IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, 91 



A STUJn^ OF A CONTAMINATED WATER SUPPLY. 



J. B. WEEMS. J. C. BROWN. 



A pure water supply is one of the most valuable posses- 

 sions which nature can give to any community. The 

 value of a pure water supply is realized more readily by 

 those who live in a city or town where the population is 

 concentrated than by those living in the country where 

 the families are isolated. 



A contaminated water supply is a very expensive pos- 

 session for a city, and as the natural result of experience, 

 great attention, is given to insure a pure water supply by 

 the larger cities and towns. Expensive water works and 

 filter beds are erected in order that pure water may be 

 supplied, and the money spent for this purpose is one of 

 the best investments that can be made by a city or town. 



In the country and small towns, shallow wells are used 

 as a means of obtaining a water supply. The water which 

 is furnished by these shallow wells is, no doubt, at first. in 

 a pure condition, but in course of time little or no atten- 

 tion is paid to the surroundings, and a natural result is 

 that a condition is reached which is favorable for the con- 

 tamination of the well. 



The average individual depends entirely on the taste and 

 smell of a water to determine whether it is pure or not. 

 As long as the water remains clear and has no offensive 

 taste or odor, the water will be regarded as pure. And in 

 this lack of realization, as it were, by those who use shallow 

 wells, there is no doubt the cause of many an epidemic 

 of diseases, the germs of which are readily distributed 

 by means of water. A recent epidemic of typhoid fever 

 gave an opportunity for a chemical investigation of 

 a number of shallow wells, the object of the investigation 



