Jflunicipa! Branch REPORT TO The Board of Public Improvements ON THE WATER SUPPLY OF ST. LOUIS Bureau of Governor, 'a! R 3 -^ Library <; BY THE University of California Lo Ang^e, 24, California WATER COMMISSIONER EDWARD E. WALL Compliments of APR 13 1951 Water Commissioner. INDEX Main Report to B. P. I 5 Appendix "A," Capacities 23 Appendix "B," Water Consumption, Quality and Treatment 36 Appendix "C," Water Consumption, Meters, Supply 69 Appendix "D," Water Rates 85 Additions, Necessary, Intake Tower 30 Additions, Necessary, Settling Basins 31 Additions, Necessary, Conduits 32 Additions, Necessary, Clear Water Basins 32 Additions, Necessary, Pumps and Boilers 9, 21, 34, 82, 83 Bacterial Removal 52 Baden Pumping Station 8 Basins, Chain ; 7,27 Bissell's Point, Pumping Station, Nos. 1 and 2 8, 9 Bissell's Point, Reservoir 30 Boilers, Baden 8, 60 Boilers, Chain 7 Bond Issues, for Extensions 94 Bond Issues, for New Work 19 Bonuses to Manufacturers 92 Capacity, Chain of Rocks Plant 14 Capacity, Intake Tower 6 Capacity, Purification Plant 16 Capacity and Population of Other Cities 19 Capital Account, Separate 94 Chain of Rocks, Pumping Station 5 Changes Suggested 57 Charts, Population and Consumption 12, 13 Charts, Dissolved and Suspended Solids, Stage of River 42 Charts, Consumption and Clarification 51 Charts, Consumption in Various Cities 72 Charts, Chemical and Physical Data Comparison 39 City Departments Pay for Water 94 Clarification Plant, Present 15, 16, 46 Clarification Plant, Proposed 36 Coagulant Plant and Settling Basins 7, 8, 28 Comparative Results of Propositions ) 79 Comparison of Users of Water, Percentage Metered 69 Comparison of Users of Water, Per Capita 69 Comparison of Users of Water, In Residences 70 Comparison of Users of Water, In Residences, Per Capita 70 Comparison of Per Capita Use by Months 71 Compton Hill Reservoir 30 Conduits 8, 28, 29, 32 Cost, Chemicals, Present Plant 57 Cost, Changing Present Plant 9 Cost, Missouri River Plant 35 Cost, Filtration Plant 61 Cost, Chemicals, New Plant 63 Cost, Meters 74 Cost, New Extensions 87 Cost, Future Estimated 87 Cost, Increased by Extensions and Free Water 94 Consumption 11, 17, 28, 29 (1) 2 INDEX Consumption, Reduced by Meters 18, 19, 74 County Pipe Line, Proposed 32* Daily Working Capacities , 9 Diagram, Mixing Chamber and Filter Plant 62 Distribution System 10 Distribution System, Mains in County 35 Distribution System, Residual Solids 54 Distribution System, Sedimentation in Mains 54 Distribution System, Incrustation 55 Domestic Use 71 Efficiency of Clarification 50 Engine House, Nos. 1 and 2, Bissell's Point 8, 9 Estimated Loss of Revenue by Change of Rates 88 Estimated Meter Costs 74 Estimated Reduction of Consumption by Meters 74 Estimated Meter Maintenance 75 Estimated Extensions Necessary Without Meters 75 Expenditures 86 Expenditures Covered by Recommendations 21 Extensions and Free Water Increase Rates 94 Filter Plant 34, 60 Filtration, Necessity of 60 Filling Conduits 27 Flat Rates 85 Flow Line 28, 29 Free Water, 25% 88 Free Water and Extensions Increase Rates 87, 94 Future Costs, Estimated 87 Gate Capacity 25 Grate Area 26 High and Low Pressure Districts 10 Ice Troubles 6 Increase in Capacity 14, 16 Incrustation in Distribution System 55 Inequality of Present Meter Rates 89 Intake Tower and Tunnel 5, 6, 23 Jefferson Barracks Rate 88 Land Required for Proposed Plant 33 Loss of Revenue, Estimated 88 Loss of Revenue, How Remedied 89 Mains, Distribution System 10 Manufacturers, Percentage Water Cost 92 Manufacturers' Bonus, How Secured 92 Manufacturers' Rate 88 Measurement of Pumpage 88 Meters Rates Proposed, Result of 90, 91 Meters, Use of 18, 69 Meters Reduce Waste of Water 74 Meters, Costs, Estimated 74 Meters, Maintenance, Estimated 74, 75 Meters Reduce Amount of Necessary Extensions 75, 80 Meters, Present Inequality of Rates 89 Metered \Vater, Percentage of .85 INDEX 3 Mineralization 41 Minimum Rate Plan N 90 Missouri River Plant, Proposed 32 Missouri River Plant, Map St. Louis County Pipe Line, Proposed 32% Missouri River Plant, Land Required 33 Missouri River Plant, Intake and Tunnel 33 Missouri River Plant, Pumping Station 33 Missouri River Plant, Estimated Cost 34 Missouri River Plant, Pump Mains 34 Missouri River Plant, Reservoirs and Filters 34 Missouri River Plant, Distribution Main in County 35 Mixing Chambers 58 New Extensions, Cost 87 New Orleans and Louisville Water Charges 93 Operations of Filter Plant 63 Organisms in Water 44 Per Capita Use, Comparison 69 Per Capita Use, Residence 70 Percentage Water Cost to Manufacturers 92 Percentage of Water Rates Metered 85 Pitometer Surveys 18 Plans Suggested 19, 21, 22 Present Clarification Plant 16 Proposed Pipe Line St. Louis County 32% Proposed New Location 15 Propositions, Three Suggested 76 Proposition, Cost of No. 1 76 Proposition, Cost of No. 2 77 Proposition, Cost of No. 3 78 Proposition, Result of No. 1 78 Proposition, Result of No. 2 79 Proposition, Result of No. 3 79 Proposition, Comparative Results 79 Proposition, No. 1, Cost of Water to 1960 81 Proposition, No. 2, Cost of Water to 1960 82 Proposition, No. 3, Cost of Water to 1960 82 Proposition, Yearly Cost of, Estimated 83 Public School Rate 88 Pumpage, One-Fourth Unmeasured 88 Pumps, Baden 8 Pumps, Chain of Rocks 7 Pump Mains 9 Pumping Station, Chain of Rocks 5 Pumping Station, Baden 8 Pumping Station, Bissell's Point 8 Pumping Station, Missouri River 32, 33, 34, 35 Purification Costs 86 Purity Standards 56 Quality of Water 36 Rates Increased by Free Water 94 Rates, Inequality of Present Meter 89 Rates, Minimum Rate Plan 90 Rates, Service Charge 95 Rates, Jefferson Barracks 88 Rates, Public Schools 88 Rational Rate Making . 92 4 INDEX Readings, Pumpings, Water Elevation, Loss of Head 24 Readings, Gauge 29 Rebates in Water Rates 90 Recommendations 19, 20, 21 Reductions of Cost by Meters 75 Reservoirs, Bissell's Point 30 Reservoirs, Chain of Rocks 7 Reservoirs, Compton Hill 30 Reservoirs. Missouri River 35 Residual Solids in Distribution System 54 Revenue from Water Rates 85 Revenue, Loss of, How Remedied 89 Service Charges 93 Settling Basins, Chain of Rocks 27, 31 Sinking Fund 84 Sliding Scale of Rates 91 Sludge 52 Standards of Purity 56 St. Louis Color Determinations 38 St. Louis County Pipe Line Proposed 32% Storage, Chain of Rocks 7 Storage, Baden 8, 30 Storage, Bissell's Point 8, 30 Storage, Compton Hill 30 Suggested Plans 19, 20, 21 Supply and Purifying Division 23 Tables, Chemical Cost 57 Tables, Comparison Analysis of Missouri, Mississippi and Illinois River Waters 43 Tables, Comparison Classification Results 47, 48 Tables, Comparison Hardness of Waters 44 Tables, Bacteria per C. C 68 Tables, Effect of Cleaning Basins 53 Tables, Maximum, Minimum, Average, Suspended Solids 66 Tables, Minimum Rates 95 Tables, Residence Consumption 95 Tables, Results of Proposed Rates on Last Year's Meter Record 91 Tables, Sedimentation in Mains 54 Tables, Service Charges 93, 95 Tables, Mississippi and Missouri River, Color Comparisons 40 Tables, Mississippi and Missouri River Water 41 Tables, Suspended Solids 1906 to 1912 66 Tables, Suspended Solids in Successive Basins 50 Tables, Wind Effect on Bacteria Removal 53 Treatment of Water 45 Tunnel, Intake 24, 33 Use of Meters 18 Uses of Water, Comparison 69 Velocities, at Tower . 26 Waste in Other Cities 17 Water Consumption 69 Water Meters 18, 69 Water Rates . 35 Water Supply * 69 Water Waste 18, 73 CITY OF SAINT LOUIS, OFFICE OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER Saint Louis, November 1 , 1912. Honorable Board of Public Improvements: Gentlemen: In order to present the question of the Water Supply for the City of Saint Louis to you for consideration, I desire to lay before you a full and comprehensive report on the capacity of the present works as they exist at this date, the increased capacity when the present contracts are completed, the necessity of providing for in- creased consumption, the desirability of furnishing better water, and the means by which such results may be attained. Figures and estimates embodied in this report, relative to the oper- ating and construction costs of various branches of the work, were prepared by the Engineers in Charge of the various divisions as follows : For the Supply and Purifying Division Mr. G. G. Black. For the Clarification Work Mr. Wilson F. Monfort. For the Pumping Division Mr. Leonard A. Day. For the Distribution System Mr. Francis T. Cutts. The material prepared by Messrs. Day and Cutts has been included in the body of the report and various appendices. The reports of Messrs. Black and Monfort, on account of their special nature, are given in full. CHAIN OF ROCKS. I. Intake Tower and Tunnel. It is only necessary to consider the capacity of the intake at the lowest stages of the river, that is, below a gauge reading of 76 feet. At that stage only four gates are serviceable for entry, one of which is partly out of water. The total gate area below the water surface is 65 square feet, which will require an average velocity of about 3 feet per second to supply 120 million gallons per day. At a river stage of 74 feet, only 45 square feet of gate area is available, which will raise the velocity almost to 4 feet per second for 120 million gallons consumption. The velocity of the inflowing water is only interesting so far as it affects 6 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER the supply at times when the river is carrying considerable amounts of slush or frazil ice. As the screens are not adapted to keeping out either, and as it is not practicable to provide screens that will keep out such ice and still admit of the passage of water, it is evident that the lower the velocity of the inflowing water can be kept, the less ice will be drawn into the tunnel and thence into the wet well. During the season of ice formation the velocity is usually much accelerated over the figures given above, for the reason that the openings in the screens become more or less obstructed by pieces of ice held against them by the current and by ice freezing to the screens. Each condition aggravates the other, the increase of velocity bring- ing more ice in contact with and through the screens, thus reducing the inlet area and further tending to augment the velocity, until the pro- portion of fine ice in suspension to the quantity of water entering, becomes so great that the pumps cannot be operated. These conditions have occurred in a more or less aggravated degree every winter for the last nine or ten years. As the daily consumption of water increases from year to year, it is only natural that the difficulty of obtaining a sufficient supply of water through the same inlet gates under our worst river conditions becomes correspondingly greater. For eleven days in January, 1912, it was impossible to get more than 60 million gallons of water per day with the present facilities. This may be taken as the minimum capacity of the intake as it stands today. When the proposed new gate (5' x 5'), which is contracted for, is completed, a much larger amount can be relied upon even under similar conditions to those of January, 1912. Leaving out of consideration such critical conditions as those above referred to, velocities and areas at the intake at low stages of the river are as follows: Stage of river Port area of gates Million gallons Pumped Veloc Feet p Through Gates Mties in er Second In Tunnel Loss of Head in Tunnel 73 73 73 76 76 76 55 55 55 85 85 85 90 120 150 90 120 150 2.5fi 3.44 4.27 1.65 2.24 2.77 3.64 4.84 6.04 3.64 4.84 6.04 1.81 3.11 4.68 1.81 3.11 4.68 The above figures will be correct only when gate openings and tunnel are unobstructed. Some gates have screens over them, which cut down the available area and obstruct the flow, so that the actual velocity will be much higher. A more detailed discussion of the intake capacity is given in Ap- pendix "A." Rut regardless of the capacity of the present intake, a city of the size of Saint Louis should not be dependent for its entire water supply upon one intake. Another ivill be built, after ivhich there will be no question as to intake capacity, even though the present consumption be doubled. TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 7 But there will still remain the problem of removing the ice from the wet well whether there are one or two intakes and tunnels. The quantity of ice to be removed will be lessened on account of the fact that with two intakes, advantage may be taken of the flow of ice in the river, in drawing through gates where floating ice is thinnest, and at the tower where conditions are most favorable. The existing ice elevators will be remodeled, and additional hoisting machines kept in reserve for emergencies, so that the well may be kept clear under the worst conditions. II. Pumps and Boilers. The present equipment of pumps consists of four 30 million gallon compound crank and fly-wheel engines and two 40 million gallon cen- trifugals driven by steam turbines, giving a total daily pumping capacity of 200 million gallons. The working capacity of this station, by which is meant the actual quantity of water which could be pumped con- tinuously, does not exceed 125 million gallons. This amount is arrived at by assuming that the two centrifugals and two of the compound engines can be operated continuously, rating the centrifugals at 35 mil- lions each and the others at 27 y 2 millions each, allowing in the first case for a low river stage and in the second for slip of pumps. If we assume that three compound engines and one centrifugal can be operated con- tinuously, 120 million gallons will represent the working capacity. In times of emergency it will be possible to pump slightly more than 150 million gallons per day for a few days continuously, but it seems a fair estimate to say that the working capacity of this station does not exceed 125 millions. There are eight water tube boilers of 300 H. P. each, which will easily supply steam for five of the six pumping engines running at the same time. III. Coagulant Plant and Settling Basins. The coagulant plant is of sufficient capacity to supply chemicals for the treatment of 160 million gallons daily. The settling basins operating under normal conditions, that is when the river water is of the average quality and when the basins can be regu- larly cleaned, have a working capacity no greater than 100 million gal- lons per day, but under severe conditions not more than 75 millions can be properly purified. Changes now being made and which will be com- pleted this year will increase their capacity, normally to perhaps 120 millions daily, and under the worst conditions to probably a little more than 90 millions. No further increase can be made in clarification ca- pacity with the present eight basins, whose storage capacity totals 250 million gallons, and whose working capacity cannot be placed at more than 100 million gallons daily. 8 REPOKT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER IV. Conduits. Two conduits curry the water from the ('haiii of Rocks to Baden Pumping Station. One is of masonry. 9'xll' horse-shoe shaped, and one of riveted steel pipe 84" in diameter. Each has a fall of 1 in 10,000. The steel pipe may be operated under a head of ten feet, but it would not be safe to operate the masonry conduit under more than a two-foot head, and even this could not be done without making some changes in its const ruction. The masonry conduit has a carrying capacity of .120 million gallons per day and the steel pipe 60 millions. From Baden to Bissell's Point there is only one conduit of masonry 8'x9', of horse-shoe shape and with a carrying capacity of 100 millions. BADEN PUMPING STATION. I. Storage. There is one concrete storage basin holding 25 million gallons. II. Pumps and Boilers. There are six triple expansion crank-and-fly-wheel pumps, four of which are rated at 15 million gallons each, and two at 10 million each, making a total of 80 million gallons per day. The working capacity of this station does not exceed 50 million gallons, based on the continuous operation of four pumps, and allowing for slip. There are eight water tube boilers at this station of 350 II. P. each, giving ample capacity for the operation of five pumps, which are oc- casionally in service for short periods of time. This station supplies water to a large and rapidly increasing district, embracing the higher levels of the city. The water pressure is 125 pounds, and great difficulty is experienced in maintaining this pressure on account of the large consumption during the extremes of weather. One of the new 20 million gallon pumps under contract for installation at Bissell's Point, will be placed on this service to meet the increasing consumption. BISSELL'S POINT PUMPING STATION. I. Storage. There are four storage basins holding a total of 50 million gallons. II. No. 1 Engine House. There are three 20 million, triple expansion crank and fly-wheel engines in this house, supplied with steam from four 300 H. P. water TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 9 tube boilers. The working capacity of this house does not exceed 38 million gallons daily, assuming the continuous operation of two pumps. No. 2 Engine House. This engine house at present has two Cornish walking beam engines built in 1887 of a capacity of 16 million gallons each. There are four 350 H. P. boilers which are more than sufficient to furnish steam for these engines, but hardly with enough capacity for operating two new 20 mil- lion triple expansion engines now under contract to be installed in this building. The working capacity of the Bissell's Point Station at present can- not be placed higher than 55 million gallons per day. As soon as the two new triple expansion pumps are installed, which will be before May 1st. 1913, the working capacity of this station will be 75 millions. SUMMARY OF DAILY WORKING CAPACITIES. Intake (one tower only) 120,000,000 Pumps at Chain of Rocks 125,000,000 Coagulant House 160,000,000 Clarification capacity 100,000,000 Conduit capacity 220,000,000 High Service Pumping Capacity 125,000,000 For reasons which will be brought out later, the above system should be enlarged to a working capacity of 150 millions daily and rehabilitated so that its life and usefulness shall be extended at least until the year 1935. The additions and changes necessary for this may be tabulated as follows : New Intake Tower and Tunnel $ 550,000 Revetment of 2 miles of River Bank 200,000 One 40 million gallon Pump at Chain of Rocks 40,000 Six 300 H. P. Boilers at Chain of Rocks 45,000 Two Triple Expansion Pumps at Bissell's Point 220,000 New Basins or Filter Plant 1,250,000 New Conduit from Baden to Bissell's Point 300,000 Pump Main from Bissell's Point to Magnolia Avenue 455,000 Two 350 H. P. Boilers at Bissell's Point.... 15,000 Total > $3,075,000 This brings us down to the pump mains feeding the distribution sys- tem which will now be considered. PUMP MAINS. Four mains provide the outlet for the pumps at Baden. Three of these are 36" in diameter and one 30". The length of these mains before reaching any distributing pipe of consequence is as follows : Goodfellow Main 36" 3.88 Miles Union Ave. Main 30" 3.10 Miles Kingshighway Main 36" 3.25 Miles Warne Ave. Main ..-36" 8.20 Miles With 50 million gallons being pumped at Baden, if we consider the \v;iler distributed among these mains, according to their respective ca- pacities, the friction loss amounts to 7.1 feet per mile in each case. With 65 millions pumped 11.0 ft. per mile With 70 millions pumped 12.7 ft. per mile 10 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER These latter cases occur for short periods only to meet the hours of excessive draught. As there is no intention of increasing the pumping capacity at this station, the above mentioned mains will need no rein- forcement. There are six 36" pump mains leading out of the Bissell's Point Sta- tion, all of which are inter-connected and tapped by distribution pipes at relatively short distances from the station. These afford sufficient out- let capacity for the present pumps and for the additional two new engines under contract. But .when two more are added bringing the working capacity of the station to 100 million gallons per day, another 36" pump main will have to be laid southwestwardly and over Jefferson Avenue to Magnolia, there being reduced to 20" as far as Winnebago Street. Sev- eral connecting lines will have to be laid to tie up with the existing high service mains. DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. The Distribution System is divided into two parts, viz: the high pressure district and the low pressure district. The pipes of both dis- tricts are inter-connected throughout, and the boundaries of either may be changed at will. Baden Pumping Station supplies the high pressure district and Bissell's Point the low. The water pressure at the Baden Station is 125 Ibs. per square inch, and at Bissell 's Point 85 Ibs. This system, as it will be when present contracts are completed, will stand still further additions even to properly distribute the water which the present pumping plant can deliver to it. The straightforward flow is impeded and forced by circuitous routes to find its way to many sec- tions of the city. Among the lines of pipe that should be laid are the fol- lowing : On Kingshighway from Natural Bridge Road to Clayton Road. From Sulphur Ave. and Manchester over Sublette and Old Manchester to Woods Ave. 30". From Gravois and Gustine to Fyler and Ivanhoe 20". Street. Length. Size. Cost. Kingshighway Mam 16,745 ft. 30" $165 000 00 Sulphur Ave. Main 9,090 ft. 30" 85,000.00 Gravois Ave. Main .. 