Public Water-Supplies of Maine---Part I From a Paper by Elmer W. Campbell, Director, Division of Engineering, Maine State Department of Health, Appearing in the Journal of the New England Water Works Association, Vol. 41, No. 2 and Corrected to October 1, 1927 Augusta Water District The Augusta Water District, with a total population of about 15,000, consists of the village of Manchester, the National Soldiers' Home, a portion of East Winthrop and the city of Augusta. The original system, installed in 1886, took water from the Kennebec River. The source was changed in 1906 to Carleton Pond about 8 miles from the city. Water at times of high lake level flows by gravity to a storage and distributing reservoir, 6,000,000 gal. capacity. New 10,000,000-gal, reservoir built in 1926 adjoining old. Electric booster pumps are provided. Steam auxiliary supply provided from Cobbosseecontee Lake. A standpipe, capacity 350,000 gal., is located at the National Soldiers' Home. Chlorinator installed November, 1923. Fifty-nine miles of mains from 1 to 24 inches. Color 17. Hardness 30. Chlorides 4. Quality of water excellent. Bangor Water Department Water Total population supplied, 26,978. The water-works was constructed in 1875, taking water from the Penobscot River. Under the present laws no state or municipal authorities have sanitary control of the river, which receives sewage from towns located along its banks. power is used for pumping, but a reserve power of steam and electricity is maintained. A standpipe, capacity 1,750,000 gal., provides pressure. Rapid sand filters supplemented by chlorine treatment. structed in 1911. Chlorine treatment was begun April, 1909. The river varies in About 621⁄2 miles of mains The filters were recon quality owing to industrial wastes. This necessitates extreme care in the operation of the filter plant. The plant is efficiently operated, and a safe, sanitary quality of water is maintained. Color 14. Hardness 38. Chlorides 5. Bar Harbor Water Co. Supplies a population of about 3,000 in winter and 10,000 in summer. Water-works constructed in 1875. The water flows by gravity from a lake. A slow sand filter was installed in 1905 to remove algæ. Forty miles of mains. Color 5. Hardness 16. Chlorides 8. Quality of water excellent. Supplies a population af around 1,792. Water flows by gravity from a mountain brook to two covered concrete reservoirs, total capacity 650,000 gal. Seven and one-half miles of mains. Color 10. Hardness 20. Chlorides 4. Sanitary quality of water excellent. The above photograph is typical in showing the convenience of electrical operation. The meter body can be located in a tunnel, basement or some other inaccessible distant point and yet the reading instruments are close at hand where they can be read at a glance by the engineer. In deciding on water meters you will agree that the following points are of utmost importance. They result directly from the use of the thin plate orifice and electrical operation. (1) Accuracy and con- The panel board can venience of reading be located at any place and its reading instruments wired to the meter body. Electrical operation eliminates error al ways associated with mechanical moving parts due to friction. (2) Ease and flexibility The use of the orifice of installation plate makes installation a simple operation. All that is necessary is to insert the plate in some convenient flange. (3) Small differential The pressure drop does required not actuate the reading instruments. They are actuated by an electric current. The meter is therefore extremely sensitive. (4) No voltage Voltage variation in current variation supply does not affect the readings. This is a patented feature, developed exclusively for the Republic Flow Meter. Bulletin "Republic Water Meters" sent on Request Republic Flow Meters Co. 82 2226 Diversey Pkwy. Public Chicago, Illinois. Mention THE AMERICAN CITY-it helps. Boothbay Harbor Water Co. Serves a population of 2,025, permanent or year-round, and from 8,000 to 10,000 summer service users. Water is taken from a lake and pumped by electric power to a standpipe, capacity 250,000 gal. System constructed in 1894. Chlorinator installed July, 1923. Thirty-five miles of pipe. Color 15. Hardness 28. Chlorides 9. Lake subject to some