708 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The waters of the three creeks on the easterly side of the river 

 are much harder than the Croton water, but the waters of Rondout 

 and Esopus creeks are remarkably soft and desirable for city sup- 

 ply. It has been the commission's plan to deliver to the city the 

 soft water of the Catskill mountain streams, so as to reduce the 

 hardness of the combination with the waters on the easterly side 

 of the Hudson, thus securing a supply equally soft as the Croton 

 water. 



The commission is strongly of the opinion that after the Avaters 

 of the streams now recommended for use are taken, Hudson 

 river water should be secured by pumping it out of the river 

 near Hyde Park up to suitable reservoirs and niters, on the high 

 land easterly of the river, so as to deliver it to the city at the 

 required elevation. This, however, is in the remote future, and 

 is set forth as a resource in reserve at that time. In such a 

 development it will be necessary to build large storage reservoirs 

 in the Adirondacks, from which riood waters of the Adirondack 

 streams may be released during the summer flow of the Hudson, 

 so as to prevent any salt water from reaching the point where the 

 pumps would take the river water. It is explicitly stated in the 

 report that the nitration of Hudson river water would render it 

 entirely satisfactory for all purposes. 



The following is a summary of the cost of these reservoirs : 

 The works recommended to be constructed first comprise a 

 section of the Hill View reservoir, of 600,000,000 gallons capac- 

 ity; the main aqueduct, of 500,000,000 gallons daily capacity, 

 from that reservoir to Stormville reservoir; a section of the 

 Stormville niters, of 50,000,000 gallons daily capacity; the twin 

 aqueduct, one channel of 400,000,000 gallons and the other of 

 250,000,000 gallons daily capacity, from the Stormville reser- 

 voir to the Billings reservoir and these two reservoirs. This 

 construction will afford an additional supply of 60,000,000 gal 

 Ions per day. Concurrently with the preceding construction, 

 the aqueduct of 400,000,000 gallons daily capacity should 1 be 

 built from the Billings reservoir to the Ashokan reservoir, and 

 at the same time the latter reservoir should also be under con 

 struction. 



Tt is estimated thai the first pari of this work, i. o., extend- 

 ing from Hill View reservoir to Billings reservoir, may be built, 

 under efficienl management, within five years, and thai the 

 second pari of the construction, extending from Billings reser- 