17,575 f t . 20" 88,000.00 When the working capacity of the plant is brought up to 150 mil- lion gallons per day, the following lines will be needed: a 36" pump main from Bissell's Point southwestwardly and over Jefferson Avenue to Magnolia Avenue, thence to Meramec Street and Nebraska Avenue; also a main on Lynch Street from Jefferson Avenue to Magnolia and Nebraska Avenues : - Street - A Length. Size. Cost. T ^ Ve ' a , in -.29,600 ft 36" $400,000.00 Magnolia Ave. Main 10,350ft. 20" 52,000.00 .. 2,000 ft. 20" 10,000.00 Under normal conditions of consumption the pressures over the city run from 15 to 100 Ibs. per square inch. The lower pressures will be TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. \\ considerably improved by proper extension of the distribution mains. During times of excessive consumption the pressures in a number of dis- tricts of comparatively small area drop below 10 Ibs., and in some cases become practically nothing. The localities which suffer most severely are around Old Manchester and Dalton Avenue, Gravois and Pennsyl- vania Avenue, Nebraska and Neosho Street, Shenandoah and Louisiana Avenues. An increase of distribution facilities as outlined above will ma- terially lessen the troubles at these points. With the new pumps at Bis- sell's Point in operation, the boundaries of the high pressure district will gradually be extended to take in many places which are at present sup- plied from the low pressure mains. CONSUMPTION. Practically the entire population of Saint Louis, estimated now at 710,000, is supplied with water by the water works. There are 107,500 service connections to the mains, 7,200 of which are metered. The average daily pumping for the year ending April 1st, 1912, was 83.6 million gallons; maximum for one day (July 5th) 108.7 millions, or more than 150 gallons per capita. During the month of August, 1912, the average daily pumping was 92.4 millions, and for one week in Sep- tember, 1912, the average was 107 millions; the highest for one day being 112 millions. The daily working capacity should not be allowed to fall below 1 1/3 times the average daily consumption, in order to meet these ab- normal demands and to allow sufficient reserve in case of accidents. At the Chain of Rocks the average daily pumping is much greater than that of both of the high service stations at Baden and Bissell's Point, being 98.5 million gallons for the year ending April 1st, 1912, and 92.9 for the year immediately preceding. This increase is accounted for by the use of water in cleaning basins and conduits, plunger leakage, loss in emptying basins and leakage in basins and conduits; hence the working capacity of the plant at Chain of Rocks must be at least 15 per cent greater than that of the high service stations combined. Consumption curves estimated with and without meters and curves of population are shown on charts Nos. 1 and 3. These curves would indicate that in 1923 the average daily consumption without meters would reach 113 millions with a population of 843,000, and that the pro- posed increase of the present works to the working capactiy of 150 mil- lions per day would suffice the City of Saint Louis scarcely longer than 1923, assuming the normal increase in population, without endeavoring to decrease the per capita consumption by closer inspection, meters and otherwise. The present situation may be summed up as follows: The present average daily consumption is about 85 millions, while the working capacity of the Chain of Rocks Station, upon which the 12 REPORT OF TUP: WATER COMMISSIONER POPULATION CURVES FOR ST LOUIS 2.000PO* tO SO 40 50 60 TO 60 ?0 1900 10 CHART NO.l TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 13 CHART N03 gQQ I8ZO SO 5O 6O 14 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER reliance for the total supply rests, is limited to 100 million gallons daily, which limit is fixed by the capacity of the purification facilities. As before stated, under the most severe conditions this limit may fall be- low DO millions. During the summer of 1911 for more than 30 days, the quality and condition of the river water was such that not more than 75 million gallons could be properly clarified. When the changes in the basins now under way are completed, it is expected that the capacity for clarification will be increased 20 per cent, which would allow for 90 million gallons per day under the river conditions of last year, or only 5 million gallons more than the present average consump- tion. So that it is almost certain that the people of Saint Louis will be obliged occasionally to suffer the inconvenience of using water only partially clarified, while the present plant is being enlarged and recon- structed to a proper capacity to supply the demands made upon it. These periods may be few in number and short in duration, or the situ- ation may develop into positive discomfort carrying with it a possible menace to the public health. Such possibilities are dependent upon matters over which human ingenuity can exercise no control, viz: gen- eral weather conditions, stage of the river and the quality and condition of the river water. INCREASE OF THE CAPACITY. .Obviously the first question that suggests itself is to what limit should the capacity of the Chain of Rocks plant be increased? I have set the figure at a working capacity of 150 million gallons per day for the following reasons: 1. This will allow sufficient capacity to supply the City of Saint Louis within its present limits until the year 1923, without entailing the expense of other buildings at the high service stations or any great in- crease in distribution mains. 2. To attempt to enlarge the entire plant at the Chain of Rocks to a greater daily capacity than 150 million gallons would mean not alone the additions to the purification system, but also the duplication of the present engine and boiler houses and another coagulant house and add greatly to the cost of operation. It would also involve large increases in buildings at the high service stations and new pump mains. To propose the extension of the purification system to a daily capacity less than 150 millions would not proportionately lessen the cost of the work, and would bring the date much closer to us when further provisions for water supply would have to be made. 4. The day is not far distant when the present city limits will be extended and some portion of the county taken in, and the Chain of Rocks Station is not located so as to economically supply water west and southwest from the present limits. Also the extension of our mains into the county would require an entire remodeling of the distribution system at a tremendous cost. TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 15 5. Increasing the daily working capacity of the present water works to 150 million gallons will allow ample time to consider the ques- tion of building new water works to supply the city before and after its limits are extended, to locate such works, provide the funds and complete the construction before any danger of a water famine can arise. The Chain of Rocks location for water works at the present time is not nearly so desirable as it seemed to be twenty-five years ago. As is clearly shown in Appendix "B" of this report, the quality of the water obtainable there requires expensive treatment for purification, is difficult to handle at certain times, and necessitates double pumping at all times. The lay of the land is not favorable to the construction of another plant to bring the capacity up to 300 millions per day. There is not sufficient room to do this without stringing out buildings and basins for over a mile along the river front. All of the conduits carrying the supply to the city must be located on the narrow strip between the river and the bluffs, which is now in one place less than 300' wide. The land on which basins and conduits must be built is treacherous ground, making construction both difficult and expensive. After thorough study of the subject, all consideration of the proposition to double the capacity of the Chain of Rocks plant was dropped. Surveys and soundings of the Missouri River above St. Charles, were made this summer, and a suitable location found about nine miles above St. Charles. The purification plant and reservoirs can be located near Stratman's on the Olive Street Road, about seven miles from the City limits, from which water can be delivered by gravity at the city limits at the same pressure we now have in the high pressure pipes. In Ap- pendix "A" will be found estimates of the cost of building a new plant at this location. These estimates can only be considered as ap- proximations, but it is believed that they will not be far from actual costs when the question is taken up in detail. If the daily working capacity of the present works should be in- creased to 150 million gallons, the only part of the present system which requires special consideration is the clarification process. Boilers, engines, mains, etc., can be increased without adding anything in the way of new buildings or special construction of any kind. But the purification of the water is a matter that requires serious investiga- tion. It is at present by far the weakest link in the chain, not only as regards plant capacity, but on account of other grave considerations. It has already been pointed out in this report that the capacity for clarification with the changed basins, may, on account of difficult con- ditions, be less than 90 million gallons per day. The average daily consumption this year will probably exceed 85 millions. On account of water used in cleaning and flushing basins, leaks in basins, evapora- tion, and other undiscovered losses, the quantity of water pumped daily by the Chain of Rocks station last year averaged 98 millions. This 16 REPORT OF THE WATKR COMMISSIONER amount of water was treated with lime and iron sulphate, and all figures on the capacity for clarification are based on the Cham of Rocks pumping records and not those of the high service stations. Ft is evident that the present consumption is fully up to the capacity, and any increase in con- sumption means less efficient clarification. Without any regard what- ever to the deficiencies or unbalanced portions of other divisions of the water works, it is absolutely necessary that tin purification capacity be increased without delay. It is fully as important as the necessity for a new intake. Before two years have elapsed there must be a great in- crease in purification capacity or Saint Louis will have to put up with water insufficiently clarified and more or less impure. The first idea for increasing the capacity for purification would nat- urally he to extend the present system by building more basins. For the first four years after the inauguration of the purification process, only the six basins originally built at the Chain of Rocks were used for clarification, but it was evident their capacity was too small. In 1908, two new basins were completed, adding 75 million gallons to the storage at the Chain. These basins cost about $525,000.00. Now, four years later, we again find ourselves up to the clarification capacity. It is impracticable because of their location to add more basins to be used in series with these. In order to increase the capacity to 150 million gallons per day, it will be necessary to build an independent set of basins with a daily working capacity of 60 million gallons. These basins can only be built south of the present ones, fully half a mile from the pump- ing station, making them rather inconvenient of operation. These basins with all connections, gates, etc., will cost not less than $1,250.000.00, and the operating cost of the system per million gallons will probably be no less than at present. But there is another question in regard to this purification process, which has, since its inauguration in 1904. obtruded itself into the minds of all who have been connected with the work. In spite of the strong bias in favor of a process first tried out here on a large scale for water purification, and which has been studied and amplified and improved upon for eight years, this question has often forced itself forward : is the Saint Louis process as efficient as filtra- tion ? Most of us have at one time or another believed and strenuously argued that it was as good or better. But some of the difficulties and objections to the Saint Louis process which were patent from the first, and others which came up later, and all of which we confidently expected to remedy or overcome, are still with us. The insistent question of ef- ficiency still stares us in the face, and reluctant as we are to confess even doubt on the subject, there is not one who has been in close touch with the work in detail, but is ready to admit that the Saint Louis process of water purification is not as effective as filtration. And then to make the case for filters still stronger, figures and facts showing that the filtration is cheaper, both as to construction and in the matter of op- TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 17 crating costs are presented for our consideration. This being true, there is left no argument for the perpetuation of the Saint Louis process. In the appendices to this report will be found estimates of the cost of new basins for clarification, the cost of constructing filters, and the operating expense in each case. With the working capacity of the present water works brought up to 150 million gallons daily, all of the territory within the present limits could be taken care of until 1923. At a per capita consumption of 135 gallons per day, a population of 850,000 could be supplied. The present per capita consumption is 120 gallons. It has been the experience of all American cities that the per capita consumption in- creases year by year with the city's growth. Our per capita consump- tion is not exactly high, but is increasing, as the following figures show : Year Ending Million Gals. Gals. Per April 1st. Population. Per Day. Capita. 1906 ....632,500 72.1 114.0 1907 644,000 70.4 109.3 1908 655,500 69.2 105.5 1909 667,000 69.3 104.0 1910 678,500 73.7 108.6 1911 690,000 76.5 111.0 1912 705,000 83.5 118.4 The per capita consumption for other cities, taken from the latest available data, is as follows: Gallons. Gallons. New York : Ill Milwaukee 99 Philadelphia 203 Cleveland 101 Pittsburg 208 Minneapolis 60 Boston t 128 Columbus, 78 Washington 178 Providence, R. 1 73 Chicago 238 New Orleans 78 Buffalo 317 St. Paul 62 Of these cities Cleveland, Milwaukee, Columbus, Minneapolis, Provi- dence, New Orleans and St. Paul have the majority of their services metered, which accounts for their low per capita rate. In all of the others the water works officials strongly advocate the installation of meters. The increase in water consumption under flat rates has become so alarming that in all our large cities there has been issued a protest against waste, and a warning of certain disaster unless remedial measures are at once applied. New York has issued a pamphlet to its citizens, showing the tre- mendous loss due to waste and small leaks. Philadelphia has recently held an exhibition solely for the purpose of educating its people in the use and waste of water, in the hope that ocular demonstration of the losses from small leaks might assist the Water Department in its efforts to reduce consumption. The twin questions of the purification of the water supplies and 18 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER the restriction of such supplies to proper and legitimate uses are rapidly becoming the foremost engineering problems of our municipalities. While these problems in Saint Louis have not reached the acute stage that prevails in some other cities, yet we are swiftly approaching the danger line and it behooves us to act now while there is yet time to avoid serious trouble. In my opinion it will not be possible to reduce the daily per capita consumption for any great length of time in this city below 100 gallons. The experience of other cities has shown that after meters are in- stalled the per capita consumption still increases, but not nearly so rap- idly as under a flat rate. Meters will reduce waste and leakage, but will not entirely eliminate them. For a few years after meters are installed a most gratifying decrease in consumption is observed, but it gradually creeps up, as in the cases of Milwaukee and Cleveland, which after nine or ten years reached their former per capita figure. Many cities suffer heavy losses from underground leaks, notably the City of Washington, D. C., where a total of over 27 million gallons per day was located and stopped during some five years of investigation with pitometers. Pitometer surveys have been made in some portions of this city where mains are oldest and where naturally the greatest underground losses would be expected. No serious loss has anywhere been discovered, from which it seems safe to conclude that only a small percentage of the water pumped, certainly not more than 5 per cent, could be charged to underground losses. It is during the extremes of heat and cold that the greatest drain is made on our resources. In both cases last year the per capita ran above 150. In the summer when this occurred fully 40 per cent of this con- sumption was pure waste, and in the winter at least 60 per cent could be assigned to the same cause. It is these peak demands that increase the average per capita, and which would be greatly decreased by the use of meters. Waste can only be permanently restricted by the use of meters. House-to-house inspection is efficient only so long as it is closely and carefully kept up. There are few organizations that can be constantly kept up to a high standard of efficiency, especially through changes in administration. The well-nigh impossible task of doing this, coupled with the heavy ex- pense of maintaining a well-organized inspection bureau, prevents its being depended upon as a practicable scheme for restricting waste and leakage. A still stronger argument for the general use of meters lies in the fact that it is only by measuring the quantity used by each consumer that an equitable adjustment of rates can be made. Also it is only through the measurement of the various classes of consumption that a TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 19 definite knowledge of what becomes of the water pumped may be had, and having such knowledge, the road to proper economic measures may be made plain. In Appendix "C" will be found a detailed estimate of the cost of installing and maintaining meters, also the results of observations made to determine consumption in various districts, and the relative costs of extending the works with and without meters. The question of properly adjusted water rates is so closely allied to the subject of costs of operation, maintenance and extension that it is fully discussed in Appendix "D." In undertaking the task of building water works for a growing city of over a million inhabitants (which St. Louis will have by 1935), it would be rank folly to design -a plant whose capacity should not meet the demands of the city for at least 25 years longer, or until 1960. To do this, provision for a supply of not less than 300 million gallons of water per day should be made, unless measures are taken to meter all con- sumers. If this seems large, it is only necessary, to call attention to the amount of water pumped daily by New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Bos- ton, Pittsburg and Buffalo at the present time : Daily Consumption Population. Gallons. New York 4,767,000 529,600,000 Chicago 2,185,000 520,000,000 Philadelphia 1,599,000 324,600,000 Boston 674,400 86,300,000 Pittsburg 363,000 75,500,000 Washington 340,000 60,380,000 Buffalo 423,700 134,300,000 This does not mean that water works must be built and completed to that capacity as rapidly as possible. Only certain parts of the system would have to be of the full capacity ; by far the greater portions would be so constructed that additions could be made from time to time as necessity demanded. The following solutions of the problem suggest themselves : 1. To reduce consumption by the rapid installation of meters, bring the present plant up to a working capacity of 150 million gallons per day, issue bonds in 1927 for the building of new water works on the Missouri River above St. Charles at a cost of about $11,000,000. 2. To reduce consumption by the rapid installation of meters, issue bonds in 1914 for the building of the Missouri River works at the initial cost of $12,000,000, to be followed in 1935 by a second bond issue of $8,000,000 and the final abandonment of the present works about 1940. 