pollution from agricultural lands. Sterilization by chlorine efficient, producing a water of good quality. Brewer See Penobscot County Water Co. Bridgton Water and Electric Co. Serves about 2,500. Water is taken from a lake and pumped by electric power to a standpipe, capacity 392,000 gal. Chlorinator installed September, 1923. Six miles of pipe line. Color 16. Hardness 27. Chlorides 4. Quality of water excellent. Brooks See Consolidated Water Co. Brownville, Maine, Water Co. Supplies the village of Brownville in the township of Brownville. The system was installed in 1908. Water flows by gravity from three springs to a reservoir, capacity 25,000 gal. Two and one-half miles of pipe. Color 6. Hardness 29. Chlorides 4. Sanitary quality of water excellent. Brownville & Williamsburg Water Co. System constructed in 1908. Supplies Brownville Junction, in the town of Brownville. Population 1,200. Sup ply taken from springs, auxiliary supply from a small stream, pumped by electric power, to a storage reservoir, capacity 200,000 gal. Chlorinator installed on auxiliary supply September, 1919. Five miles of mains. Color 30. Hardness 29. Chlorides 4. Spring supply of excellent quality. Auxiliary supply from the stream somewhat colored, but of safe, sanitary quality with chlorine treatment. Brunswick & Topsham Water District Supplies the town of Brunswick and the town of Topsham, serving about 8,000. System constructed in 1886. Water taken from driven wells and pumped by electric power to standpipe, capacity 3,000,000 gal. Chlorinator installed October, 1923. There are about 18 miles of mains. Color 4. Hardness 33. Chlorides 7. Water of excellent quality. Buckfield Water Co. Serves a population of 957. System constructed in 1905. Water is taken from a pond and flows by gravity to the mains, of which there are about four miles. Color 9. Hardness 19. Chlorides 4. Water of excellent quality. Bucksport Water Co. Supplies a population of 1,906. Gravity supply from a lake. System constructed in 1887. Chlorinator installed March, 1924. Three miles of mains. Color 55. Hardness 33. Chlorides 7. Water is quite high in color with some vegetable tastes. Clogging of screens by eels has been experienced at some seasons of the year. Water is of a fair quality but would probably be improved by filtration. Calais Water and Power Co. Supplies a population of 6,084. System installed in 1886. Water is taken from a well owned by the St. Stephens Water Co., located about five miles on the Canadian side of the border with the St. Croix River as an auxiliary supply. Water is pumped by electric power to a storage reservoir, capacity 2,500,000 gal. A rapid sand filter and chlorinator (the latter installed January, 1922) are used to purify the auxiliary supply. Twenty-six miles of mains are used. Color 21. Hardness 31. Chlorides 4. Sanitary quality excellent. Camden & Rockland Water Co. Supplies the city of Rockland and the towns of Camden, Rockport and Thomaston. The system was constructed in 1885. Water is taken from a lake by gravity to a distributing reservoir in Rockland (capacity 2,500,000 gal.) and to a standpipe in Camden (capacity 550,000 gal.). Chlorinator installed November, 1923. Eighty-one miles of mains. Color 9. Hardness 17. Chlorides 6. Sanitary quality excellent. Cape Elizabeth See Portland Water District. Caribou Water, Light and Power Co. Supplies a population of 6,018; takes water from the Aroostook River. Electric power is used to pump water directly to the mains, the excess going to a standpipe with System constructed 1911 and supplies population of 813. Supply from springs. Reservoir, capacity 225,000 gal. Nearly four miles of pipe. Color 5. Hardness 23. Chlorides 3. Quality of water excellent. Crystal Fountain Aqueduct Co. Supplies a portion of the village of South Paris. System constructed in 1865. Supply from a well. Oneeighth of a mile of pipe line. Color 10. Hardness 49. Chlorides 4. Quality of water excellent. Cumberland Center Water Co. Supplies the village of Cumberland Center in the town of Cumberland. Original construction 1908. Source of supply, spring. Storage tank, capacity 20,000 gal. Two and one-half miles of pipe. Color 11. Hardness 38. Chlorides 4. Quality of water excellent. WHEN THEN a light plant, located right in the