Futility of a Sanitary Water Analysis 



39 



slightly moldy odor. (A) In Nos. i and 3 the nitrogen as free 

 ammonia is greater than that as albuminoid ammonia. (D) Nos. 

 2 and 3 contain very much greater amounts of free ammonia than 

 0.05 part per million. (A, second part) No. 3 contains over 

 0.25 part of albuminoid ammonia per million, and the free- 

 albuminoid ratio is i to 1.3. No nitrites or nitrates appear in any 

 of the samples. According to the above standards of interpreta- 

 tion, all three of these waters contain recent organic pollution of 

 a very unstable nature or, in other words, sewage pollution; the 

 nitrification is proceeding very rapidly, and the assimilation of nitrites 

 and nitrates is accomplished as rapidly as they are formed, by an 

 abundance of organisms. In point of fact, these are normal waters 

 from two storage ponds in Pennsylvania, in the drainage areas of 

 which there are no habitations. It would be difficult to specify con- 

 ditions that would more closely approach the ideal for upland con- 

 served supply than existed at these two places at the time these sam- 

 ples were taken. No. i is from Pine Run Reservoir, and Nos. 2 

 and 3 from Mill Creek Reservoir, both in Luzerne County, Penn- 

 sylvania. 



SERIES "B." 

 Parts per Million. 



Series "B" contains analyses of samples taken from a large lake 

 in September, 1904. Each sample was distinctly turbid, of low color, 

 and revealed an aromatic odor. (C) The nitrogen as albuminoid 

 ammonia is in every case less than 0.25 miUigram per liter. (D) 

 The nitrogen as free ammonia is in all cases far less than 0.05 milli- 

 gram per liter. (A) The free-albuminoid ratio varies from 1-5.3 

 up to 1-5.5. (E) There are no nitrites. (F) The nitrates run 

 somewhat higher than the standard set. 



Several of the above samples have all the characteristics of an 