3. To bring the present plant up to a working capacity of 150 million gallons per day, issue bonds in 1914 for new works on the Mis- souri River at a first cost of $12,000,000, to be followed in 1937 by an 20 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER additional issue of $8.000,000 in bonds to increase the capacity of the Missouri River works, while still keeping the present works in service. In Appendix "C" will he found estimates in detail showing the costs of the above propositions until the year I960, including replace- ments, differences in operating costs, and interest on money invested. In- terest has been calculated at 3 per cent, which is probably too low, but a higher rate will make the results still more favorable to Proposition 1, which the estimates show will cost $9,000,000 less than Proposition 2, and over $12.000.000 less than Proposition 3. Estimates on these propositions have been carried to the year 1960, because the ultimate value of each could not be shown in a shorter period. In 1935 there is not a great difference in the total expenditures for each, but both Propositions 1 and 3 show a decided advantage over Proposition 2 in the condition and capacity of the works at that date. In Appendix "H" will be found an exhaustive discussion of the quality of the water taken from the Mississippi River at the Chain of Rocks, its present treatment, cost of a proposed change to mechanical filtration, the quality of Missouri River water, its characteristics and proper treatment, and comparative figures on the cost of treatment by the present process at the Chain of Rocks, on the cost of filtration at the Chain of Rocks and on the probable cost of filtering the Missouri River water. Attention is particularly called to the inefficiency of the present process for color removal, the irregularity in results, and the practical impossibility of quick control over operating conditions. Appendix "A" gives estimates for constructing additional basins to increase the clarification capacity by the present process to 150 million gallons per day, the operating cost per million gallons remaining about the same. The estimated construction cost of new basins and that of filters is almost the same, while the figures for operating costs are favorable to the filters. The quality of water furnished from filters will unquestionably be very much superior, both from an aesthetic and hygienic standpoint. If it were possible to handle the question of the water supply of the City of Saint Louis, as it would be handled by a private corporation, without long delays and much wrangling over the details, the most economical solution of the problem would be as follows : Install meters as rapidly as possible, supply the city with water from the present works in their present condition (existing contracts and improvements already under way to be completed), and proceed rapidly to construct new works on the Missouri River, so that 100 million gallons per day could be supplied from there in 1918. Then continue to operate the present plant to furnish a supply of 60 million gallons per day. The present plant at the Chain of Rocks could be depended upon for furnishing a daily supply of 60 million gallons of water of a degree of clarity and purity practically as good as the output of a filter plant. TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 21 The expenditures necessary for carrying out this plan would he as follows : Cost of Meters and Maintenance up to April 1, 1936 $ 6,531,578.50 Eight 350 H. P. Boilers at Baden installed in 1920 70,000.00 Six 350 H. P. Boilers at Chain of Rocks installed in 1920 45,000.00 Four 350 H. P. Boilers at Bissell's Point No. 2 House, installed in 1930 30,000.00 Two 40 million gallon Centrifugal Pumps at Chain of Rocks, in- stalled in 1925 65,000.00 Three 15 million gallon Triple Expansion Pumps at Baden, in- stalled in 1927-1930 330,000.00 One 20 million gallon Triple Expansion Pump at Bissell's Point, No. 2 House, installed in 1921 110,000.00 Two 350 H. P. Boilers at Bissell's Point No. 2 House, installed in 1933 15,000.00 Cost of new works started at once, completed by 1918 11,000,000.00 Interest on $70,000.00 from 1920 to 1935 at 3% 31,500.00 Interest on $45,000.00 from 1920 to 1935 at 3% 20,250.00 Interest on $30,000.00 from 1930 to 1935 at 3% 4,500.00 Interest on $65,000.00 from 1925 to 1935 at 3% 19,500.00 Interest on $330,000.00 from 1928 to 1935 at 3% 69,300.00 Interest on $110,000.00 from 1921 to 1935 at 3% 46,200.00 Interest on $15,000.00 from 1933 to 1935 at 3% 900.00 Interest on $5,500,000.00 from 1913 to 1918 at 3% 825,000.00 Interest on $11,000,000.00 from 1918 to 1935 at 3%... 5,610,000.00 $24,823,728.50 The cost of carrying out this scheme would be $1,050,900.00 more than that of Proposition 2 to 1935, with the advantage of at least five years longer life and the avoidance of the expenditure of $750,000.00 in 1913 for a new intake tower and tunnel, and the revetment of the Illinois shore. If the consumption were at once restricted by the installation of meters, and it could be relied upon that new works would be in operation in five years, it would not be too great a risk to continue to depend upon the present intake until that time. But no engineer would recommend taking such a chance unless he was left unhampered to carry out such plans. Under our system of government such freedom of action is impossi- ble, and the only thing left to do is to build a new intake tower and tunnel. The Water Commissioner recommends the following course of action, which is, in his opinion, the most economical and efficient, and which will result in the greatest satisfaction and benefit to the citizens of St. Louis : 1. Authorize the general installation of meters to be completed not later than 1918, establish equitable meter rates and abolish all flat rates as fast as the territory is covered. 2. Build a new intake tower and tunnel at the Chain of Rocks to insure an ample supply of water at the lowest stage of the River and under the worst conditions produced by extreme cold weather. 3. Build a filter plant at the Chain of Rocks and make the necessary changes in basins as outlined in Appendix "B." 22 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER 4. Make all necessary replacements and additions as scheduled in Appendix "C" for bringing the daily working capacity of the present plant up to 150 million gallons per day, and for its continuous operation until 1960 or later. 5. Build new water works with a working capacity of 100 million gallons per day, with an intake on the Missouri River and with reservoirs and filters at Stratman's, to be completed by 1935, as described in Ap- pendix "C." If the above recommendations are adopted and carried out, St. Louis will have, during the next fifty years, as ample and healthful a supply of water as any city on this continent. Respectfully submitted, Water Commissioner. TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 23 APPENDIX A. PREPARED BY GURDON G. BLACK, Engineer in Charge, Supply and Purifying Division, Saint Louis Water Works. The following report gives the capacities of the intake tower, conduits and settling basins as at present constructed, and also the capacities and costs of the additions which will be necessary under the various plans for increasing the capacity of the works : INTAKE TOWER. Location. The present intake tower, completed in 1892, is located in the Mis- sissippi River at the Chain of Rocks, lO 1 /^ miles above the Eads Bridge by river, 1 mile south of the extreme northern city limits, and 51/2 miles south of the mouth of the Missouri. It is 1500 feet east of the west bank of the river, about 85 feet above the angle in Homer's Dike, and on the west edge of the channel. Its foundation is on solid rock. The rock surface elevations are 68.4 front end, 66.4 at back, 67.0 at center west side, and 66.6 at center of east side. Below elevation 80.4 the tower is 57.6x22', with vertical walls, 11x22' triangular nose, and semi-octagonal back. Above elevation 80.4 to elevation 100.0 the nosing slopes back to form an ice breaker, inclined at 54 -44' to the horizontal, the walls batter 1/2" to the foot, and the back is semi-circular. Above elevation 100.0 both ends are semi-circular, and the sides are straight. The platform and operating floor are at elevation 117.4, the gate house being 40'x20' with semi-circular ends. The keeper's room 17' above operating floor is a 16' circle. All exterior masonry below elevation 117.4 is Red Granite, above is Grafton stone. In the interior of the tower are two wells, one directly over the down- take shaft, connected by a 4'x6' gated opening, with its bottom at 72.4. Ports. Ports, all with gates, are located as follows : No. of openings. Size Width by Height. Location. Elev. of Bottom. Gratings. When Built. Remarks. 1 4x6 West 100.0 Xoln' 1891 Used as entrance at ordinary stages. 1 4x6 West 89.4 Wrt. Iron Never used. 1 4x6 East 80.4 Wrt. Iron Opens to well. 2 3x4 Bast 72.4 Cast Iron Opens to well. 1 4x6 East 72.4 Cast Steel Opens to downtake shaft. 1 5x5 S. East 68.4 None 1900 Opens to downtake shaft. 1 4x6 South 54.7 None 1912 Opens to downtake short tunnel and shaft to rock sur- face at elev. 66.40. Contracted for but not yet completed. 1 4x6 Inside 72.4 Between well and downtake shaft. 24 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER All pates, except 5x5, are operated by hydraulic lifts. 5x5 is op- erated by roller bearing stand with wheel. All operating stands are at elevation 117.4. The tower was parallel to current when installed, but changes in Illinois shore line have caused current to strike at an angle of about 15. A small sand bar forms on west side and back of tower at nearly all stages. The tower is connected to the wet well by a tunnel, brick lined, driven through rock, with downtake and uptake shafts. The tunnel is in two sections, the river part being at about elevation 22 and the in- shore part at about elevation 56. The lengths of the various parts are as follows: Downtake Shaft ............. 40.00 ft. River Tunnel ............................ 1563.15 ft. Uptake Shaft .......................... 24.00 ft. Inshore Tunnel . .. 570.00 ft. Slope to Uptake .............. 1 to 1000 Slope to Uptake ........................ 1 to 200 Total ...................................... 2197.15 ft. Diameter, 7'-0". Area. 38.5 sq. ft. When it was built gaugings were made and an approximate value of C in the Chezy formula of 75 was obtained for 100 million gallons per day flow. August 27-30, approximate gaugings were made, with the following results : c Pumping rate per day. Elevation Water Surface. Loss of Head. R&r. (2) Down- take. (3) Up- take. (4) Wet Well 2-4 2-3 3-4 1-4 85 89 89 79 79 81 82 140.000,000 120,000,000 120,000,000 115,000,000 115,000,000 88,000,000 130,000,000 84.9 84.9 84.9 85.9 85.9 85.9 82.80 83.67 83.97 83.81 84.79 84.99 85.08 81.18 SO. Ml 81.38 81.40 82.57 82.64 83.80 77.82 78.22 80.19 80.25 80.52 80.63 82.67 76.12 5.45 3.78 3.56 4.27 4.36 2.41 5.06 3.66 2.59 2.41 2.22 2.35 1.28 3.36 1.79 1.19 1.15 2.05 2.01 1.13 1.70 6.68 4.71 4.65 5.38 5.27 3.23 6.08 The screens in screen chamber were down in all cases. The wet well readings in the first three were taken just west of the screens; in the last three just over the pump suction. All readings are averages of the readings at one minute intervals for fifteen minutes. No hook gauges were used. Pumping is approximate only, and was obtained by reading meters on turbines and comparing discharge with those from meters. Average C of 80 will be conservative. The loss of head through the tunnel, therefore, for various pump- ings will be as follows: Pumping Mill. Gals, per day. Velocity feet per second. Velocity head. Friction Ix>ss. Total IX)SS. Required Elev. in Downtake. Wet Well 65 Wet Well 66 60 90 120 130 150 160 180 200 2.42 3.64 4.84 5.24 6.04 6.44 7.25 8.05 0.09 0.21 M.36 0.43 0.56 0.65 0.82 1.01 1.05 2.15 3.75 4.36 5.70 6.50 8.10 9.80 1.15 2.36 4.01 4.78 6.26 7.15 8.92 ] . 8 1 66.15 67.36 69.01 69.78 71.26 72.15 73.92 75.81 67.15 68.36 70.01 70.78 72.26 73.15 74.92 76.81 TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 25 The elevation of the bottom of the wet well is 57.0, and of the 48" suction lines to the pumps 58.5. The surge in the well is such that a minimum water level of 65 is required to provide a proper air seal, and 66 is desirable, because of the increased surge with ice in the well. No loss of head through the gates has been figured in the tables given below. Charts showing the daily river stages at the Chain of Rocks since 1897, are on file. The lowest water on record was in January, 1909, when an ice gorge at Alton brought the stage to 72.8 for several hours, and maintained it at an average of only 73.2 for three days. The records for maximum, minimum and average minimum for three days of each year are as given below : STAGES OF RIVER. Year. Maxi- mum. Mini- mum. Av. 3 Consec. Low Days. Year. Maxi- mum. Mini- mum. Av. 3 Consec. Low Days. 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 102.50 98.40 96.80 94.60 94.00 98.40 110.65 105.80 75.50 76.50 75.40 76.70 74.00 75.20 77.50 75.30 75.60 76.80 76.40 76.80 74.80 75.50 77.80 75.30 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 101.30 97.20 98.70 106.10 106.50 96.1 91.6 102.8 74.80 79.10 79.40 77.60 72.80 75.20 74.2 76.5 75.00 79.20 79.60 77.70 73.20 75.20 74.4 77.1 For safety, it will therefore be necessary to use a maximum river stage of 73 in figuring the quantity of water that can be passed through gates and tunnel. With no ice obstructions and no clogging of screens, maintaining an elevation of 66 in the wet well, the following quantities can be passed through each gate : Elev. in Down- take. Corresponding Pumping. Million Gallons Per Day Through Gates. 4x6 Elev. 72.4. 5x5 Elev. 68.4. 4x6 Elev. 54.7. Total. Total without New Gate. Mill. Gals. Sec. Ft. 67.15 68.36 70.01 70.78 72.26 60 90 120 130 150 93 140 186 200.5 232 3 3 3 3 3 103 103 94 88 58 180 160 129 112 64 289 269 239 206 130 109 109 100 94 64 During periods of ice trouble, when the gates are partially blocked by ice cakes, it will be impossible to secure an adequate supply. At higher river elevations, serious trouble is caused by the ice cakes jamming against the gratings, by slush ice adhering to the gratings, and by ice passing the gates and accumulating in the wet well. This trouble is accentuated by the lack, of a number of ports, the resultant velocity now being so high as to carry much ice with the water. The velocity in sec. feet, at various river elevations and different 26 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER pumpings with south gate in service, is as follows, all ports being unob- structed : Velocity in Sec. Feet when Pumping in River Port Million Gallons is Stage. Area. 90 120 130 150 200 72.5 44.5 3.20 4.27 4.70 5.30 7.12 78.0 55.0 2.56 3.44 3.82 4.27 5.74 73.5 60.0 2.33 3.10 3.46 3.89 5.21 74.0 65.0 2.17 2.92 3.23 3.62 4.86 74.5 70.0 2.00 2.71 3.00 3.37 4.53 76.0 75.0 1.87 2.53 2.80 3.14 4.22 75.5 Stl.K 1.75 2.37 2.62 2.95 3.95 76.0 85.0 1.65 2.24 2.47 2.77 3.72 76.5 89.4 1.57 2.12 2.35 2.64 3.54 77.0 91.4 1.53 2.08 2.30 2.58 3.46 77.5 93.4 1.50 2.03 2.25 2.52 3.38 78.0 95.4 1.47 1.99 2.20 2.44 3.32 78.4 97.0 1.44 1.96 2.17 2.42 3.26 The current in the river is then about four miles per hour, or 5.87 feet per second. The maximum pumping at the Chain of Rocks at any time thus far has been about 140 million gallons per day. The gratings over all gates at the intake tower are of ample size under all ordinary conditions to admit the water without appreciable loss of head. A comparison of grate area and gate area follows: Height Above Bottom of Gate in feet. 4'x6' Gate (80.4). I'xfi' <5aU' i 72.4). 2-3'x4' Gate (72.4). Gate Area sq. feet. Grate Area in sq. ft. Bars Horizontal. Gate Area sq. feet. Grate Area sq. feet. Bars Vertical. Gate Area sq. feet. Grate Area in sq. ft. Bars Horizontal. 1 2 3 4 5 5' 8" 6 7'1" 4 8 12 16 24 3.97 8 51 13.05 17 59 22.13 3i!2i 37.17 4 8 12 16 20 24 4.55 8.39 12.23 15.91 18.95 22.79 26! 63 32.0 6 12 18 24 5.55 12.95 20.35 27.75 35.15 42.41 49.84 Summarizing, it may be said : With no ice in river, at a stage of 73, the obtainable quantity of water, maintaining a head of 66 in the wet well, is about 140 million gallons per day, and the velocity through the ports is then about 4 feet per second. As the tower was last winter, without the south gate, under similar conditions, but little over 110 million gallons per day could be obtained. With ice in the river, the quantity obtainable varies greatly, being generally much less than as given above, which is for the most favorable conditions at that stage, all ports being open and free from obstruction. Large ice cakes will be drawn through the migrated openings, and if they do not obstruct the tunnel, will have to be taken out at the wet well, so as to insure a clear suction for the pumps. TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 27 The relatively high velocity through the ports increases both the quantity of cake ice and slush ice that must be handled in the well. In- creased port area would remedy this condition, but there is no available space for such increase, and were there such space, the loss of head through the tunnel would limit the obtainable quantity to a little over 150 million gallons per day. It is essential, therefore, that more intake capacity be provided. FILLING CONDUIT. The pumps lift the water from the wet well to the delivery well, discharging through 42" pipe. The delivery well, west of the engine house is of masonry construction, 47' long by 15' wide, and at its south end opens into the filling conduit. Critical elevations are : Coping of Delivery Well 136.30 Center of 42" discharge pipe 132.05 Delivery Well Floor 121.90 Invert of Conduit at Entrance 121.90 The filling conduit connecting the delivery well with the settling basins is 2574 feet long with a slope to the south of 1 in 4000. It -is of horse shoe section, 9'-0" wide by 8.4 feet high. Fifty feet west of the basins it is connected to each, at a gate chamber, by a cast iron pipe line 5' in diameter. Discharging into Basin 6 through the 5' pipe its capacity when clean (N^O.OIS) is 200 million gallons under 2' head; into Basin 1 through receiving chamber 200,000,000 gallons per day, and into Basin 9 through receiving chamber and 7-foot pipe line 200,000,000 gal- lons per day under 1-foot head. During the eight years the present system of clarification has been in use a scale composed of lime and sediment gradually accumulated along the bottom and sides of the filling conduit until the waterway was so contracted as to necessitate cleaning. Near the point where the lime is added at the delivery well the deposit was from 10 to 12 inches thick on the sides near the bottom, tapering off to nothing at the flow line. On the bottom there were some projections two feet high, while the average depth was about 18 inches, although it had been partially cleaned once during the clarification period. With more frequent clean- ings, the conduit under a two-foot head will deliver 200 millions to Basin 9 at elevation 125. SETTLING BASINS. The settling basin system at the Chain of Rocks consists of six basins in line just east of Columbia Bottom Road, each 400 feet wide by 670 feet long, and three basins 100 feet east of these, two being 413 feet long by 400 feet wide, and one 826 feet long by 400 feet wide. The basins are so arranged that they may be worked in series, filling in either No. 28 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER 1 or No. 9 and drawing from any one in the series as may be required, or by filling in No. 1) and any one of the first six, they may be operated in parallel. Critical elevations are: Top of Coping .. 127.0 Bottom of Drawing Gate 107.0 Bottom of Sewer Gate 101.89 High water level in Basins 125.20 The elevations of the weirs between the basins are as follows: 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 7-8 8-9 Weir Filling No. 9 125.0 124.5 123.5 123.0 122.0 120.5 124.0 124.5 Basin capacities in million gallons are as follows: Basin 3 1-C. Basin 7. Basins 8-9. Total Each. Total. (Each) 1-9 Total water level .... Available total 125 125-107 31.3 31 .3 187.8 187.8 53.8 44.3 26.9 22.1 295.4 276.3 Working . 125-111 28.0 168.0 34.7 17.3 237.4 CONDUITS. A horseshoe shaped drawing conduit, 11 feet wide by 9 feet high, 50 feet east of the six basins, connected to each of the old basins by two 5-foot pipe lines and to the new ones by 7-foot pipe lines, carries the water to the drawing conduit chamber at the south e.nd of the basin system. ELEVEN FOOT CONDUIT. From the drawing conduit chamber to Baden, two conduit lines are provided. The conduit is a masonry aqueduct of horseshoe section, 11 feet wide by 9 feet high. It has a uniform slope of 1 in 10,000 and is 18,838 feet long. It was emptied for examination in 1908, but has never been cleaned. No accurate determinations of its carrying capacity have been made experimentally, but some work will be done toward that end this winter. Approximate determinations based on the drawing from the basins at the Chain gave values of C. in the Chezy formula, vary- ing from 84 to 132.90. An approximate mean would be 110. FLOW LINE. The flow line is 7 feet in diameter of i/ 2 inch steel in telescoping sections, with horizontal and circular lap-riveted joints. It parallels the conduit, being 22 feet distant therefrom, has a uniform slope of 1 to 10,000. and connects to the inlet chamber of the Baden reservoir. It was put in service in 1907. Assuming a C. of 100 for this pipe, no tests TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 29 having been made thereon, its carrying capacity together with that of the conduit under various water elevations, is as follows: Elevation of Water in Million Gallons Per Day. Drawing Baden Remarks. Conduit Gate Conduit. Flow Line. Total. Chamber. Chamber. 112.67 110.78 94 32 ! 126 Flow line 1' be- low arch. 113.67 110.78 120 42 162 Conduit full at Chain. 