X. A, 2 Heise: Water Supplies in the Philippines 141 



at some time seemed a foregone conclusion. Admitting that 

 the data on which to base conclusions are limited in quantity, 

 the facts that the results obtained by single examinations were 

 so uniform, and that the examinations were made during the 

 dry season when (Contamination was least likely to occur, show 

 how unsafe surface wells in the Philippines are. It would prob- 

 ably be conservative to say that the water from over 80 per 

 cent of the wells is unfit to drink, and that very few of the wells 

 are safe throughout the year. 



Chemically their waters show no marked peculiarities, and 

 they have not been studied sufficiently to justify generalizations. 

 Their quality doubtless varies greatly during different seasons. 

 The surface wells listed, with the exception of a few located 

 so near the ocean that they were obviously contaminated by sea 

 water, range in total solids content from 164 to 1,230 parts per 

 million, and in chlorine content from 5.5 to 436 (average, about 

 150), while the highest free ammonia content noted is 0.64. 



RIVERS AND FLOWING STREAMS 



No systematic study of Avater courses has yet been attempted. 

 Doubtless as manufacturing industries develop, the question of 

 the quality of the water of streams will increase in importance, 

 but at present comparatively little river water is used. A 

 comparatively small amount is being used for boiler purposes, 

 but aside from this, practically the only water whose quality 

 becomes a matter of consideration is that of the rivers which 

 serve as sources of municipal water supply, as at Manila and 

 Cebu. 



The stream waters analyzed, with the exception of tidal rivers 

 and water courses known to be contaminated, ranged from 45 

 to about 550 parts per million in total solids and from 2 to 150 

 in chlorine, and showed a maximum free ammonia content of 

 0.125 part per million. 



SPRINGS 



The contribution to the study of spring waters during the 

 past year has been meager. There is a marked tendency to 

 utilize spring waters more than formerly, notably in small towns 

 so situated that such waters can readily be conveyed to them. 

 In Cebu Province, where springs are numerous, there are at 

 least sixteen towns which developed projects involving the util- 

 ization of springs for municipal supply. 



As the country develops, many springs will doubtless become 



