ASHBY.

To Mr. W. O. LOVELAND and Others, Ashby.

Nov. 4, 1909.

GENTLEMEN : - In response to your request for an examination of the water of Tarbell's Spring, so called, located near Mill Village, and advice as to the practicability of obtaining from this source and other springs in its neighborhood a supply of good water sufficient for the requirements of the villages of Ashby and Mill Village, the Board has caused the spring and its surroundings to be examined and a sample of the water to be analyzed.

The results of the analysis show that the water of this spring, though probably safe for drinking in its present state, is exposed to possible danger of pollution from dwelling houses situated near by on higher land, and observations of the flow of water indicate that the quantity would not be sufficient for the supply of the villages after water comes into general use. In view of these conditions the Board cannot recommend the use of this spring as a source of domestic water supply.

It is possible for the town to obtain a supply of water by gravity from the head waters of the Souhegan River, but the source is not a desirable one for the town of Ashby to select on account of its exposure to danger of pollution. It is also possible that a supply might be obtained. by gravity from one of the streams near Blood Hill, but further investigations would be necessary before the practicability of obtaining a supply from that region could be determined.

A ground water would be more satisfactory than water taken from any of the streams or ponds in this region, and if a suitable place for obtaining a sufficient quantity of good water from the ground by means of wells can be found within a reasonable distance of either of the villages, this plan would probably be the most satisfactory one for the town to adopt.

The conditions appear to be favorable for obtaining a satisfactory ground water supply in the neighborhood of the Ashby Reservoir, about two miles southwest of Mill Village, and it is possible that conditions favorable for obtaining a good supply of ground water can be found at other places at a less distance from the villages.

The Board recommends that you cause an investigation to be made in the region about the villages with the view to obtaining a water supply from the ground by means of wells or other suitable works. The investigation should be made under the direction of an engineer of experience in matters relating to water supply, and the Board will assist you by making the necessary analyses of water and will give you further advice when you have the results of further investigations to present.

BARRE.

To the Board of Water Commissioners of the Town of Barre.

Nov. 4, 1909.

GENTLEMEN: The State Board of Health received from you on Oct. 23, 1909, an application requesting its approval of the taking of water from Allen's Pond, so called, situated on Prince River, about half a mile north of Barre Center, as a temporary water supply for the town of Barre, and in response to this application has caused the pond and its surroundings to be examined by one of its engineers and a sample of the water to be analyzed.

The results of the analysis show that the water is highly colored and contains a larger quantity of organic matter than is found in good surface waters, due no doubt to the contact of the water with the vegetable matter in the swamps above the pond. The watershed contains but few dwelling houses, however, which are as a rule remote from the

streams.

The need of an additional water supply for immediate use appears to be a very pressing one, and under the circumstances the Board approves the taking of water from Allen's Pond as a temporary water supply for the town of Barre, to meet the present emergency, under the provisions of chapter 25, section 35, of the Revised Laws. By the terms of that statute, the use of a pond as a temporary source of water supply cannot be continued for more than six months in any year.

The experience of the past two years shows that the present sources of water supply of the town of Barre are incapable of furnishing a sufficient quantity of water for the requirements of the town in dry seasons. The Board recommends that an additional supply of water of good quality sufficient for all requirements be provided as soon as practicable.

BELCHERTOWN (BELCHERTOWN FIRE DISTRICT).

FEB. 4, 1909.

To the Board of Water Commissioners of the Belchertown Fire District, Belchertown, Mass.

GENTLEMEN : The State Board of Health received from you on Dec. 14, 1908, an application for advice as to a water supply for the Belchertown Fire District, accompanied by a report of your engineer giving results of examinations of Pratt Brook and Chambray Brook and estimates of the cost of a water supply for the district to be taken either from Chambray Brook or from the ground near Dyer's millpond about three-quarters of a mile east of the village.

Measurements of the flow of Pratt Brook and Chambray Brook during

the summer and autumn of 1908 have also been submitted, the results showing that the flow of Pratt Brook at the point at which its waters. might be diverted for the supply of the district fell to about 18,000 gallons per day in the latter part of September, while the yield of Chambray Brook at the point at which it could be diverted amounted at the same time to a minimum of about 51,000 gallons per day.

The Board has caused the sources of supply indicated to be examined by one of its engineers and samples of water from Pratt and Chambray brooks and from springs near Dyer's millpond to be analyzed.

It is evident from the very low flow of Pratt Brook during the past summer and the small size of its watershed at the point at which it could be diverted for supplying Belchertown by gravity, that it is impracticable to obtain a supply of water from that source adequate for the requirements of the district. Chambray Brook above the point at which it could be diverted to supply the district by gravity drains an area of a little over half a square mile, and it is evident from measurements of the flow of the brook during the past very dry season that the natural flow of the stream would be insufficient for the requirements of the district at all times after water comes into general use.

If a storage reservoir having a capacity of about 10,000,000 gallons can be constructed upon Chambray Brook, its capacity could be increased so that it might be depended upon to yield enough water for the present requirements of the district. It is not possible, however, at this season of the year to make such an examination of the brook as would show definitely whether it is practicable to construct upon it a suitable. storage reservoir of the capacity indicated at a reasonable cost.