115.97 110.78 150 55 205 Conduit 2.3 head. 119.47 110.78 200 123.70 110.78 90 Conduit not in use. 114.68 111.68 iii 42 i iii 9' Conduit full at Baden. With C. Conduit 120 and C. Flow Line lin. 112.67 110.78 102 36 138 NINE FOOT CONDUIT. From the Baden gate chamber to the Bissell 's Point basins, a single conduit carries the supply. The nine foot conduit is of horseshoe sec- tion 9 feet wide by 7 feet 9 inches high. It has a uniform slope of 1 in 10,000 and is 17,930 feet long. A gauging chamber has been built near Bissell 's Point, and current meter gaugings are being made to determine the carrying capacity. One set of readings has thus far been made with the following results. This work will be continued: Depth of. Water in Conduit. R. of Section. A. Of Section. Blev. Water Baden. Blev. Water Gauging Chamber. Diff. in Eleva- tion. S (L=15557) Aver- age V. Ob- serv- ed. C=-^ V ra 5 462 2.46 45.38 109.555 107.246 2.309 0.0001485 2.11 110.5 5.310 5.539 5.447 2.44 2.47 2.46 44.17 45.97 45.26 109.374 109.637 109.585 107.094 107.323 107.231 2.280 2.314 2.354 0.0001465 0.0001490 0.0001512 2.15 2.178 2.261 113.8 113.1 117.0 Average 113.6 For computation purposes an average C. of 110.0 will be assumed. Conduit discharges under varying conditions are as follows : Elevation of Water. Baden. Bissell's Point. Million Gallons. Remarks. 111.68 104.1 100.0 Conduit full at Baden V. at B. Pt. 10.45. 111.68 111.68 107.15 109.88 84.0 59.5 Conduit full at Baden. Conduit full at Baden 8 = 0.0001. 110.68 108.88 61.0 Water 1' below top arch S- 0.0001. STORAGE BASINS. Storage basins are located at Baden, Bissell's Point and Compton Hill. 30 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER BADEN. The Baden basin, put in service in 1907, lies just north of the Baden Pumping Station. It is rectangular in cross section, one corner being cut off, 502 feet long by 407.5 feet wide. It lies entirely in excavation, has reinforced concrete walls and concrete bottom. The top of the cop- ing is at elevation 114.0. The total capacity, with water at elevation 111.78, is 25,000,000 gallons, and the working capacity at elevation 97.0 is 20,000,000 gallons. BISSELL'S POINT. The reservoir at Bissell's Point, built in 1870, for sedimentation purposes, has four basins, each 277 feet wide by 600 feet long, separated by weirs 30 feet long at elevation 103.0 cut in the division walls at the east side. The total capacity of the basins, water at elevation 109.0, is 83 million gallons, and the working capacity is 59 million gallons. The basins are connected to the clear well by a brick conduit 6' wide by 6'-9" high. This conduit is in bad condition, and for sanitary reasons should be rebuilt if it is to be continued in service. The basins may be by-passed by means of a 48" pipe line from the terminal chamber to the clear well. COMPTON HILL. Compton Hill reservoir is the only high service storage basin. It is on Grand Avenue and Lafayette Avenue, was built in 1870, and has two basins with earth walls, lined with puddle and stone paving, separated by a masonry division wall. The working capacity is 58 million gallons. ADDITIONS TO PRESENT PLANT. Unless measures are taken to either reduce the consumption or con- struct an additional plant at some other location, additions to the present plant are necessary. Those most important are as follows : INTAKE TOWER. The capacity of the present tower under winter conditions, without ice, is 150 million gallons per day. This would be greatly reduced under unfavorable conditions. Another intake tower provides the only method of increasing the capacity. Surveys have been made and preliminary plans prepared for a new tower to be located in the Mississippi River at the Chain of Rocks, about 800 feet to the east and north of the present tower. The tower will be of the same general design as the present one, with two interior wells, connected by gates. The foundation will be on bed rock, about elevation 60. Ample port area will be provided so that the velocity of the water passing through will be so low as to carry a mini- TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 31 mum of slush ice and so that the loss of head through the gates may be decreased. A tentative location of gates follows : No. of Ports. Size Width and Length. Loca- tion. Eleva- tion Bottom. Grating. Remarks. 2 1 1 1 2 1 4x6 4x6 4x6 4x6 4x6 6x8 West West South Bast East 62 62 62 62 62 62 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Opens to well. Opens to downtake. Opens to downtake. Opens to downtake. Opens to well. Between well and downtake 1 1 1 1 1 4x6 4x6 4x6 4x6 4x6 West East East S. West West 72 72 81 81 100 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Opens to well. Opens to downtake. Opens to well. Opens to downtake. Used as entrance at ordinary stages. The tunnel, 8 feet in diameter, in solid rock at about the same ele- vation as old tunnel and shafts, will drain to pit pump shaft. Tunnel will connect to wet well north of present screen chamber opening through a screen chamber. Tunnel and shafts will be lined with concrete care- fully finished to reduce friction as low as possible. All gates will be motor operated, and cable lines for power, light, and telephones will be laid in conduit, built into tunnel lining. The estimated cost of this work is: Tower and superstructure $150,000.00 Tunnel and shafts 300,000.00 Screen chamber and wet well connection 50,000.00 Gates and appurtenances, cables and equipments, gratings, etc 50,000.00 $550,000.00 In addition it will be necessary to revet about 3% miles of the east bank of the river so that the channel may be retained at the towers. Within the last seven years the banks above have been cut in over half a mile, and the point of attack has moved down stream until it is now y 2 mile above the present tower. The estimated cost of this work is $200,000.00. SETTLING BASINS. To increase the capacity of the clarification plant, which is now at times inadequate, either additional settling basins or filters are necessary. The efficiencies of each are discussed in Appendix "B," and estimates for a filter plant are there given. Estimates for additional settling basins only will be given here. Six basins, each 400 feet by 670 feet, in line with and south of the present six old basins, are proposed. The city now owns all property necessary. The walls will be of reinforced concrete, protected from undermining by steel sheet piling curtain walls, driven to rock on the river side, and to the depth necessary elsewhere. The present filling con- duit will be waterproofed and extended to supply the new basins, addi- tional conduit capacity being provided from the delivery well to Basin 1. The present drawing conduit will be extended east of the new basins, 32 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER and turning, run west to chamber built connecting both the 11 foot con duit and the flow line. Cast iron sewers to the river will be provided with connections to the ditch at the west end of each basin for flushing Gate chambers and gates will be of the same general design as those at present. The estimated cost of the basins with all connections is $1,250.000.00. CONDUIT. Using conduit and flow line in conjunction, no additional capacity from the Chain to Baden will be required until the consumption (average daily) increases to 150 millions, the conduit being operated under a 2 foot head. Kelow Baden, however, the maximum conduit capacity is 100 millions daily, and the working capacity is much lower. With the in- creasing of the capacity of the Bissell 's Point plant to 100 millions daily, as proposed, a conduit capacity at least one-third greater should be provided. To do this it will be necessary to parallel the present con- duit with a flow line 7 feet in diameter of reinforced concrete or riveted steel pipe. Including all necessary connections at Bissell 's Point, the estimated cost of these is: Concrete $300,000.00 Riveted Steel 480,000.00 Wood Stave .. 210,000.00 BASINS, Should a filter plant be constructed at the Chain, increased storage would be desirable at Baden. The city owns ground east of the conduit on which basins of 100 million gallons capacity can be constructed. These would be of reinforced concrete walls and concrete floors, almost wholly in excavation, and covered with a flat slr.b construction roof. The basin would be trapezoidal in shape, 800 feet wide by 1500 feet long and 16 feet deep. The estimated cost, including the covering of the Baden storage reservoir now in place, amounts to $1,000,000.00. The estimates cover the increases in capacity most essential con- tinuing the plant at the Chain of Rocks in service and providing no additional supply. An alternate proposition of going to the Missouri River for an ad- ditional supply suggests itself, and preliminary estimates on the cost thereof have been prepared as follows : MISSOURI RIVER PLANT. The establishment and construction of a water works plant on the Missouri River with reservoirs and filters on Stratman's Hill, whence the water can be supplied by gravity to the City of Saint Louis, will necessitate the following principal items of expenditures: Land. Intake tower and tunnel and bank protection Pumping plant on the Missouri River Pump mains Reservoirs and niters. Distribution mains. TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 33 LAND. The land required for the various parts of the work is as follows: Eighty acres on the Missouri River for pumping plant and intake tunnel. A strip 150 feet wide (145 acres) from the pumping station to Stratman's Hill, upon which to lay pump mains. Two hundred fifty acres in the neighborhood of Stratman's Hill for reservoirs, filters, right-of-way for railroad switches, and sewers. A strip (100 acres) from Stratman's Hill to the city limits, upon \vhich to lay distribution mains. The land on the Missouri River should not cost more than $500.00 per acre ; that for a right-of-way from the pumping station to Stratman 's Hill, not over $750.00 per acre; at Stratman's Hill $1,000.00 per acre; and the right-of-way from there to the city limits, $2,000.00 per acre; making a total of $613,750.00 for land. INTAKE TOWER AND TUNNEL. Surveys and soundings of the Missouri River show a favorable loca- tion for an intake eight or nine miles above St. Charles, and about three- fourths of a mile above the intake of the St. Louis County Water Com- pany. At this point there is sufficient depth of water near the right bank of the river, so that the intake tower could be built close enough to the St. Louis County side of the river to admit of a connection to the shore with a bridge. Bank protection would have to be provided for a distance of half a mile above, and about a mile below the tower on the St. Louis County side, and for about a mile and a half on the St. Charles County side, in order to keep the channel in its present location. Both tower and tunnel would be constructed of sufficient capacity to supply the final completed plant with a working daily capacity of 200 million gallons. The tunnel would be not less than nine feet in diameter, and the tower large enough to accommodate gates in sufficient numbers and size to permit an ample flow of water through the inlets at the lowest stage of the river. From the tower to the bluffs, where the pumping station would be located, it is approximately one-half mile. The cost of a tower and tunnel with all gates, shafts and appur- tenances would probably amount to $750,000.00. Taking the average cost of bank protection at $15.00 per running foot, the total expenditure necessary for this work would be $237,600.00. PUMPING PLANT. The following estimate on the cost of the pumping plant has been prepared by Leonard A. Day, Engineer in Charge, Construction Division. 34 REPORT OF THE W ATE It COMMISSIONER NKW PLANT FOR MISSOl'RI RIVER. Capacity 100.000.000 gallons in 24 hours. Working head 350 feet: 7-20,000.000 gallon triple expansion pumping engines, $120,000.00 each $ 840,000.00 Steam piping, covering and auxiliaries ... 30,000.00 Feed water heaters 2,500.00 3 Sump pumps 3,000.00 12-500 H. P. boilers at $12.00 per H. P 72,000.00 12 Chain grates at $4.00 per H. P 24,000.00 6.000 H. P. superheaters at $3.00 per H. P 18,000.00 Concrete coal bunkers 20,000.00 Coal and ash handling machinery 18,000.00 Crusher 3,000.00 Engine pit 30,000.00 Engine house 70,000.00 Boiler house 60,000.00 Ash tunnel 10,000.00 Foundations 12,000.00 Concrete floor 8,000.00 Coal storage house 10,000.00 Smoke stack 20,000.00 Machine shop, blacksmith shop and store room 40,000.00 Electrical equipment 25,000.00 $1,345,500.00 Contingent 10 per cent 134,500.00 $1,480,000.00 Grading, Railroad switches, sewers, etc 20,000.00 $1,500,000.00 In estimating the cost of pumps, boilers, buildings, etc., for a water works plant on the Missouri River, it is assumed that a working capacity of 100,000,000 gallons per day is all that would be needed for many years, and that this plant could be duplicated, making it a twin station, when- ever the necessity arose for it. PUMP MAINS. The pump mains necessary for carrying the water from the pumping station on the Missouri River to Stratman's Hill will be about 9 miles long. They will be two in number, 6i/ 2 feet in diameter, made of steel, for the first installation of a 100,000,000 gallon plant. When the capacity of the river station is doubled, it will be necessary to lay a third main of the same size. The friction loss in each main when 100,000.000 gallons is passing through it will be 2.3 feet per mile, or a total of about 21 feet from the pumps to Stratman's. The cost of these mains will be approximately .$25.00 per foot, or a total of $2,376,000.00. RESERVOIRS AND FILTERS. The necessary reservoirs for a working capacity of 100,000,000 i?al Ions per day would consist of a set of preliminary settling basins holding not less than 200,000.000 gallons; a pair of coagulating basins, each hold- ing not less than 1,500,000 gallons, and clear water basins with a total capacity of not less than 100,000,000 gallons. The filter plant TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 35 should consist of not less than 30 filter units, each of 5,000,000 gallons daily capacity. The cost of the preliminary settling basins, railroad tracl:, sewers, etc., is estimated at $1,500,000.00; that of the coagulating basins at $350,000.00; of the clear water basins at $1,000,000.00; and of the filter plant at $600,000.00, making a total of $3,450,000.00 for reservoirs and filters. DISTRIBUTION MAINS. These should consist of two seven foot steel pipes seven miles long, extending from Stratrnan's to the city limits. From these, 48-inch cast iron pipe would be necessary to connect with the present distribution system. This will require about 12 miles of 48-inch pipe at an approxi- mate cost of $16.00 per foot. The steel mains would cost $27.50 per lineal foot, or $2,032,800.00 for the two lines, each 7 miles long. The cast iron 48-inch mains would cost $1,013,760.00. The total cost of the Missouri River plant would, therefore, be as follows : Land $ 613,750.00 Intake tower and tunnel 750,000.00 Bank protection 237,600.00 Pumping plant 1,500,000.00 Pump mains 2,376,000.00 Reservoirs and filters 3,450,000.00 Distribution mains 2,032,800.00 Distribution mains .. 1,013,760.00 $11,973,910.00 This expenditure will provide for a plant with a working capacity of 100 million gallons per day. These works should be so constructed that this capacity could be doubled when needed without doubling the cost. The items which would not enter into the cost of doubling the capacity would be the intake tower and tunnel, the purchase of land, and bank protection. The cost of increasing the working capacity to 200 million gallons per day may be estimated as follows: Pumping plant .. $1,450,000.00 Pump main 1,088,000.00 Reservoirs and filters 3,350,000.00 Distribution mains 1,016,400.00 Distribution mains .. 1,013,760.00 $7,918,160.00 Should a plan be adopted providing for the construction of a plant of 100,000,000 gallons daily working capacity without any provision for future enlargement, its cost would be as follows : Land $ 463,000.00 Intake tower and tunnel 500,000.00 Bank protection 237,600.00 Pumping plant 1,450,000.00 Pump mains 2,376,000.00 Reservoirs and filters 3,250,000.00 Distribution mains 2,032,800.00 Distribution mains ... 700,000.00 $11,009,400.00 36 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER APPENDIX B. PREPARED BY W. F. MONFORT, Chemist, Saint Louis Water Works. QUALITY AND TREATMENT. It lias been manifest for several years that the installation at the Chain of Rocks is inadequate to meet present consumption, much less the natural increase of the next few years. There is evidence that even in the first year of operation the clarifying plant was not of sufficient capacity. Any discussion of extension or enlargement of the present plant must be prefaced by consideration of the quality of waters furnishing our supply. It was not until within a few years that sufficient data had accumulated to warrant judgment as to the adaptation of the present treatment to the character of waters entering our intake. The questions to be considered involve the quality of the supply, the adequacy of the process of treatment, the present capacity of the plant, and such exten- sions and changes as give promise of providing for present and future needs of the community a supply ample and of a quality acceptable to a public whose judgment has been made keener by progressive improve- ment through eight years past. QUALITY OF RIVER WATER COLOR. Each of the principal streams contributing to our supply has its peculiarities, of which color, suspended and dissolved solids most con- cern us. Water standing in the 5000 to 6000 lakes and innumerable swamps at headwaters of Upper Mississippi River, exposed to decom- posing vegetable matter bark, woody . tissue, leaves, sawdust, marsh grasses, fallen needles and cones of pine and cedar, hemlock and tam- arack acquires a color, due to dissolved organic matter, which is very deep. A color of two hundred parts per million of the platinum scale has been observed in the forested districts. Precipitation in this region flushes out the colored water from these steeping basins into rising streams and into the main river. Color of from 60 to 120 is of frequent occurrence at points in its course. Illinois River drainage basin is wholly in prairie region, under cul- tivation, with a mean annual rainfall of 30 to 40 inches. While the headwaters of Missouri River are in a forested basin, the main stream flows through a country almost devoid of forests, with an annual average precipitation of less than 20 inches. Neither Illinois nor Missouri River drainage area abounds in swamps. Available records point to a maxi- mum color of about 30 for both rivers. The discharges of the three rivers which unite above Saint Louis, therefore, differ no less in color than in mineralization. When forests TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 37 on the drainage basins at the head of the Mississippi are exhausted should this ever occur we may expect the color of Upper Mississippi water to be reduced ; but because of extensive swamp lands which will probably persist, it can hardly become a negligible quantity as in the Ohio, the Missouri, and the Illinois. It is apparent, that at present, unequal distribution of spring and fall rains or rains which at any time of year follow protected drouth must result in a disturbance of the balance represented by "mean annual discharge ' ' of the rivers under consideration, with corresponding change in color of water entering the Saint Louis intake. The mean annual discharge of Upper Mississippi at Hannibal is 125,000 second feet; of Missouri River at its mouth, 100,000 second feet. However, in 1906-1907 Upper Mississippi was rated at 77,000 second feet; Missouri River at 97,000 second feet, while Illinois River had an average discharge of but 28,000 cubic feet per second. There is evidence that these averages cover very significant fluctuations in the relative weight of discharge during the specific period mentioned. From the point of view of river navigation, it is desirable that pre- cipitation be so distributed that a good stage of water may prevail at all times. Areas of low barometric pressure should so distribute their precipitation that Missouri River with its steeper gradient may discharge its excess before the run-off from Upper Mississippi drainage area reaches Grafton, while Illinois rainfall with an increment from Chicago drainage canal maintains an equable flow. This may be the case and the resulting stage quite satisfactory, while the quality of water entering the intake at St. Louis, derived from Missouri River, or from a blending of Upper Mississippi River with Missouri River or with Illinois River water, presents extreme difficulties in treatment. For, usually, Missouri River imparts its turbid character to water flowing down the west shore of the Mississippi, while a more or less complete mixture of Upper Mississippi water with Illinois River water occupies the eastern side of the channel. The line of demarcation persists some distance below the Chain of Rocks intake, disappearing about 7 miles below, at Merchants' Bridge, though mixing of waters is still far from complete. The relation of source and color of water is illustrated in an oc- currence of last year. In September, 1911, there was an unusual precipi- tation over Northern Illinois and Wisconsin, which caused a flood stage in the Illinois River during October and November, and sent a wave of colored water from the forested regions of Wisconsin down the Upper Mississippi. Rainfall along the Missouri was so light that the character of water at our intake was practically that of the Upper Mississippi. The result was that muddy Missouri River water occupied a shallow restricted strip down the west bank of the River, about 1200 feet wide, while the rest of the bed and channel was occupied by a coffee colored liquid (true and apparent color) representing almost four-fifths of the 38 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER combined discharge of the three rivers. The intake tower of St. Louis Water Works was for days completely surrounded by the deeply colored flood, displaced only after rainfall on Missouri drainage area had in- creased the relative weight of that discharge. Consideration of the diagram 1 will make clear the relation of stage in the three rivers at gauging points next above St. Louis to the occur- rence of high color and high suspended matter. With Missouri (Her- mann gauge) running out strongly prior to the 20th of October, sus- pended solids are very high, and the color 30 or less. Between the 20th and 25th Mississippi (Keokuk stage) is in the ascendant, and, with rapid decline in suspended solids, the color rises, remaining high until well toward the end of November, when Hermann gauge readings rise following heavy rains on Missouri River. The curve of magnesium in the second diagram is of especial interest. Magnesium varies inversely as the St. Louis stage; it follows color only as the latter is affected by variations in Missouri stage. High color is related to stages of Upper Mississippi only. Daily determinations of color in the water supply have been made in this laboratory for the past six years. In almost every year serious trouble has arisen because of the disturbance of balance in discharges of the rivers. High color may occur in any month of the year. The fact that it had occurred at times in the Chain of Rocks supply was com- mented upon in the "Report on the Water Supply of the City of St. Louis by the Commission of Hydraulic Engineers" in 1902, but their con- sideration of it was based upon meager data. Most of the discussion under the topic of color in the majority report is taken up with the relation of color and albuminoid ammonia. Insufficient data prevented adequate consideration of the matter in 1902, and in the period prior to the World's Fair in 1903-1904 in connection with the plan of treatment selected, color removal was not considered. This may have been because color determinations were not made at Quincy where the pioneer work on iron and lime treatment was done. Data available shows that color reduction is frequently a serious problem not only in cities on the Upper Mississippi, but even below the confluence of the eastern and western rivers with the northern one, which must be taken into account in any plan for treatment adapted to all conditions of such a variable water as the Saint Louis supply.