Bacterial Results Following a Failure to Sterilize New Water Mains

Data presented below are the results of an investigation of a municipal water supply by the Department of Health. The public water supply, serving a village of 800 population, is obtained from a deep drilled well of proper location and construction, is stored in a 50,000-gallon pneumatic tank and, except as noted below, is distributed through a system of cast iron pipe mains. "There is no sanitary sewer system. Private septic tanks are connected to miscellaneous groups of tile lines which discharge at various points/4 Early in the year 1926, the distribution system was extended to serve a rapidly developing section of the village about one-half mile west of the original town. A few houses in this section had been served by a 2-inch galvanized pipe line laid by a real estate operator. This Hne was continued in service. In June, 1926, a rural public health nurse telephoned me that the water in the new section of the village was undrinkable and that she was being deluged with complaints. Our inspection