The water of Chambray Brook, as shown by analysis, is naturally of good quality for water supply purposes. It evidently contains at some seasons of the year considerable color and organic matter, and if a reservoir should be constructed on this brook of the size indicated, it would be very important that it should be thoroughly cleaned by the removal of all the soil and organic matter from the area to be flowed in order to prevent, so far as practicable, deterioration of the water from organic growths and the disagreeable tastes and odors which they produce. It will also be necessary to take measures to prevent danger of pollution of the water from the buildings on the watershed, one group of which at least is near the brook, before this stream can be used with safety as a source of domestic water supply.

An analysis of the water of a spring near Dyer's millpond and an examination of the locality indicate that the water filtering through the ground past the dam of that millpond is affected by the presence of an excessive quantity of iron which would make it objectionable for many

domestic purposes. The conditions elsewhere in the neighborhood of this brook above and below the pond appear, however, to be favorable for obtaining water freely from the ground by means of tubular wells, and it is likely that the water would be of good quality if the wells or collecting works were properly located.

From the information submitted it appears that the first cost of works for taking water from Chambray Brook would be about $3,000 greater than from the ground near Dyer's millpond. It is evident, however, that the cost of a reservoir of the size necessary to provide an adequate water supply from Chambray Brook will increase materially the estimates presented, and a further increase will be necessary to provide for the protection of the purity of the water of that brook Under the circumstances, it is not unlikely that the total cost of the works necessary for obtaining an adequate supply of water from Chambray Brook will be nearly, if not quite, as great as the cost of works for taking water from the ground in the vicinity of Dyer's millpond or at some other point along Jabish Brook including the cost of pumping.

The Board recommends that as soon as conditions are favorable for thorough investigation, a careful examination of Chambray Brook be made to determine the feasibility of constructing a reservoir upon it near the proposed point of diversion holding at least 10,000,000 gallons and the probable cost of the work, including the removal of all soil and organic matter from the area to be flowed. The probable cost of purchasing the necessary land and buildings or of doing such other work as may be necessary to protect the water from pollution should also be determined as closely as practicable. The Board also recommends that tests be made with a view to determine the practicability of obtaining a water supply from the ground in the vicinity of Dyer's millpond or elsewhere in the valley of Jabish Brook where the conditions appear to be favorable for that purpose. The Board will assist you in further investigations by making the necessary analyses of water and will give you further advice as to plans for securing a water supply for the district when you have the results of further investigations to present.

BLANDFORD (BLANDFORD FIRE DISTRICT).

MARCH 4, 1909.

To the Blandford Fire District, Messrs. I. E. WHITNEY, E. W. BENNETT and S. H. PEEBles.

GENTLEMEN: The State Board of Health received from you on Oct. 22, 1908, an application for the approval of a proposed water supply for the village of Blandford, to be taken from the head waters of Freeland Brook, accompanied by plans and a report of your engineer

describing the proposed works. The plans provide for constructing a small open reservoir by means of a dam to be located on the southerly branch of the brook about 2,000 feet northeast of the agricultural fair grounds and half a mile from North Street, from which water is to be pumped to a covered reservoir west of North Street and thence distributed to the village.

Analyses of the water of the south branch of Freeland Brook show that it is naturally of good quality for water supply purposes. The brook is exposed to danger of pollution from a dwelling house with outbuildings on its watershed, but the plan submitted provides for collecting all of the sewage and foul drainage from these buildings into a cesspool, from which it is proposed to convey it through a pipe sewer to a place of disposal outside the watershed of the proposed sources of water supply.

The Board has caused the locality to be examined by its engineer and has examined the plans and information submitted therewith. The water of the south branch of Freeland Brook, as shown by recent analyses, is naturally of good quality for water supply purposes, and if the possibility of pollution from the house on the watershed shall be prevented by the construction of a tight cesspool and a suitable drain for conveying all the sewage from this house to a point outside the watershed, the water of the brook can safely be used for drinking and other domestic purposes.

The flow of the brook at the site of the proposed dam in dry weather in the summer of 1907 amounted to about 12,000 gallons per day, and in the very dry period in the latter part of 1908 your engineer states that the flow fell to about 9,000 gallons per day. It is estimated that the permanent population of the village is 85 and the population in summer about 300, and the natural flow of the stream in dry weather would consequently provide only from 30 to 40 gallons per person in the summer season. That quantity, however, would be sufficient for present needs, and excepting in the driest weather, the supply from this source will doubtless be ample for the present requirements of the village. It is possible to enlarge the yield of the proposed source by constructing a storage reservoir, but the flow of the brook in the summer season is evidently derived largely from springs and the water would be likely to deteriorate considerably in quality if exposed to light in an open storage reservoir.

An examination of the region indicates that a large additional supply can be obtained if necessary from the north branch of Freeland Brook, and as the valley of that stream is free from population, there is no reason to doubt that water of excellent quality can be obtained there.