* Peculiar interest attaches to data on color at points on Upper Mis- sissippi River during the past year in their bearing upon the frequency of occurrence of high color at the present intake and the probable occur- rence in the future when a portion of our supply shall be drawn from a point 650 feet east and 300 feet up stream from the present tower. For "From a paper on "Color in Mississippi River at St. Louis," proceedings Illinois Water Supply Association, 1912. TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 39 DIA6RAM NO. I COMPARISON OF CHEMICAL. AND PHYSICAL DATA WITH THE STAGE OF RIVERS. 09") OCTOBER NIOVCMBKR 5 10 is to 25 so i 5 10 15 to es so lU 22 I ::::-.:;;;:..;;. v::i: 40 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER Rock Island, 111., the following data is presented through the courtesy of Mr. Lewis I. Birdsall, superintendent of filtration at that point. Other data are from determinations made in this laboratory. Table 1 Comparison of Color in Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. Mississippi River. Missouri River. St. Charles, Mo. Rock Island. St. Louis Intake. Max. Min. Aver. Max. Min. Aver. Max. Min. Aver. June, 1911 July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan., 1912 120 50 50 70 140 140 70 60 35 35 30 50 30 40 74 41 42 43 91 86 59 40 30 31 35 115 115 35 115 35 60 35 35 35 30 30 60 30 18 18 18 18 18 30 25 25 ?S Id 25 28 28 28 25 25 18 29 29 24 24 84 66 30 39 28 35 30 30 32 29 27 36 24 28 32 ' '26 18 20 13 12 '15 14 12 19 16 'ie 15 15 Feb March April May June July ; Aug. Sept. Oct. 70 60 250 170 200 250 160 100 35 30 45 50 40 80 50 40 42 48 102 118 114 121 100 61 The difference in character of samples taken at points across the river is shown in observations made while this report was in preparation. Sampling points at the Chain of Rocks were midway between the west shore and the intake, at the intake, and in the channel east of our intake tower. Samples from the Missouri at St. Charles, for the same days, were examined. The tabulated results show that on September 21 and following days, Missouri River contributed about three-fourths of the water in the west samples, and about one-half of that entering the intake. The difference in turbidity of various samples was very marked, and the color at the intake and in the channel to the eastward was pro- nounced. The sampling point "east of intake" is the approximate loca- tion approved by the U. S. Engineers for the new intake. It is evident that troubles incident to treating highly colored water will be increased when the new intake is put into service. TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 41 Table 2 Comparison of Missouri and Mississippi River waters. Date. 1912. Source. Turbidity. Sus- pended Solids. Color. Alka- linity. Sept 21 Missouri River. . 2000 2360 15 113 Sept. 22 Mississippi R. . . Missouri River. . West Intake East 2000 1800 400 i 1890 1290 400 35 60 105 108 92 81 Sept. 23 Mississippi R. . . Missouri River. . West Intake East 1500 1500 300 2000 2250 35 60 105 15 100 87 85 113 1 Sept. 24 Mississippi R. . . Missouri River . West Intake East 2000 1500 400 2000 i260 560 2130 45 60 110 16 101 90 82 118 Sept. 25 Mississippi R. . . Missouri River. . West Intake East 1500 1500 400 1800 1740 1190 295 1140 40 60 90 15 102 94 85 122 Sept. 26 Mississippi R. . . Missouri River. . West Intake East 1500 1500 160 1800 i2io 220 1710 40 50 110 15 110 103 89 122 Sept 27 Mississippi R. . . Missouri River West Intake East 1800 1800 150 1500 1740 1250 225 1540 20 45 100 15 111 103 90 125 Sept. 28 Mississippi R. . . Missouri River. . West Intake East 1500 1500 240 1500 1240 1360 20 40 80 15 110 105 96 128 Mississippi R. . . West Intake East 1300 1200 240 i620 30 40 80 120 110 99 QUALITY OF WATER : MINERALIZATION : SUSPENDED SOLIDS. The ground water of each portion of a river's course brings to the channel a solution of fairly constant composition for any one locality, representing in a way the chemical composition of strata penetrated by this portion of the rainfall in its flow to the river. From the surface formation some material is carried by rapid run-off after rains, or scoured from the river bed by swift currents; the suspended solids are an expression of the soil character and the topography of a basin, and vary with the stage ; dissolved solids of a given stream will be most con- centrated at the lowest stage and suffer dilution by less highly mineral- ized flood water. This general relation is exhibited in the diagram fol- lowing. (See p. 42.) MINERALIZATION. Upper Mississippi River, deriving its ground water partly from a glaciated area, partly from a sandstone district, flows by a series of pools and rapids to join the lower rivers. Illinois River, draining a glaciated almost level district under cultivation, receives a considerable volume of lake water with a portion of the sewage of Chicago, which increases its mineral content, particularly sulphates and chlorides. Missouri River receives a large contribution from a similar glacial drift, and from the regions of lower rainfall it carries a characteristic burden of dissolved matter, while because of its steeper gradient its suspended matter has slight opportunity for precipitation and is thus brought to the confluence of the three rivers five and a half miles above the Chain of 42 REPORT OF THK WATER COMMISSIONER SOL.IDS. Diagram 2 Relation of Solids to Stage. TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 43 Bocks. In 1906-1907 the waters of these rivers were sampled daily at Ruegg, Mo. (Fort Belief on taine), at Kampsville, at Quincy, and Chester, 111., and ten day composites analyzed by representatives of the U. S. Geological Survey.* The averages for the entire year are given in Table 3, with averages for St. Louis for the same period, taken from our records. Table 3 Comparison of Analyses of Missouri, Mississippi and Illinois. Miss. R. at Quincy. 111. R. at Kamps- ville. Mo. R. at Ruegg. Miss. R. at Chester. St. Louis Intake. Turbidity 173 188 1931 585 1253 Suspended Solids .... Coefficient of Fineness Calcium (Ca) . ... 119 .8 36 145 .8 47 1890 1.02 52 634 .8 44 1333 1.02 45 Magnesium (Mg) .... Sodium (Na) 16 11 20 18 16 36 16 21 16 27 Bicarbonate (HCQ3) . Sulphates (SCM) 175 25 202 42 178 104 174 56 172 62 Nitrates (NO 3 ) 2.2 4.2 2.9 2.7 2.7 Chlorine (CO 4.4 15 12 9.8 12 Dissolved Solids 203 267 346 269 271 The year covered by these analyses (October, 1906-August, 1907) was one of less than normal precipitation. Still they illustrate the essen- tial differences in quality of the three waters. The predominance of Mis- souri River water at our intake is measured by higher averages for sulphates, sodium and suspended solids, as compared with averages for the other rivers at Quincy and Kampsville ; its obvious character of high turbidity affects our supply. In the blended water entering our intake, the average of suspended solids for that year indicates that approxi- mately three-fourths of our supply was derived from the western river. Very great departures from the averages appear in the detail of analyses. In samples from Quincy the range of suspended matter was from 24 to 294 parts per million; in Missouri River, from 296 to 6330 parts; and at our intake from 174 to 4200 parts per million. Similar departures from averages are recorded for dissolved solids, equally well marked for sulphates and for sodium. In later years of greater and of less precipitation even wider di- vergences occur. Suspended solids in our raw water have been as high as 8000 for a single day, and as low as 14. In 1911 for six consecutive days in July suspended matter in our samples was in excess of 4000 parts per million. The range of these variations is given in a subsequent table. (Table 13.) As represented in Table 3, the suspended matter at our intake agrees in fineness with that of Missouri River on the average. In Upper Mis- sissippi and Illinois Rivers the matter transported is very much finer, and much more difficult of removal, while the coarse and fine material carried from Missouri River responds much more quickly to sedimenta- tion with or without coagulation. *Water Supply Paper 236. 44 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER The quantity of suspended matter removed from the day's supply has been as high as 100 tons per hour for several consecutive days. The problem presented by this very large amount of matter which must be taken care of in clarification is simplified by the relative coarseness of the matter carried, and the rapidity of its sedimentation. This is the explanation of the difference in suspended solids in Mis- souri River samples and in intake samples cited in the first table. A large percentage of the sand carried by Missouri River deposits below mouth, and not infrequently (as on the 26th of September, 1912) is again scoured from the bed of the main stream when the stage has changed and the course of currents shifted. A notable instance of this shifting occurred in 1911, when the channel of Mississippi River moved several hundred feet in the course of the summer. In dissolved solids and in hardness, the waters of the three rivers show gradations representative of the respective ground waters. Table 4 Comparison of Hardness in Component Rivers. Non- Dissolved Carbonate Total Solids. Hardness. Hardness. Hardness. Miss. River Quincv 203 141 15 156 111. River . . . Kampsville.. . 267 161 40 201 Mo. River . . Rue^g, Mo. . . . 346 143 53 196 Miss. River . Chester 269 141 31 176 Miss. River Intake 271 141 36 177 The larger quantity of dissolved matter carried by Missouri River is due to sodium salts, sulphates and chlorides taken up in the passage of rain water through alkaline soils, which, because of the lower rainfall, have been less leached out in the course of centuries than the more thoroughly washed soils of the glaciated region of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois, lying in the main north of Missouri River and a line passing eastward through Saint Louis. In total hardness Illinois River water is slightly above Missouri, and both much higher than Upper Mississippi, while the water supply of Saint Louis, representing a combination of the three waters, occupies an intermediate place. Because of variations in the relative discharge of these rivers, pro- portional variations, both seasonal and annual, occur in the various forms of hardness, from one-half to double the averages given. QUALITY OP WATERS: ORGANISMS. In regard to the presence of bacterial life in the stream under con- sideration there is much to be said against each. All are contaminated by sewage discharge. With adequate treatment a safe water may be prepared for distribution from any one of these sources. The Mississippi is the source of supply for Burlington, Dubuque, Rock Island, Moline, Davenport. Quincv, Hannibal and Louisiana. Missouri River furnishes the municipal supply of St. Joseph, Kansas City, Independence, Mo., and of Kansas City, Kan., and of several smaller cities. The supply of TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 45 East St. Louis is taken from an incomplete blending of the waters of the Missouri with those of the other rivers. So far as larger forms of plant and animal life are concerned, our experience goes to show that organisms abundant in clearer waters dur- ing the early summer do not multiply to a troublesome extent under prevailing conditions. Acute troubles from fresh water sponges and other organisms causing obnoxious odors and tastes occur in clear water on the east side of the Mississippi below the Missouri's mouth. The turbidity of Missouri River in spring and summer months limits the de- velopment of organisms whose propagation is favored by light. In par- tially softened water the growth of algae generally is retarded ; although anabaena, beggiatoa and crenothrix occur in the untreated water, growth in the basins is negligible. Occasionally some development of spirogyra has been noticed, and a slight development of oscillaria is common ; none of the algae have ever given any trouble in our sedimentation basins. PRESENT METHOD OP TREATMENT. The chemical reagents now in use are lime and sulphate of iron. Sulphate of iron is very effective in coagulating suspended matter in turbid waters. For color removal, however, it is not very efficient. In the presence of dissolved organic (coloring) matter iron is held in solu- tion ; its precipitation as ferric hydroxide is considerably retarded, even when large additions of lime are used in treatment of such a water. The efficiency of iron sulphate as a coagulant is therefore materially reduced under such conditions. The very fine suspended matter which character- izes Upper Mississippi River water does not respond to increased charges ; the treated w r ater retains in solution and suspension as much as 5 parts per million of iron, which gives a red brown color to the effluent from hot water faucets, discolors the seams of white goods in laundries, and is in divers ways a source of annoyance to household consumers, not only because of the organic matter originally present in the river water, but by reason of the additional iron held in solution and colloidal sus- pension by it. Lime is effective in removal of a portion of the carbonate hardness of the raw water, precipitating calcium and magnesium carbonates, pro- ducing a softening desirable when the carbonate hardness exceeds 100 parts per million. The partial reduction of calcium with a smaller reduction of magnesium in connection with coagulation has proved suc- cessful and economical; the degree of softening accomplished being al- ways incidental to coagulation. Increase in the charge of lime above that required to react with the carbonate hardness increases the total hardness without precipitating magnesium until a considerable excess of lime has been added, giving a strong caustic reaction, when a portion of the magnesium is precipitated as hydroxide. In 1905-1906 this was apparently of common occurrence, involving a waste of lime amounting in some cases to two or more grains per gallon. While a more rapid precipitation of ferric hydroxide results, and the precipitated mag- 46 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER nesium hydroxide is also a coagulant, the practice is not to be com- mended, because of the persistence of caustic alkalinity through the dis- tribution system : causing precipitation upon mixing with less heavily treated waters. For the purpose of color reduction the action of lirne in precipi- tating calcium carbonate is of no avail. In so far as magnesium car- Inmate is precipitated and prevented from redissolving from the sludge an effective agent for color removal is provided. It has been shown above (Diagram 1) that when high color prevails magnesium is not pro- portionately increased ; rather, high color is in this case characteristic of a stream whose ground water is low in magnesium as compared with that of Missouri River, and especially low at times of flood because of dilution with unmineralized water; for dissolved matter varies inversely with the stage. It follows that when magnesium is most needed for color reduction there is least of it available. Magnesium carbonate is our effective agent for color removal. The hydroxide precipitated by a large excess of lime is of little value for this purpose ; it has been found that with caustic reaction through the basins, a color of 100 was not reduced below 50 parts per million of the platinum scale. Considering the fact that the predominance of colored Upper Mis- sissippi water at our intake is of frequent occurrence and that the period of such occurrences may be indefinitely prolonged, it becomes necessary that our plant should be in readiness on occasion to apply sulphate of alumina, which forms an insoluble hydroxide holding permanently the coloring matter which it once carries down. Because of the relative slowness of its precipitation the use of alum is not adapted to our method of treatment, using sedimentation only. Moreover, under present con- ditions, by reason of its solvent action on previously deposited iron com- pounds, its prolonged use would lead to the introduction of a new trouble caused by persistence of dissolved iron in our finished water. Precipi- tation of aluminum hydroxide is retarded by high color, as are all agents for color removal, but it remains the most effective reagent available for the purpose. However much or little importance high color may have from an aesthetic standpoint, no small weight attaches to its inhibition of coagu- lation, which results in an imperfectly clarified water, holding in solution unusual amounts of iron compounds, which only extremely high caustic can remove. The operation of the plant has been embarrassed by the color problem about 19 per cent of the time in the last six years. On 463 days of the 2400 since regular determinations have been made in this laboratory, the color of raw water at our intake has been 40 parts or more per million. PRESENT CLARIFICATION PLANT. A coagulant house ample for treating with lime and iron sulphate more than 160 million gallons per day, with a series of unbaffled basins, TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 47 'constitutes the present clarification plant. Water lifted by the low service pumps to the delivery well flows with its charge of chemicals to the basins. A filling conduit dividing at the northwest corner of the basin sys- tem connects on the west side with each of six masonry basins ; the branch is connected by four gates with the most northerly of this series, and extends eastward to the nearest (No. 9) of a parallel series of three new reinforced concrete basins. Between the new and old series of basins and connected with each unit is a masonry conduit. Water which has received chemical treatment may pass to any one or all of the masonry basins or to Basin 9. The present practice uses only Basins 1, 6 or 9 for filling. The six masonry basins are each 670x400 feet long: their capacity is about 25 million gallons each ; weirs between successive basins are 610 feet long. The sixth basin is connected by a duct near the surface with Basin 7 (40 million gallons capacity) whence flow is over successive weirs to Basins 8 and 9, which have a capacity of about 20 million gallons each. The total capacity of both new and old basins is approximately 230 million gallons. The total area of water surface is about 52 acres. Operating results make it apparent that the clarification plant is inadequate to furnish the volume of water now required by consumers. The installation of larger and more effective pumps at Chain of Rocks Station, does not in any way increase the capacity of the plant to deliver a satisfactory clear water. Nor does installation of more high service pumps and distribution lines remove the essential difficulty which has been apparent every summer for several years, and all the more marked during the past three summers of extraordinary consumption, when sus- pended matter in the river water has been very much above the normal. The capacity of the plant to furnish a satisfactory effluent may be judged by the degree of success attained in treatment of different waters to meet the day's consumption. The records of this laboratory afford but twelve determinations of suspended solids in river and clear well samples during the year 1904-1905, of which two must be discarded. All are given in the table with consumption for their respective dates : TABLE 5. 