heart of a coal field, with cheap fuel at its very door, closes down a steam plant and installs diesel engines, there must be a reason. That is exactly what happened at Abingdon, Virginia. The Damascus Light and Power Company recently installed two new six-cylinder 360-H.P. Anderson Diesels to furnish light to Abingdon, and to replace the old steam plant. The selection of Anderson Diesels over other types of power was made by one of the most reputable consulting engineers in the country, located at Richmond, Va. His selection was based on the fuel economy, dependability, ruggedness and all-'round efficiency. Sales and Service Branches Dexter Water Works Supplies a population of 4,114. Supply coming from lake. Water is pumped by electric power to reservoir of 500,000 gal. capacity. The system was constructed in 1903. Chlorinator installed November, 1923. Twelve miles of mains. Color 8. Hardness 44. Chlorides 3. Quality of water excellent. Dixfield Light & Water Co. Supplies a population of 1,134. System constructed in 1906. Water secured from a mountain brook flowing through wild timber lands. Equalizing and storage reservoir, capacity 500,000 gal. Six miles of mains. Color 32. Hardness 35. Chlorides 4. Quality of water excellent. Dover-Foxcroft Water District Supplies a total population of about 4,000. System constructed in 1888. The original source of supply was the Piscataquis River. Source of supply changed to lake in 1926, the old station being retained in reserve. New supply gravity. Chlorinator installed July, 1918. Storage and equalizing reservoir, capacity 1,500,000 gal. and one-half miles of pipe. Color 29. Chlorides 4. Quality of water excellent. Eight Hardness 31. See also Blethen House Spring Water-Works. Farmington Village Corporation Supplies a population of 3,197. System constructed in 1891. Water flows by gravity from a lake. Standpipe, capacity 250,000 gal. Twenty-one miles of mains. Color 8. Hardness 30. Chlorides 4. Quality of water excellent. Fort Fairfield See Frontier Water Co. Fort Kent Water Co. Supplies a population of 4,237. Water flows by gravity from a brook in the hills. System constructed in 1914. Equalizing reservoir, capacity 500,000 gal. Auxiliary supply from Fish River. Chlorinator installed on auxiliary supply July, 1923. Five and one-half miles of mains. Color 29. Hardness 42. Chlorides 4. Main supply of fair quality but insufficient in quantity. Auxiliary supply receives some pollution from villages about five or six miles up the stream. Freeport Water Co. Organized in 1891. Supplies a population of 2,800. Water-supply from a brook through a slow gravel filter. Electric power used to pump the water; gasoline engine for emergency pumping. Storage standpipe, capacity 200,300 gal. Chlorinator installed in 1923. Color 18. Hardness 36. Chlorides 8. The color of the water varies at times of heavy rainfall and occasionally has algæ tastes, otherwise it is of good quality. Friendship Water Co. Supplies a population of 696 with probably a thousand more in the summer. System constructed in 1897. The supply is taken from springs. Two springs have been dug out to a depth of about 18 ft. and a diameter of 30 ft., walled with field stones. Capacity of these spring reservoirs approximately 600,000 gal. Water is pumped by windmill from the reservoirs to a wooden storage tank of about 10,000 gal. capacity. Water has a good appearance but is only of fair quality. Two miles of mains. Color 10. Hardness 44. Chlorides 15. Grindstone Neck Water Co. This company supplies the town of Winter Harbor. Total population 503. The water-works was installed in 1891. The water is pumped from a pond by elecric-driven centrifugal pumps with auxiliary gas engine to a standpipe of 28,000 gal. capacity. In the winter, Winter Harbor is supplied direct from the pond, but in the summer water is pumped to the standpipe for use in the village of Grindstone Neck. Three and one-half miles of mains. Color Hardness 9. 20. Chlorides Water of excellent one spring and a 50-foot drilled well; also a 150-foot drilled well with electric pump for use when needed. Small storage reservoir, no figures available for its capacity. Two 46. Color 10. Hardness 38. and one-half miles of mains. Chlorides 4. Quality of water excellent. quality. |