- 
 
 o-^V' 
 
 ^s 
 
 
 
 .a ^ ■■ 
 
 .-'. 
 
 
 1^ 
 
 Required size of 
 
 Required size of 
 
 
 • • Area. 
 
 
 •-5 5- 
 
 egg-shaped 
 
 egg shaped 
 
 C »3 
 
 
 IS- 
 
 
 sewer fi full. 
 
 sewer full. 
 
 15 3 
 
 
 • S -<< 
 
 
 
 
 I"-" 
 
 No. I 
 
 515 
 
 4120 
 
 4' 4'i X 6' 6,1 
 
 3' 8m X 5' 6,1 
 
 4' 4.1 
 
 No. 2 
 
 738 
 
 5904 
 
 5' Cm X 7' 611 
 
 4' 311 X 6' 4j^ii 
 
 5' O" 
 
 No. 3 
 
 1066 
 
 8538 
 
 5" 8n x8' 6- 
 
 4' iiii X 7' 4^11 
 
 5' 9" 
 
 No. 4 
 
 1227 
 
 9816 
 
 6' Oil X 9' Oil 
 
 5' 211 X 7' 911 
 
 (>■ 211 
 
 It will be noticed that the sizes of the sewers required to meet the 
 above conditions are greatly in excess of those provideu under the 
 proposed scheme.^,. . ,. ., . ^._, ., .. v. .4^^ ,,:.:.__. ,/r 
 
 rf-^' 
 
Ml, Surtees, however, explains that it is unnecessary to provide for 
 the trunk seweis carrying off all the storm water from the different 
 areas. He states that in area No. i, P^lhousie ward, the rainfall from 
 at least 200 acres will have its natural discharge into the Rideau Canal 
 and need not enter the sewer, and he estimates that in the other areas 
 one-half the rainfall can be diverted from the sewers. The effect of 
 these modifications will, of course, be to reduce the required capacity 
 of the sewers very considerably. I am not however, sufficiently ac- 
 quainted with the ground to express an opinion as to the correctness of 
 these latter conclusions. I think it is a matter of regret that there are 
 no available records or data regarding the maximum rates of rainfall 
 during short periods of time, so as to make it possible to calculate v/ith 
 some degree of certainty what the actual delivery from the different 
 areas is likely to be ; and I -vould suggest the advisability of your 
 establishing rain gauges in at least two separate localities within or near 
 the City, with the view to obtaining this information, which will be 
 found serviceable in the future. 
 
 In the City of Toronto provision is made for a rainfall of one 
 inch per hour, and it has been found that this allowance on some oc- 
 casions has been insufficient. I understand you have equally heavy 
 rainfalls in Ottawa occasionally. 
 
 After giving the whole question as full consiaeration as the limited 
 time allowed me would permit, the conclusions I have reached are as 
 follows - — 
 
 Eastern Division — Areas 2, 3, 4, 
 
 1. That the outlet and general route for the sewer have been well 
 selected, subject, however, to the alterations I have suggested, and to 
 such further alterations and modifications as may appear advisable after 
 more complete surveys and plans have been made. 
 
 2. That if a combined system of sewers is adopted it would appear 
 advisable that provision should be made for the disposal of at least one 
 inch of rainfall per hour in addition to the sewage from a prospective 
 population of 60 or 80 to the acre. Deductions, however, may be made 
 for storm water which will naturally flow off into adjoining streams and 
 
water courses, but the amount of these deductions can only be deter 
 mined definitely after the surveys and plans referred to have been 
 prepared. 
 
 3. That the cost of constructing efficient Trunk Sewers on the com- 
 bined system (viz. : — to carry off the combined sewage and storm water) 
 even after deductmg the storm water which will naturally flow off into 
 the adjacent water courses, would be too great to warrant the adoption 
 of the combined system throughout. 
 
 4. That the cheapest and best way to provide for the drainage of • 
 areas 2 and 3 is by the adoption of the separate system, /. e.^ to con- 
 struct the sewers of sufficient capacity to carry off house drainage only 
 together with the rain water from back yards and the roofs of buildings, 
 which cannot conveniently be carried off elsewhere, and that separate 
 storm water sewers may be constructed hereafter discharging into the 
 nearest available outlets, when the necessity for them arises. 
 
 ■/ . 
 
 5. That New Edinburgh and area 4 should be drained on the 
 - cotnbined system into one common outlet as proposed and that all the 
 
 sewers be made of sufficient capacity to drain any adjoining districts that 
 are likely to be annexed to the City within say 20 year^. 
 
 6. That the proposed gradient of i in 50 at the Rideau Canal 
 crossing is objectionable on account of the excessive velocity it will 
 induce, and that it should be modified. 
 
 7. That it the proposed scheme is carried out it would appear 
 advisable to increase the thickness of the brick-work in some of the 
 larger sewers where the cuttings exceed 16 feet in depth, and that cir- 
 cular sewers would appear to be better and cheaper than those of egg- 
 shape, above 24 inches by 36 inches. 
 
 ; V :' Western Division-*Dalhousie Ward. -' . 
 
 \ 8. That a trunk sewer carried up Willow street as proposed will 
 necessarily have to be very deep to afford lateral drainage to some of the 
 intersecting streets, and that the route -an be improved after a plan 
 showing the relative levels of thq district has been prepared. 
 
 \ 
 

 :t. 
 
 r 
 
 9. That I raiiiiot endorse the plan to construct the proposed 
 double trunk sewer in this district; as I think it objectionable. 
 
 10. That it would appear preferable, to construct a single sewer of 
 increased capacity of an ample overflow at or near the intersecticn of 
 Elm street and First avenue. ; ■ .; ■^ 
 
 1 1. That under the proposed scheme no drainage is provided a.\on(i, 
 Preston street from Willow street to the Canada Atlantic Railway, 
 where it seems to be urgently needed, and where a main or trunk 
 sewer will probably have to be provided at some time. 
 
 . ■ .■•■ ■• '/r •*•■.■ "" [ . ■ ,"■■■'"• i ."-■'..■ , ■ , ' ■"*'■' 
 
 12. General. — That the amount of money to be voted under the 
 By-law, viz. : $365,000, is probably ample to construct the main or 
 trunk sewers covering the ground iudicated, pioviding the modifications 
 I have suggested are adopted. 
 
 . 13. That in the event of the By-law passing, the first thing re- 
 quired is a complete and accurate contoured plan of the whole district 
 to be drained, showing the precise boundaries of the different drainage 
 areas and the levels at all street intersections and chai^ges of grade in 
 the street levels, 
 
 14. Tha, before construction is commenced, not only the Trunk 
 Sewers but ill the lateral or branch sewers should be accurately plotted 
 on a plan drawn to a similar scale and that the levels of the inverts of 
 the sewers and the gradients should be marked on the plan for easy re- 
 ference, so as to avoid the possibility of serious errors which are other- 
 wise liable to occur. ■ '"i^' ' - ■ ■ ' ''I'^^iVf ••J^''-"- --V,-^^^ 
 
 ■ ' 
 
 I have the honor to be, vV;..^ 
 ■'- \' ' ' ... :- . Sir, 
 
 .••■v^J*-- 
 
 
 . •' ! '• Your obedient servant, 
 
 . ^T.r:/^K-y^:4:^:'/!if>^':-^ e. h. KEi( 
 
 ^TI 
 
 
 
 
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