1904-1905. Suspended Solids. Daily Consumption Million Gals. River. Clear Well. April 1 1M 11' 1717 3753 1694 800 1268 578 376 208 181 2478 990 97.5 25 32.5 43.6 . 15 22 12 2 10 -9.2 -4.4 .; 7 . :, 74.8 87.9 95.6 89.8 91.1 81.7 77.3 71.2 79.8 73.7 70.4 May 30 June 30 July 30 August 30 September 30 October 31 November 30 December 31 January 31 February 28 April 1 48 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER In the absence of any evidence to the contrary it is assumed that the scattered analyses are representative of the working of the plant. Treatment was begun on March 22. 1!)04; the first recorded result nine days later suggests the inadequacy of the plant to clarify 67 million gallons per day when the suspended matter is 2400. For 97.5 parts per million of suspended matter in the finished water indicates the introduc- tion into the distribution system on the corresponding day of 27.5 tons of solids. It is possible that this result was abnormal, because mud previously deposited in conduits and clear well may have been loosened by the flow. The second result two months later shows improved work- ing, but suggests that 75 million gallons could not be handled when the suspended matter exceeded 1700. According to present standards the only passable results in the first twelve months of operation are those of November 30, and April 1, 1905, when the river solids were less than 1000 and the daily consumption uncU j r 80 million gallons. Under other conditions the finished water contained notable amounts of solid matter. High consumption during the World's Fair period overtaxed the new clarification plant the entire summer. In the second year of operation results are generally better. How- ever, 130 examinations for suspended matter are recorded, of which 40 are minus quantities for clear well samples. Figures given are averages of 130 determinations for river and 90 for clear well. Average daily consumption for each month is from high service pumping: TABLE 6. 1905-1906. Average Suspended Solids Parts Per Million. Average Daily Consumption Million Gallons. River. Clear Well. April . 1962 1809 2845 1950 2056 1015 603 386 611 649 641 i2!i 2.7 7.4 12. 11. 5.8 5.2 9.0 9.2 7.1 7.7 67.0 69.5 78.4 75.8 77.9 73.7 68.7 64.0 63.0 62.6 65.2 62.2 Mav June July August September October November December January February March 1320 8.2 69.0 Compared with the new standard set by the previous year, these results are good. Apparently lower consumption favored better opera- tion; although the occurrence of so many impossible results (minus quantities) makes interpretation of results difficult. The records show that from June to January, inclusive, high caustic alkalinity was carried in the treated water. This is perhaps the explanation of the high sus- pended solids recorded, which seem to indicate somewhat less than 80 millions as the maximum capacity of the plant when the river was carry- ing 1800 parts of solids. TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 49 The writer specifically disclaims any responsibility for the fore- going results of operation and analytical data. Results for subsequent years recorded in appended table (Table 12) were determined under his direction, and are believed to represent with a fair degree of accuracy the working of the plant. Averages are given in lieu of rehearsal of the full detail of determinations made on all save holidays. Inasmuch as total displacement of water in the entire basin system requires from seven to fifteen days, the averages by months of operation better repre- sent the blended waters issuing from the clear well to the distribution system. They are plotted in Diagram 3 in sequence with those of 1905-1906. The diagram shows graphically that when suspended solids in raw water were below 1500 parts per million and consumption did not ex- ceed 75 million gallons per day, the average of suspended solids in clear well water was usually not more than one or two parts per million, increasing slightly with a rise in either river solids or consumption, and greatly increased with concurrent rise in both. It is noticeable that when pumpage was much above 75 million gallons and river solids greatly exceeded 1500 parts the quality of the treated water was seriously changed for the worse. In general the curve of the suspended solids in treated water reflects the effect of high river solids and high consumption, following one or both in extreme cases, and illustrating the fact that these two uncontrollable factors pro- duce conditions which the present plant can not meet. It appears that a raw water carrying not more than 1500 parts of suspended matter can be made acceptable to the public of St. Louis so long as the consumption does not exceed 75 to 80 million gallons per day. In confirmation of the foregoing estimate of the capacity of the plant,, numerous eases might be cited: In June, 1909, filling in Basin 1 and drawing from Basin 6, when suspended solids in the river approximated 1500 for five days, with consumption between 70 and 80 million gallons, the clear well for the week following the five-day period contained 1 or less parts per million of suspended matter. The assumption that the capacity of the plant varies inversely as the suspended matter suggests the following values, which may be ac- cepted provisionally : Suspended Solids. 1000 parts per million. 1500 parts per million. 2000 parts per million. 2500 parts per million. 3000 parts per million. 3500 parts per million. 4000 parts per million. 4500 parts per million. 27 million gallons. 5000 parts per million. 25 million gallons. 6000 parts per million. 20 million gallons. Comparison of records confirms the provisional estimates for low Capacity of Plant. 120* million gallons. 80* million gallons. 60* million gallons. 50* million gallons. 40 million gallons. 36 million gallons. 30* million gallons. 50 KKPOKT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER service pumpage corresponding to the figures starred. They may be ac- cepted for the range of suspended solids from 1000 to 2500. Above 2500 parts they cannot be confirmed from experience, because our pumpage is rarely below 60,000,000 when the suspended solids are high. In Diagram I], showing monthly averages of suspended solids and daily consumption, it is apparent that in 1!)05 to 1910 consumption ex- ceeded 75,000,000 gallons per day only in the summer and fall months, while in 15)11 and 1912 the average daily consumption has rarely fallen below this figure at any time. The rise in river stage caused by rains of late spring and summer brings high average suspended solids in the raw water; for suspended solids vary with the stage. Coincident with these times of high turbidity comes the heaviest draught upon the distribution system, when lawns are to be sprinkled and the greatest waste of water occurs. It is unfortunately true that periods of highest turbidity are generally synchronous with periods of highest consumption. EFFICIENCY OF CLARIFICATION. When a water properly treated is passed through the basins 97 to 99 per cent of the suspended matter is precipitated in the first basin, the percentage removal depending upon the character and quantity of solids contained, the temperature, wind velocity, and direction, and the amount of sludge in the filling basin. In passing succeeding basins the remaining suspended matter undergoes a further reduction to one-half or one-sixth, likewise dependent upon velocity, size of particles, wind, and temperature. The major portion of clarification is, however, accom- plished in the filling basin. There is no provision for applying chemicals after water enters the basins. Efficiency of the plant, therefore, depends primarily upon the volume of water which can be satisfactorily clarified in the filling basin. The weight of suspended matter in the effluent from successive basins varies with the weight of solids carried by the raw water. Some illustra- tions are given : Table 7 Suspended Solids in Effluent of Successive Basins. Parts Per Mill. Per Cent Re- moval. Parts Per Mill. Per Cent Re- moval. Parts Per Mill. Per Cent Re- moval. Parts Per Mill. Per Cent Re- moval. River 1444 3000 Basin 1. . . 14 99.01 47 98.5 95 98 25 99 '75 Basin 2. . . Basin 3. Basin 4. Basin 5. . . Basin 6. Basin 7 Basin 8 12.1 8.4 7.1 5.8 5.6 99.16 99.4 99.5 99.6 99.6 21 14 12 10 10 99.3 99.5 99.6 99.7 99.7 50 35 20 15 15 98.8 99.2 99.5 99.7 99.7 20 10 10 5 5 5 5 99.80 99.90 99.90 99.95 99.95 99.95 A change of pumping from a rate of 60 million gallons per day to 90 millions has increased the suspended matter in the treated water from 2 to 7 parts per million, and a further sudden increase to 120 millions per day has caused a further rise of 10 to 13 parts. In the spring when the temperature of water in the river and basins is rising the sludge is less subject to disturbance than when, as in the TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 51 JULY JAN. 1906 JULY JULY JULY DIAGRAM NO.3 52 REPORT OF THE )YATER COMMISSIONER fall and early winter, with falling temperature, the influent water, being more dense than the warmer water in the basins, passes downward over the sludge, causing it to carry over the weir from the filling basin. In the fall, with lowering atmospheric temperatures, the sludge and water in the bottom of the basin are sometimes 1 degree or more Fahren- heit warmer than surface water of basins and river. Circulation in the basins therefore is effective in changing the course of influent water currents, making them deeper, and increasing the scour. The sludge is further subject to disturbance by wave action when high winds prevail for a day or two, as frequently occurs in March. In such case the amount of suspended matter carrying over the weir from the filling basin shows a marked increase. The basins at the Chain of Rocks (52 acres) are all uncovered, all used in series, and, therefore, subject to disturbance by each of the agencies affecting their successful working. CHARACTER OF SLUDGE. Suspended matter with the coagulum produced by chemical treat- ment subsides rapidly, undergoing a change in volume during its ac- cumulation in the bottom of the basins. Freshly formed it is loose, dis- seminated through the full volume of water in which it forms; after an hour and a half it occupies about 3 per cent, and after 24 hours about 2 per cent of the original volume. After this lapse of time only the newly precipitated portions are distributed by gentle currents. Opening the mud gates at 8-hour intervals seems to reduce the sludge only near the opening, since it follows in a general way the con- tour of the bottom of the basin, and is of such a consistency that it does not flow readily over the more compact material of earlier sub- sidence. The tendency is for each new deposit to collect more thickly upon the highest points of the previous deposit. BACTERIAL REMOVAL. The effect of stirring from any cause is of marked importance in con- sideration of clarification results ; still more when bacterial removals are considered. It has been stated that 97 to 99 per cent of the suspended matter is precipitated in the first basin; with this mud is precipitated about the same per cent of the bacteria previously distributed through the entire volume of water. The concentration of bacteria in the sludge is, therefore, very great. Transport of sludge freshly deposited results in deferring precipitation to succeeding basins; erosion of partially compacted sediment carries over into succeeding basins disproportionate numbers of bacteria and sometimes increases the number contained in water from later basins above that originally occurring in the untreated river water. Illustrating the fiction of high winds when other disturbing elements were wanting, two cases are cited: On February 17. 190!), following two days of heavy wind; and on TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 53 February 24, under like conditions, bacteria in the clear well and sampling points next above it gave the following counts: Table 8 Effect of High Winds on Bacterial Removals. February 17. February 24. Bacteria Per ccm. Percentage Removal. Bacteria Per ccm. Percentage Removal. River 24,500* 1,550* 1,000 338 720 1,325 6,563 93.67% 95.92 97.80 97.06 94.59 73.21 33,725* 2,470* 888* 820 2,960 3,475 13.750 92.68% 97.36 97.57 91.22 89.70 56.26 Basin 1 Basin 3 Basin 5 Drawing Gate Terminal Chamber . Tap In this case bacteria of the colon group were present in samples from the river on the 17th, and in Basins 1 and 3 on the 24th, as indicated by the star in the table above. An abrupt change in pumping on August 17th, 1912, with resulting disturbance of the rate of flow, caused the sludge to carry its burden of bacteria through successive basins, appearing in clear well on the 19th, when samples showed con- tamination with organisms of the colon group. Change in the direction of flow incident to cleaning and restoring a basin to service affects both suspended solids and bacteria per cubic centi- meter in the finished water. Basin 1 was thus put in service June 6, 1912. The rise in bacteria in clear well samples was from 150 per ccm. on the 6th, to 3300 in the following week. Irregular pumping (at rates ranging from 70 to 120 million gallons) was a factor in producing bad results. Table 9 Increase of Bacteria after Cleaning Basins. CLEAR WELL. 1912. Suspended Solids. Bacteria Per ccm. Percentage Removal. June 6 15 150 99.6 June 7 12 250 99.6 June 8 14 300 99.4 June 9 June 10 11 775 98.2 June 11 12 1100 97.2 June 12 10 475 98.6 June 13 11 2075 93.0 June 14 9 1500 94.8 June 15 . 10 3:500 92.9 It is apparent that bacterial reductions are subject to disturbance from too many factors to give constant results. We have no safeguard against turbid, contaminated water under these conditions. The river usually gives positive indications of pathogenic bacteria in .01 cubic centimeter samples. Their occurrence in the effluent of the Chain of Rocks basins was indicated in 2.2 per cent of 2715 tests on one cubic centimeter in 1911-1912. For June, there were 14 tests positive in 235 almost 6 per cent. This is very much higher than is permissible in a safe water. In Table 14 appended are exhibited the maximum, minimum, and average numbers of bacteria per cubic centimeter in samples from the 54 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER river. Basins 1. :{, and 5, drawing gate, terminal chamber, and clear well by months from October, 1!)06, to March, 1910. The very wide divergence of results at any one sampling point and the extreme irregu- larity of counts for a given period at various points in the clarification system shown in this table make clear the unsatisfactory character of the present clarification system as compared with a purification plan which would give an uniformly low bacterial count, and render the effluent above suspicion. The utmost we can hope for now is a large percentage reduction of bacteria. We can have no assurance that the water which enters the distribution system is free from pathogenic organisms. While the im- provement in the character of the water supply since the introduction of the clarification scheme seems to have reduced the typhoid death rate, which had begun to increase after the opening of the Chicago Drainage Canal, the quality is still far from that of the effluent of a good filter plant. RESIDUAL SOLIDS IN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. Water leaving the clear well contains small quantities of suspended and dissolved iron compounds, small particles of calcium and magnesium compounds, and larger quantities of silt and silicious matter too fine to be deposited during rapid flow through the sedimentation system. The amount of this material daily introduced into the distribution system during the first year of operation, calculated from suspended matter and the daily consumption, was as high as 27.5 tons, averaging 8.7 tons per day for the ten analyses referred to above. The average weight of solid material in the daily supply for suc- cessive years was : Tons. 1904-1905 8.7 1905-1906 _ 2.35 1906-1907 1.05 1907-1908.... . .31 Tons. 1908-1909 _ 5 1909-1910 34 1910-1911 92 1911-1912.... ....1.74 Comparison of suspended solids in the clear well with those in sam- ples from the tap at the City Chemist's laboratory illustrates how this deposit in the mains is intermittently displaced. Table 10 Intermittent Sedimentation in Mains. Suspended Solids in Parts per Million. 1905-1906. Clear Well. Tap City Chemist's Laboratory. Maximum. Average. Maximum. Average. April . 40 6 21 34 26 19 30 15 11 12 is 3 7 12 10 6 5 9 9 7 8 8 22 25 162 20 20 12 13 12 4 12 6 21 15 81 16 17 8 11 12 2 6 16 May June . . . July August September . October November December January February March S TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. It is a matter of common observation that after unusual draught upon the mains in a portion of the system, very high turbidity appears, local, or affecting large sections of the city, according to the degree of the dis- turbance. Following a large fire complaints of turbid water are very numerous. So long as our practice continues sedimentation in the mains the Department can not resent protests of consumers at turbid water when the accumulated solids are intermittently flushed out at taps. INCRUSTATION IN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. Because ours is a softened water there is always a certain variable amount of calcium carbonate present in the finished product. The softening process is completed slowly at summer temperatures, and in winter is incomplete even when the water passes to the distribution system. There is therefore more or less deposit of calcium carbonate in mains and service pipes. Even with high bicarbonate in the filling basin the water leaving the sixth basin is still supersaturated with calcium carbonate. Connection with the seven-foot steel flow line was made in Janu- ary, 1908, and the city supply drawn through it for 74 days. Examina- tion at the end of the period disclosed a deposit, principally of calcium carbonate, one-sixteenth of an inch thick when moist, which shrank to one-thirty-second of an inch in drying. The water passing had an average total alkalinity of 59 parts per million, of which 25 were due to neutral carbonates, and 34 bicarbonates. Temperatures ranged from 32 to 47 degrees Fahr. During the earlier years of operation there were notable deposits in meter gears, fish traps and the like. Two views are given of the train it Oetrtxr Z6, 1905. Mkr It, IWt. Sprint *Tmi nd Vlttft. V.Ur Mt Mtttor II, 1(09. S^OT.4 iM>ir It, 10. print Irami* Mrf Yll. from a meter seat at Vista and Spring Avenues, October 26. 1905, and removed November 16, 1909. It is apparent that the heavy incrustation had interfered with the meter's operation long before the train was re- moved. The instance one of a large number which might be cited is important in considering the installation of meters in a large way in lieu of extending or enlarging the present plant. 