Water Supply

Waupaca Republican

April 30, 1908

The City Water Supply

The pumping station on the shore of Mirror Lake was shut down some two weeks ago, since which time the city has been supplied direct from the river by working the pumps in the power house.

The city is fortunate in having the two stations as the fire protection is adequate and the river water is said not to contain disease germs while undergoing purification by the forces of nature while in rapid motion as is especially true in the season of freshet.

If cut-offs had been property put in each one of the six wells might have been tried to ascertain how many and which ones supplied the sand and gravel. As all are connected it is impossible to try each one separately without the trouble and expense of connecting each well, one after another to the pumping apparatus.

This work admits of charges and counter charges as to where the responsibility rests for the present trouble. The persons who recommended the system and had charge of installing the pumps may have acted in good faith and because of lack of practical experience with just the conditions found here, may have made a vital error.

At least, a little precaution of cut-offs alone would have saved great expense and much annoyance. Had the advice of a local pump man been taken and one of the piston pumps taken from the old station instead of buying a new centrifugal pump, the plant might possibly have been more satisfactory. It is of little avail to locate the blame for present difficulties, but the best measures to be adopted under the present conditions should be sought for in a sober careful manner.

It is safe to say that good fire protection – and this is supplied at the present moment is about all that can be expected till a start is made to supply a sewer system.

No city has natural advantages for water supply and sewage that excel, and few equal.