Water 



53 



able matter from a liquid. It may be made from porous brick or 

 stone, or it may be a box partially filled with gravel, sand, charcoal, 

 or other substance through which water will flow. The undesirable 

 matter lodges* in this substance, and the water comes from it 

 more or less purified according to the efficiency of the filter. 



A faucet filter is merely a small filter attached to a faucet. 

 It may be made of a piece of porous rock, of baked clay enclosed 

 in a metal tube, or merely of a piece of cloth placed over the 

 mouth of the faucet. Such filters are sources of danger unless 

 frequently cleaned to remove all collected matter in which disease 

 germs may live or multiply. The best filters are not a sure 



A BAD PLACE FOR A WELL. WHY ? 



protection against all disease germs, since most germs are so 

 minute that they can pass through any filters with the water. 



Method of Supply. Although water in mountainous dis- 

 tricts may be supplied by gravity, an abundant supply of water 

 can usually be obtained only by the use of a pumping system to 

 lift water to standpipes or reservoirs. Water flows from these 

 into huge pipes, or water mains, which feed the smaller pipes 

 running to houses. In country homes, water for household pur- 

 poses is commonly lifted from wells by means of pumps. 



Location of Wells. Farm wells from which drinking water 

 is drawn should not be located near the barnyard drains, cess- 