56 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER While the deposit in the distribution system does not seem to be in- creasing rapidly, there is still some incrustation in progress, due to blending of unequally softened waters. The danger of this trouble can be lessened by longer storage, which will equalize the quality of the water before passing the high service pumps; or by so regulating the degree of softening that the finished water shall show a high degree of uniformity. Lower, regular velocity through the settling basins will allow longer time for softening reactions. Finally, a further reduction of this trouble would be effected by changing the order of chemical treatment, adding the lime first and agitating the treated water in a mixing chamber before the charge of iron sulphate is applied. STANDARDS OP PURITY. The public standard of water purity has advanced from year to year since the clarification system has been in operation. Prior to 1904, sedimented water containing from 60 to 450 parts per million of sus- pended matter was accepted, if not approved. Compared with that standard the quality of water furnished in 1904-1905 was excellent. The next year showed a marked improvement, and became in turn the stand- ard for comparison of the succeeding year's supply. With each year the quality of water furnished has been progressively better until 1910-1911, when the consumption so far exceeded the plant's capacity that the quality of water was inferior to that of the preceding year, though far better than any water furnished prior to 1907-1908. At Moline, 111., color reduction to 20 is considered sufficient. At Rock Island, in June, 1911, when the raw water had a turbidity of 120 and a color of 120, reduction to 30 parts of color of the platinum scale was unsatisfactory when suspended matter was entirely removed, for a color of less than 10 parts is commonly attained there. At Saint Louis so long as Missouri River water predominates, the color in the raw water does not exceed 30 parts. This can be readily reduced to 12 or less by the present method of treatment. This fixes a standard for consumers, who are not inclined to entertain any argu- ment on the subject. Although our coloring matter is a negligible factor from a sanitary view, and has only aesthetic significance, according to consumers' standards a w r ater of more than 20 parts per million of color is not acceptable; its occurrence cannot be satisfactorily explained; its reduction is demanded. It is not possible for the public to consider the case upon a percentage basis. We can reduce a color of 100 parts to about 45 to 50 parts usually ; further than this it is impossible to go with our present method of treatment. Argument is useless in the face of the fact that sometimes the color is only 4 parts, and again it is 40 or 50. We must sooner or later ourselves insist upon a removal to the ex- tent demanded by consumers. In the previous discussion of color reference has been to that re- maining in a sample after filtering off the suspended matter. The pub- lic asks that a water be "clear," implying the removal of suspended TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. solids and of true color. The intimate association of the two character- istics in the "apparent color" has more than passing significance, in view of the action of dissolved organic coloring matter in preventing or retarding to a large extent precipitation of iron compounds, and the consequent difficulty in removal of fine suspended matter by sedimenta- tion. OPERATING COST : PRESENT PLANT. The average charge of lime and of iron sulphate used for the past eight years is tabulated with the cost of chemical treatment. In esti- mating the cost current prices have been used in order that the values may be comparable with cost data and estimates given later. Table 11 Chemical Cost. Grains P er Gallon. Cost Per Million ( Sals. Lime. Iron Sulphate. Lime. Iron Sulphate. Total. 1904-1905. . 6 02 1 52 $1 686 * 1 14 to soe 1905-1906 6 28 2 20 1 759 1 65 3 409 1906-1907 1907-1908 7.39 6.02 2.13 2.55 2.069 1 686 1.597 1 912 3.666 3 598 1908-1909 5 58 2 41 1 563 1 808 3 371 1909-1910 5.70 2 91 1 596 2 183 3 779 1910-1911 5.77 2.70 1.616 2 025 3 641 1911-1912 5.19 3.35 1.453 1.763 3.216 Average 5 99 2 47 $1 679 $1 760 J3 413 Chemical treatment and its cost in the table are calculated upon low service pumpage. There has been a slight increase in years of high stage and turbidity because of the correlated decline in the quantity of magnesium which could be advantageously precipitated, and the necessity of larger charges of iron sulphate to affect rapid coagulation and better clarification. SUGGESTED CHANGES. Enlargement of the plant's capacity to meet present needs is im- perative. If further consumption is to be met by still larger develop- ment of the Chain of Rocks plant, the new intake should be so located that only Missouri River water can enter it when Upper Mississippi is predominant. However, the location approved by the United States authorities, alluded to above, lies further to the east than the present intake; while it will relieve the water shortage, it will augment troubles incident to treatment of colored water, and has an important bearing upon the choice of chemical treatment and method of clarification to be adopted in the present situation. Discussion of the larger question of the establish- ment on Missouri River of a plant which shall furnish the major part of a water supply when consumption shall have exceeded the limit of 150 million gallons per day, can not be long deferred. So far as investiga- tion of the question has gone, the indications are that for water taken from the vicinity of St. Charles, the cost of operation, including soften- ing and filtration, would be materially lower than for a point on the 58 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER Mississippi River where the supply partakes of the nature of the com- bined waters we are now treating. From the standpoint of use in boilers Upper Mississippi furnishes the better water, because of its lower content of sulphates and the cor- respondingly small amount of hard scale which would be formed. But its high color is very objectionable for domestic use, where aesthetic considerations are to be regarded. Any project to depend solely upon Upper Mississippi River for our supply, as was proposed some years since, involves the cost of constructing an aqueduct to some point above the mouth of the Missouri River, and high operating cost at all times. While Missouri River with its higher alkalies and sulphates and its high turbidity is not an ideal stream from which to derive a municipal supply, it presents an advantage in low cost of treatment with partial softening which outweighs the consideration of lower suspended solids of Upper Mississippi. That the major portion of our present supply, drawn indirectly from the Missouri, is acceptable to the public, argues that the entire supply might be taken from that river without serious detriment. In any event it will be necessary to develop the Chain of Rocks plant to a capacity of 150 million gallons that an adequate supply can be furnished while the new plant is under construction. The abridged form of treatment adopted prior to the opening of the World's Fair has beyond question served a very useful purpose. The question arises whether the present system of partial softening, coagulation and sedimentation shall be extended by adding further sedimentation basins to the already existing plant, or supplemented by a filter plant, which shall afford a perfectly clear water at all times, with constant bacterial removals, and the possibility of immediate control of operating conditions. In view of the cost of constructing Basins 7 and 8 at the Chain of Rocks, and the cost of constructing filters at Cincinnati and New Orleans, it seems well to consider, in the present emergency, whether enlarging the present plant to meet current and future demands of the community offers any great saving in construction and operating cost over a well equipped filter plant. MIXING CHAMBER. It is desirable to prolong the period of flow through the basin sys- tem to insure completion of softening reactions before the treated water leaves the Chain of Rocks plant. At present some of the water passes to the drawing conduit in six hours. Examples have been cited to illustrate the growth of deposits in the drawing conduit and even in the distribution system. A period of 24 hours is none too long at low tem- peratures for the conversion of colloidal calcium carbonate into crys- talline form. Precipitation is hastened by thorough agitation. To facilitate this it is proposed to construct a mixing chamber with over and under baffles between the delivery well and the gate chamber at the northwest corner of the old basins (See Diagram 5) so arranged that TO THE JSOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 59 with pumping at the maximum rate of 200 million gallons per day water which has received its charge of lime will be subjected to one hour's agitation before the addition of coagulant (iron sulphate). This par- tially softened water will then be ready for quick precipitation of clayey matter and calcium carbonate in the settling basins. The cost of con- structing the mixing chamber will be about $60,000. BASIN ENLARGEMENT. It has been shown that percentage reduction in suspended matter from basin to basin is very slight, when velocity through the series is high. It appears that in their present manner of use much of our reservoir capacity is wasted so far as sedimentation is concerned. Water courses through at such a high rate that the finer material undergoes but little reduction. A lower uniform rate of flow is essential to removal of finer material. The rate should be adjusted on the basis of the worst conditions, which persist for several days. In July, 1911, suspended matter was about 4500 parts per million for five days. The approximate capacity of the single basin at such a time is about 27 million gallons per 24 hours. With consumption about 108 million gallons per day, we should have had fourfold capacity in our filling basins for this period. For a consumption of 150 million gallons six basins of this capacity would be required. It would be better to have a seventh in reserve or in service, that the department might meet the extreme consumption of summer without sacrificing the quality of its effluent. With seven filling basins about 180 millions per day could be clarified for a week of the most turbid water we have experienced in the past six years. Using the six masonry basins and No. 9 as filling basins, offers a distinct advantage. The rate of flow through basins would be lowered, and the time of sedimentation very much increased. This would increase the effectiveness of clarification. Additional basins would, of course, be necessary for the slight percentage reduction of residual sediment which can be accomplished by sedimentation. The cost of restoring di- vision walls between the old masonry basins would be more than balanced by reduction in cost of treatment. It is essential that the lower velocity be maintained throughout the entire system. Sludge would be only temporarily removed, and the disturbing factors which now influence bacterial removals and clarification would still be operative over the entire acreage of the system. The effluents from all seven filling basins would be collected by a conduit and passed into Basin 7. The old masonry drawing conduit between Basin 8 and the old masonry basins is connected with each of the old basins by two gates, some of which are defective in setting, so that mud finds ingress into the drawing conduit. It is unfit for further use unless this condition is corrected; it is, however, too small to carry 150 to 200 million gallons per day, save under a considerable head, which is impracticable. A new one at a higher level would be necessary. From Basin 7 the partially clarified water would pass through a second 60 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER new conduit to the receiving chamber of a series of six new basins, used in parallel, built south of the present basins. Each of the new basins should be constructed with a stilling wall to distribute flow with a greater degree of uniformity, and should discharge into a chamber at its west end connecting with the 11-foot masonry conduit and the 7-foot steel flow line. The old drawing conduit between basins, after renovation of con- necting gates, and the 7-foot steel line from Basin 7 to the conduit cham- ber, would be left as at present, to allow the contents of this basin to flow direct to the high service stations when cleaning of the new receiving chamber should be necessary. Each one of the proposed new basins would be provided with filling gates and sewer connections to allow them to be cut out of service and cleaned. The cost of this construction including restoration of division walls between Basins 1-6, and construction of the mixing chamber, would be not less than $1,500,000. Enlargement of basin capacity to accomplish removal of color such as occurred in 1911, is impracticable, since color removal by exposure to air and sunlight involves months of storage. Recurrence of this trouble is always possible, and its duration entirely dependent upon meteoro- logical conditions. In such case alum must be used; precipitation with this coagulant should be followed by filtration. NECESSITY OP FILTRATION. It is apparent that the addition of a filter plant to the coagulating basins is essential, if the residual sediment is to be finally removed, and color reduced to an acceptable amount. Operations under prevailing conditions in a plant of this size and character do not admit of the close control possible in a filter plant where the units (filters) are small, sub- ject to immediate supervision and washing, and their output regulated by rate controllers. In the present Chain of Rocks plant there are six sedimentation basins of 30 million gallons each, one basin of 40 and two of 20 million gallons each now used in series. It is manifestly impossible to interrupt the flow of water through any one basin at will, should the water contained in it prove unfit for use. Nor is it possible to wholly eliminate the previously accumulated sludge in filling and sedimentation basins. With seven filling basins and six additional new sedimentation basins as proposed above, there would be effected only a percentage re- duction of suspended matter, with no assurance of a clear effluent. Ir- regularities incident to a plant of this character, where pumping and drawing and, consequently, the period of sedimentation are subject to wide variations directly affecting the finished water; where at times the volume of water treated taxes the maximum sedimentation capacity of the plant, can be avoided only by filtration. PROPOSED FILTER PLANT. It is suggested that a filter plant be built in the west end of Basin 7, comprising 40 filters of a rated capacity of 4 million gallons each per TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 61 day. As outlined in the previous suggestion for the extension of the present plant, a mixing chamber would be constructed between the de- livery well and the gate chamber; the division walls of the masonry basins would be restored. The wall between Basins 8 and 9 would be built up to the elevation of the coping. A new conduit would con- duct the sedimented water from Basins 1 to 6 and from Basin 9 to the northwest corner of Basin 7. It would there pass through a coagulating chamber (A in Diagram 4), where the secondary charge of coagulant would be added, and thence to the coagulating basins (7 and 8), which are provided with stilling walls. From Basin 7 it passes after sedi- mentation to a collecting channel along the east side of the filter plant to the influent pipe at three points: at the north, south, and middle of the filter house. From Basin 8 the applied water would pass by a wide flume over the coagulating chamber to the same collecting channel, and reach the same system of influent pipes in the central pipe gallery, by which it would be distributed to the 40 filter units, each 52 by 33.8 feet area. The effluent from the filters would pass through the west wall of Basin 7 to the old drawing conduit, at the northwest corner, midway of the west side, and through the present 7-foot connection to the draw- ing conduit. Wash water from the filters would be conducted to the sewers leading from Basins 5 and 6 to the river. The filters would be of the usual mechanical or rapid filter type, with provision for washing by reversing flow through them at a fairly rapid rate. No air would be used in washing. All valves for regula- tion of filter operation would be electrically operated. A stand pipe would furnish water under sufficient head for washing filters. COST OP CONSTRUCTION : FILTER PLANT. The cost of reconstruction in the present plant, with the addition of the mixing chamber and the installation of the proposed filter plant, is estimated as follows: Mixing Chamber $ 60,000.00 Restoration of division walls between basins New Conduit with connections to basins New walls in Basin 7 North and south wall East and west division and stilling wall Stilling wall in Basin 8 Filter house and niters complete 11,250,000.00 The above estimate includes sheet piling for new division walls in Basins 7 and 8. In view of the abundance of quicksand at the Chain of Rocks, under- lying all basins now in use, all baffles in old basins should be of simple, light construction, such as was suggested by Mr. Hazen in his report of 1902. CLEAR WELL. There is no possibility of introducing into the system a clear water reservoir at the Chain of Rocks, without an additional pumping, for all 62 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER tt i &> II !l! ii I! H 0) (0 -r. C C H I CM CM r--r rH O j. . bj 51 t-o O-1--V CMrHrHCM OOOOi'* CMCOt OOCM COU5O CM rH Q |l oo oo ooo OOCB OtOOCM Ot-OSM OOO moo -. c t-io VlT, CM > CM rH CM rH H CM CM CO H (B r-OiH oooo cn in t- to o in t- 02 o oio OO CM O in OO 1/5 DO O O rHOO SooS^CMSS"cOCo5 sss-5^s?5ss: CO i-HCM <" locoes rH ^-r-leOrH rH IM -^ M rHrH i- c 2 M oS ooo ooooooor- oo tO CO CO CM rH CO tO CO OOO rH 1 CO OOOOCOOOt-^irCOrHrHOO S|SSSSSSSSS2 moo inoio CMt-CO Maxi- mum. ooo ooo tooo ooooooooo oo o rH co o o o o m o HJ t- m oo co in CM CM CM CM o ooo CM r ,-..-. rH OOOOOOOCMOrHOt- OOOOCMOCOrHHrtOint in CM CM o en CM oo HT m t- rHrHrHCO rH CC>3GOOC<)C<1CCWOQOOO ^f M i-H 000 omm ocnm ' cj > M <* OS in rH CM tot CROC en CMcofCMcsineoooooo CM tC in *3" rH rH 00 t~- tC CM CM incocneM co OOOt-tOt SS 30 O O CO CO t o o c o^ co t HJ m ^* iigis=sp|i coent- TTrHO Mini- mum. ooo oot- - - 1 oooooooo -oo in so in in to en o CM *oo rHrH COQOCM CM U5 oooooot-ocMo-^-m coinom into ClOOrHCT. rHIMCOrHt-CMOtO oino eo to co Maxi- mum. ooo ooo oooooooooooo ooooooocoooioo 00 rH tO OO CO t- 00 rH tO oooomooinoinoco OOOOOOintOCOOtOCSCM CM in O oin ^f c: C5 o o rH rH CO CM CM CM CM rH rH CMCMOinr-ocootcmoinoo rHCO (MinrHrH ooo omco rHt-m i& COrHin * t- OS T t- O CM CSCMOirH minoooeorHOooininoo issssgss|||s tOCMO otooo CO g ii ooo ooooooom o o oooooooootomo U5CnSoSto"cM??SrH ooo ocoo J _ rH . . rHCMrH rH rH rH rH rH s=" ooo ooo 00 I- O ooin : i OOOOOOOOOOOO ooooooomooooo tOOt-X>rHl-rH o- CM 30 CO CM HT CO t- CO 00 rH rHrH OOOOOOOOOOOO CM rH tO t- CO CM CM rH rH rH ooininoincMOOinoo COHJ-t-t-OHfr-t-COt-OSIM rHCMCMrHrH CM CM CM CM OOO ooo ocoin * <* CO CM CM in to x> ooot CM CM CM t *rHin^ i coi--t--toin!MT in^win^rcO'T?'! int- COTrt CT. TTCMinoOOOC-CO CM in rn *J< c5 M ^^ rHrH CM inotocMtotcoooenocoo t OOCMCMtOCT. COCMCOOCOCO CMCMCMCMrHrHrHrHrHCMCMCM mt-o ajeoto tcoieo 0-*00 Mini mum. OOO -TOO COrH3-. oooooooooooo ooooooocoTino CM 1 rH CM rH ^. OOOOOOOOOOOO oooooooo ooinm oinoooooooooo ot-ouaiooooootao rHrHMrH rHrHCMf- 1 ooo ooo co too CO > 5 1 Maxi- mum. ooo ooo l-CMI oooooooooooo oooousoooioooo coto'-costo-rco^reoc-io?. oeritototo -^MrH c^cTi oooooooooooo OOOOOlOOOlOOOO ^co^' mmoinooioooooo COCOCOCOCOrHrH iCM-reOCO ooo inoo eMino to CM in o ' . [ "wlsjiswjy l ~5 >i i<5"^"^ 3% 4,800,000.00 to April 1, 1936, from 1936-1961 11,520,000.00 Total cost of Proposition 3 $60,484,149.25 The following tabulation shows the amounts of money necessary each year to carry out each of the three Propositions : Year. Prop. 1. Prop. 2. Prop. 3. 1913 Meters $ 204,000 $ 204,000 $ 1913 Purification Plant 1,250,000 235,500 1,250,000 1914 Meters 235,500 235,500 1914 Distribution Mains 173,000 173,000 173,000 1915 Meters 267,000 267,000 1915 Distribution Mains 165,000 165,000 165,000 1915 Bond Issue for new Wks.... 12,000,000 12,000,000 1916 Meters 298,400 298,400 1917 Meters 329,800 329,800 1918 Meters 362,100 362,100 1919 Meters 381,600 381,600 1920 Meters 388,100 388,100 1920 Conduit 300,000 300,000 1920 Boilers 115,000 115,000 115,000 1921 Meters 394,600 394,600 1921 Pump Main 455,000 455,000 1921 Pumps 220,000 220,000 1922 Meters 401,000 401,000 1922 Pump .. 40,000 1923 Meters 407,500 407,500 1924 Meters .. 414,000 414,000 1925 Meters 420,500 420,500 1925 Pumps 65,000 65,000 1926 Meters 427,000 427,000 1927 Meters 433,500 433,500 1927 Boilers 15,000 1927 Pumps 440,000 1927 Bond Issue for new Wks.... 11,000,000 1928 Meters 440,000 1929 Meters 446,500 446,500 1930 Meters 453,000 453,000 1930 Boilers I 30,000 1931 Meters 459,500 1932 Meters 466,000 466,000 1933 Meters 472,500 472,500 1934 Meters I 479,000 479,000 1935 Sers :::::::::::::: 435,500 1935 Bond Issue for new Wks.... 1937 Bond Issue for new Wks.... By adopting and following Proposition 1, the expenditures can be met from the revenue of the Water Department until 1927, 12 years later than a bond issue would be required under either of the other Propo- sitions. 84 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER The unappropriated balance in Water Works revenue fund on April 1, 1912, was $1,248,570.42. The operating expenses of the department, including the office of Assessor and Collector of Water Rates, amount to $1,250,000.00 in round numbers. The amount set aside for sinking fund annually is $300.000.00, and the interest paid on bonds is $133,000.00, bringing the total expenditure to $1,683,000.00. The collections last year were $2,178,000.00, leaving a surplus of almost a half million dollars. Assuming that this surplus of $500,000.00 can be relied upon each year in the future, we can start out with our unexpended balance of a million and a quarter dollars, from which must first be taken the cost of a new intake tower and tunnel $550,000.00 work on which will be started this year. The surplus for this year will restore the unexpended balance to its original figure next April. From 1913 to 1927 $6,860,000.00 will be needed for Proposition 1. Starting with $1,250,000.00 and adding $500,000.00 per year, we will have $8,750,000.00 available during that time. In 1913 $1,454,000.00 will be needed for meters and for increasing the purification capacity, while our available balance will only be $1,250,000.00, but a portion of this work will not be done until 1914, as it will take at least eighteen months to build the plant. After that 110 large expenditure will be needed until 1920 and thereafter. In view of the fact that Proposition 1 can be carried out for $9,000,000.00 less than Proposition 2, and over $12,000,000.00 less than Proposition 3, there should be no question as to its adoption. But, should the antipathy of the people of Saint Louis to the installation of meters be so great as to forbid the consideration of both Propositions 1 and 2, then Proposition 3 must be adopted. TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 85 APPENDIX D. PREPARED BY EDWARD E. WALL. Water Rates. The establishment of equitable water rates in any city is a vex- atious and difficult problem, the solution of which can only be ap- proached after a thorough study of local conditions peculiar to each city. An attempt to use the rates in vogue in other places as a basis for charges will lead to erroneous conclusions, is illogical and unscientific. The only benefit to be derived from a study of rates in other cities is that of having a rough check on our own rates, more in the direction of their consistency than of the charges in detail. The establishment of a new schedule of water rates for St. Louis really means for a time the fixing of two sets of rates one for the water sold by measurement, and another for that sold at the fixture or flat rate. No flat rate schedule can be devised which will do even ap- proximate justice to all, for the reason that the rate which averages right for a large number of families will be a rank injustice to the careful consumer, and equally unjust to the city in the case of the wasteful con- sumer. No gas or electric company would attempt to give flat rates to consumers, except at exorbitant charges, yet 1,000 cubic feet of gas is worth but little more than 1,000 cubic feet of water. In St. Louis about seven per cent of the service connections are metered. These include all service connections larger than % inch. Nearly one-third of the water pumped into the mains is measured and paid for at meter rates. Almost two-fifths of the entire revenue of the Water Department comes from the meter rates. At first sight this would seem to indicate that the meter rates are too high, but as will be shown later, this inference would not be correct. Ninety-three per cent of the services provide the remainder of the revenue, but less than one-half of the water pumped passes through these services. Fully one-fourth of the water pumped is used for public and free service and unpreventable losses. The net revenue for the year ending April 1, 1912, was $2,145,526.25. The total expenditure during the same time was $1,154,853.68, not including $300,000.00 set aside for the Sinking Fund and $133,799 for interest on bonds. The Charter provides that the water rates for St. Louis shall be so fixed as to provide, at least, sufficient revenue to pay the cost of operation and maintenance, and for payment of interest on Water Works Bonds. All extensions and improvements have, in the past, been paid out of the revenue. In order to arrive at the amount of revenue required it will first be 86 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER necessary to estimate as nearly as possible the amount of money necessary for these purposes for each year for some time in the future, say a period of not less than ten years. In order to do this intelligently, a review of the total expendi- tures for the past thirty years, and a careful analysis of these figures should lead to some definite conclusions, both as to the present and future cost of delivering water to the consumer. Beginning with the year 1883, and ending with 1912, the total expenditures of the Water Department were as follows: For Water Pipe and Laying $ 7,098,700.40 For Water Works Extension and Reconstruction 10,177,607.75 For Assessment and Collection of Water Rates 1,753,121.11 For Operating and Maintaining Works 14,998,770.42 For Interest on Bonds and Sinking Fund 4,804,794.75 Total $38,832,994.43 This is an average of $1,296,769.84 per year for thirty years with a net expenditure of $700,252.37 in 1883, $1,540,327.46 in 1910-11, and $1,588,652.68 in 1911-12. During the thirty years there was pumped 580,241 million gallons of water into the mains. The average cost per million gallons would, therefore, be $67.05. The revenues collected during the thirty years amount to a net total of $41,686,783.21, or an average of $1,389,559.44 per year. Attention is called to the fact that of the total amount of $4,874,795.65 paid for interest and sinking fund $4,384,429.10 was paid during the last eight years. After 1886 and until 1904 the in- terest on water works bonds was paid out of municipal revenue. So that the expenditure for the first 22 years of the 30 years taken will average somewhat lower than the last eight years. The average cost per million gallons for the 22 years from 1883 to 1904 inclusive was $61.77. Since 1904 the additional cost of purifying the water has been added, so that the figures of the last eight years should be a better index as to present costs than the longer period. The expenditures for this period have been as follows: For Water Pipe and laying $ 2,244,778.90 For Water Works extension and reconstruction 2,356,654.52 For Assessment and collection of Water Rates 564,601.73 For operating and maintaining Works 6,843,839.00 For Interest on Bonds and Sinking Fund 4,384,429.10 Total .. $16,394,303.25 This gives an average of $2,049,287.90 per year for the eight years during which time there was pumped 216,504 million gallons of water. The average cost per million for this period would, there- fore, be $75.72. The revenues collected during the eight years amount to a total of $15,371,684.70, which is $1,022,618.25 less than the amount ex- pended. TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 87 It is probable that the average cost for the immediate future will be greater than that of the last eight years for the reason that the expenditures for the new intake, and for increasing the capacities of the purification plant, of the pumping stations and of the distribu- tion system, all of which must be done during the next few years, will be much greater than the average cost of extensions during the past eight years. The cost of extensions for the eight years just past, as given above, has been $2,356,654.52. The cost of new exten- sions which must be completed within ten years if meters are in- stalled, is approximately $6,000,000.00 itemized as follows: New Settling Basins or Filters $1,250,000.00 Intake Tower and Tunnel 550,000.00 Revetment of two miles of River Bank 150,000.00 One 40-million gallon pump at Chain of Rocks 40,000.00 Six Boilers at Chain of Rocks 45,000.00 Two Triple Expansion Pumps at Bissell's Point 220,000.00 New Conduit from Baden to Bissell's Point 300,000.00 Pump main from Bissell's Point to Magnolia Avenue 455,000.00 Meters $2,873,004.25 $5,883,004.25 Assuming that the average daily pumping for the period of ten years would be 81.5 million gallons, and applying this to the increase of $3,526,349.73 in the expenditures for extensions, we will have an increase of $11.85 per million gallons, which, added to the former figures of $75.72, gives $87.57 as the probable average cost per million gallons of water pumped during the next ten years. No account has been taken of in- terest on the money invested during the ten years, nor on the capital invested in the entire plant. No depreciation, except on meters, has been figured in the expenditures. As the St. Louis Water Works is a municipal plant and is not operated for profit and, going on the theory that the people prefer to have this public utility operated for their use, comfort and convenience at a charge to them, which covers only the necessary expenditures, taking their profit on the investment in reduced charges for water and efficient service, no effort will be made to estimate interest or depreciation. The necessary expenditures over and above operating expenses for the coming ten years, if meters are not installed, will approximate the same amount of $6,000,000.00 as follows : New Settling Basins or Filters $1,250,000.00 Intake Tower and Tunnel 550,000.00 Revetment of two miles of River Bank 150,000.00 Pumps, Boilers, etc Interest on Bonds for new Works to be begun in 1915, and partially completed by 1923 1,440,000.00 Sinking Fund for redemption of $12,000,000 bonds to run 30 years $400,000 per yr. for 5 years 2,000,000.00 $6,510,000.00 So that it would seem a conservative estimate to say that $87.57 will represent the average cost per million gallons of water pumped for the next ten years. 88 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER As already stated, not more than three-fourths of the water pumped is delivered to paying consumers, so that it must be sold at an average price of $116.76 per million gallons to cover the total cost. Tf all the water sold were measured to the consumers, it would be possible to prepare a schedule of rates so that the average amount of $116.76 per million gallons would be collected. But with only one-third of the total pumpage measured, the fixing of flat rates for the rest be- comes a vexatious problem. First, in considering the question of establishing an equitable meter rate, it will be well to analyze the present consumption through meters, and the rates paid for same. For the year ending April 1st, 1912, the quantities or water sold through meters and the rates were as follows : Quantity in Rate per Amount Million Gallons. 1000 Gallons. Collected. 303.6 25 cents $ 75,904.00 254.5 20 cents 50,910.00 283.4 15 cents 42,518.00 362.0 13 cents 47,069.00 648.8 11 cents 71,371.00 6698.0 8 cents 535,833.00 Manufacturers rate. 99.6 7 1-3 cents 7,308.00 Special rate for Jefferson Barracks. 353.2 3 1-3 cents 11,704.00 Special rate for Public Schools. 9003.1 $842,687.00 The average rate at which this portion of the water pumped was sold was $93.60 per million gallons, which is $23.16 less than the estimated average cost per million for the next ten years. Taking the average cost of the water pumped during the last eight years, viz: $75.72, and calculating the price at which three-fourths of the pumpage must be sold to meet the expenditures, it will be found that an average amount of $100.96 per million must be charged for the water sold, w r hich is $7.36 more than was actually collected for the water sold at meter rates. If three-fourths of the 30,506 million gallons of water pumped into the mains during the year ending April 1, 1912, had been paid for at the average meter rate of $93.60 per million gallons, the revenue collected would have amounted to $2,140,819.20, or $4,707.15 less than was actually collected. This means that the water sold at flat rates was sold for ap- proximately the same rate per million gallons as that sold at the meter rate, or $7.36 below the average cost of the past eight years. The first thought that would occur to any one reading the above statement would be that if the Water Department is selling water below cost, how is it that there is now and has been for twelve years a substan- tial balance ranging from $800,000 to $2.000,000 to its credit? Has the Department been approaching bankruptcy all these years? The answer to such a question will be, first, that the cost per million gallons figured on the pumpage and expenditures of any one year may show a deficit, while other years will show a surplus, and only the averages TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 89 for an extended period can mean anything; and second, that the un- appropriated balance of over two million dollars to the credit of the Department in 1904, has been reduced to less than a million and a quarter in 1912, showing an absolute loss of $4.72 per million gallons pumped during that period. Further, the present surplus will be almost, if not entirely, expended during the next two years. The fact that the Department has been furnishing water to con- sumers for the past eight years at less than actual cost cannot be too strongly emphasized. If the Department is to be self-sustaining in the future a general reduction of rates is not to be considered, but a revision to a more equit- able schedule is most desirable. Returning to the present meter rates, a glance at the quantities sold at each rate will show that they are based on no logical foundation. There may be some justification found for giving the manufacturer a rate as low as $80 per million gallons, but there can be none for the ridiculously low figure of $33.33 for the public schools, which should be treated as other consumers. The present meter rates are as follows: For an average consumption of 1000 gals, or less per day 25c per M For an average consumption between 1000 and 2500 gals, per day 20c per M For an average consumption between 2500 and 5000 gals, per day 15c per M For an average consumption between 5000 and 10,000 gals, per day 13c per M For an average consumption between 10,000 and 25,000 gals, per day.. ..lie per M For an average consumption of more than 25,000 gals, per day 8c per M For Manufacturing purposes only, any quantity, per day 8c per M The above schedule permits the user of water to take advantage of a lower rate by wasting water, and makes it economical for him to waste water, whenever his legitimate use of water approaches the maximum under the rate. For example, the consumer whose average use of water is over 18,400 gallons per day can reduce his bill for water by wasting water until his daily average reaches 25,000 gallons or more, thus : Taking the period of six months (150 days) for which bills are rendered, at the average use per day of 18,400 gallons, and at 25,000 gallons his bills would be : 18,400 gallons for 150 days at lie per thousand $303.60 25,000 gallons for 150 days at 8c per thousand 300.00 The nearer his legitimate use approaches the maximum, the greater his saving would be, for example : 22,000 gallons for 150 days at lie per thousand 363.00 24,000 gallons for 150 days at lie per thousand 396.00 These rates put a premium on wasting water, and work gross in- justice on the careful consumer, who uses only the quantity of water he needs. Also the 25-cent rate for consumers using less than 1,000 gallons per day virtually prohibits the use of meters to small consumers, and enforces an exorbitant charge against the unfortunate small user, who is compelled by law to have a meter placed on his service pipe. 90 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER In establishing a schedule of meter rates for water many cities have proceeded on what may be called the Minimum Rate method. This method, properly worked out, insures an equitable rate to all consumers. The minimum rate for each size of meter allows the con- sumer to use a certain quantity of water per year, giving him a lower rate for all water used in excess of the allotted amount. The following schedule of meter rates is calculated on the minimum rate plan : Rate Per 1000 Size of Meter. Minimum Annual Charge. Gallons of Water Allowed Annually. Gallons for Water Used in Excess of Allowance. %" $ 3.00 12,000 16 Cents %" 5.00 25,000 16 Cents V " 9.00 50,000 16 Cents %" 17.00 100,000 15 Cents 1 " 31.00 200,000 13 Cents 1%" 56.00 400,000 10 Cents 2 " 75.00 600,000 9 Cents 3 " 110.00 1,000,000 8 Cents 4 " 190.00 2,000,000 7 Cents 6 " 330.00 4,000,000 6 Cents 8 " 570.00 8,000,000 6 Cents The charge for water would be calculated on each individual meter, and not on the total quantity used by the individual, firm or corporation using water and having more than one meter. As all water licenses must be paid in advance, the deposit required under the above schedule would not be the minimum charge, but would be in each case an amount sufficient to pay for the average amount of water used in the class of premises under which it would come. Fixing the amount of deposit required would present no more diffi- culty than under the present schedule, the only difference being in those cases where more than one meter is used to measure the supply into the same premises. In case of vacation of premises, rebates would be paid only on the amount deposited above the minimum annual charge, and only such part of that as remained, in case the consumer had exceeded his annual al- lowance. For example, if a license were issued for a %" meter, minimum an- nual charge of $9.00 and a deposit of $10.00 made for the first six months, and the consumer should vacate the premises inside of 60 days, the meter showing a consumption of 20,000 gallons, the rebate given him would be $5.50, although he would not have used up the allowance of 25,000 gallons provided for by the minimum charge. If, on the other hand, his meter showed a consumption of 40,000 gallons during the 60 days of his occupancy, his rebate would be only $3.00, since he would be charged with 15,000 gallons of water in excess of his allowance, at the schedule rate of 16 cents per thousand. In the first case he would be paying 22y 2 cents per thousand gallons for the water used during the 60 days, and in the second case, IT 1 /^ cents. The above schedule affords no opportunity for a consumer to reduce his water bill by wasting water until his consumption becomes great TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 91 enough to give him a lower rate, but it does give lower rates to the ma- jority of consumers, and does not establish any list of preferred cus- tomers. To apply the above schedule of rates to the 900:5 million gallons of water measured through 7132 meters during the year ending April 1st, 1912, and paid for at the existing meter rates, necessitates a division of the total quantity measured, among the different sizes of meters in use. An inspection of the records shows that for the 3737 %" meters in service, the quantity of water passed through each meter during the year ending April 1st, 1912, varied from 10,000 to 350,000 gallons, with an approximate average of 150,000 gallons. Approximate averages for the other sizes are given in the table below. The proposed schedule provides for three rates for %" meters, in order to allow a low minimum rate for the small user of water. There- fore, the total quantity of water passed through %" meters will be di- vided into three parts, so that the average for each meter will be 150,000 gallons. The revenue which would have been collected last year under the proposed schedule, is as follows: Approxi- Size of Meter. Number of Meters. Quantity in Million mate Average Per Meter in Minimum Annual Charge. Rate Per 1000 Gals. Used Above Allowance. Total Collections. Gals. Gals. %" 1246 62.3 50,000 $ 3.00 16 Cents % 11,214 1246 186.9 150,000 5.00 16 Cents 31,150 % 1245 311.2 250,000 9.00 16 Cents 51,054 % 1102 441.0 400,000 17.00 15 Cents 68,324 795 795.0 1,000,000 31.00 13 Cents 107,325 1% 402 603.0 1,500,000 56.00 10 Cents 66.732 2 558 1395.0 2,500,000 75.00 9 Cents 137,268 3 273 1638.0 6,000,000 110.00 8 Cents 139,230 4 207 1763.0 8,500,000 190.00 7 Cents 133,515 6 56 2912.0 52,000,000 330.00 6 Cents 179,760 8 2 118.0 59,000,000 570.00 6 Cents 7,260 7132 10225.4 $932,832 The above schedule gives an average charge of about 9% cents per 1,000 gallons. These figures must be considered only as approximations based on averages, and the actual effect on the revenue may vary considerably in either direction. The effect on the individual consumer will be to lower the bills for all small consumers who are not at present enjoying the manufacturers' rate of 8 cents per 1,000 gallons, and will include all residences, tenements, stores, shops, stables, garages, office build- ings, etc. The manufacturer who uses less than 4,000,000 gallons of water per year will have to pay more than the present rate, but if he uses 5,000,000 or more, his rate will be less than 8 cents. The adoption of a sliding scale of charges such as one proposed, as well as that now in effect, is in accordance with the rules under which private business is conducted, namely: to give the buyer of large quan- tities the advantage of lower prices. 92 REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER Although there is in St. Louis a special rate for manufacturers, established no doubt for the ostensible purpose of inducing them to lo- cate here, yet there is no logical reason why such a concession should be made to them. The manufacturer of today, whose presence in any community is desirable, is influenced in his choice of a location more by the general facilities for clean and wholesome living for his em- ployes, and by the average prosperity of the locality, than by the propor- tionately small expense of a high water rate. To show what an inconsiderable fraction the cost of water is of the value of manufactured articles, the following examples are cited : At one of the large breweries in St. Louis, the total water license paid per year amounts to a tax of four cents on each barrel of beer con- taining 31 gallons and sold at $8.00. Cost per automobile manufactured and sold for $2,500 53 cts. Cost per thousand brick manufactured and sold from $7 to $20 2 cts Cost per pair of shoes manufactured and sold from $1 to $2.50 $.00209 The water license paid by one large shoe manufacturing corpora- tion amounted to slightly more than three one-hundredths of one p