Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 69, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 March 1915 — Simple Sanitary System For the Farm Home [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Simple Sanitary System For the Farm Home

By R. W. TRULLINGER.

SIMPLE sanitary system '/Cwlrffm' tor the farm h&8 tour distinct features. It provides for: (1) A flf V pure water supply ✓ (2) Pumping, storage and distribution of water supply. (S) A dur- \ J able and simple plumb* T ing system. (4) A safe disposal for farm sewage. ▲ pure water supply is one of the most important factors in farm life today, as {yphoid fever, dysentery and other disorders may be carried by impure waters. Farm water supplies are very subject to pollution. 0( 79 typical water supplies in Minnesota, Investigations showed that 20 were good and 59 polluted. Twenty-five of those polluted were bad only because of poor surface protection, and could easily have been made safe. Practically all the surface supplies were polluted. During these investigations 28 of the farms examined showed a record of typhoid fever. Surface water supplies should not be used for household purposes, or for washing prilk cans. They should not even be used for laundry purposes unless no other water supply is available. Rain water from the roof is often polluted by dust, leaves and the droppings from birds. Any person who drinks water from surface supplies endangers his health if such supplies are not adequately protected and then purified. Where underground waters are ,hard to obtain, cisterns may be used where the store of rain water and surface supplies will be filtered and partially purified. 1 The cistern should be of watertight construction, to prevent leakage and to prevent pollution from the neighboring soiL It should have an overflow drain and a tight cover. There should also be suitable provision for straining or filtering the water previous to its entrance to the cistern. Farm wells are often polluted from local sources. They are often located for convenience near the barn or stable, or close to the back door, out

of* which household slops are thrown. The soil surrounding tly well becomes saturated with organic filth and. allows the surface water percolating through it to carry its load of contamination into the .well. The curbing or covering is often loosely constructed of boards, permitting small animals and vermin to fall Into the well; and surface water carrying filth and manure, especially after rains, runs. Into the well from the top. Both deep and shallow wells are subject to contamination. Of 177 deep and 411 shallow farm wells examined in Indiana, 116 of the deep well waters Grere of good quality, 46 were bad, and 16 were doubtful; 159 of the shallow well waters were good, 209 were very bad, and 43 were doubtful. The safety of water supplies near sources of possible surface pollution often depends largely on the character and quality of the material In which the .well Is sunk. The farm well, especially a shallow dug well, should be located somewat above the barnyards, and stock pens, at least in such a position that the surface drainage from all possible sources of contamination is away from the well. If local conditions and prices will permit, it is a good idea to provide Impervious floors with water-tight

drains for farm buildings and stock pens, Under the same conditions concrete manure pits might well be provided not only to prevent the liquid manure from polluting the neighboring soil but to save the manure. No garbage, manure or rubbish should be dumped into sinks or basins in the immediate neighborhood, and these should .be, fenced off and kept free from polluting matter. The house should be provided with some safe method of sewage disposal, while slbps and garbage from the kitchen should be deposited in tightly covered garbage cans and disposed of by burying in the fields, burning, or feeding to pigs. The use of privy vaultß and leaching or overflowing cesspools should be absolutely avoided, since they are likely to be sources

of the worst contamination. The farmer should become acquainted with the various types of wells and the best methods of protection, and the well should be so protected as to exclude filth from those sources of contamination which it has been impossible J;o remove or which have been overlooked. In /the selection, location and sinking of a well it is always a good idea to consider permanence in addition to safety. The well should penetrate to

levels below that of the ground-water surface in the driest seasons. Unpolluted springs are as a rule good sources of water supply, since the water usually comes from great depths within the rock or is filtered through many layers of sand and gravel. However,’ springy are subject to pollution from the same sources as wells and should be closely watched in this respect. Farm spring supplies are often polluted by the drainage from buildings and Btock pens. Spring- water supplies from limestone are also subject to pollution from , distant garbage and sewage dumps in sinkholes. The same 'precautions should be taken for safeguarding spring supplies as in the case of wells, and in addition tne spring should always be fenced to keep out the stock. Spring supplies should be frequently examined for pollution of any kind, and the water should be. bailed before drinking, if possible, although this is not absolutely necessan r in all cases. After a pure water supply has been made available for the farm home, the quantity of water heeded must be considered. A suitable pumping eqtiipr ment must be chosen and then a satisfactory means for distributing and storing the water must be provided. Hand-operated systems are applicable where small quantities are re-

quired for house service only, but !a case water Is wanted for stock aIBO the use of a windmill, engine, electric motor, or hydraulic ram is necessary. It a windmill is used the storage should be large enough for at least three days* supply, to provide water in case of calm weather. Where the other sources of power are used the storage capacity need not exceed one day’s supply. The plumbing system for the average farm home should bo simple and its material and construction should be durable. Water pipes should "be arranged so as to carry the water in as nearly a straight line as possible to the point of discharge. The use of lead pipe or lead-lined receptacles for drinking water Bhould be avoided in small private systems. The sewer plumbing serves as a drain for the water plumbing. The drainage system should be so constructed as to carry away completely everything emptied into it, and. it should be constantly vented, frequently and thoroughly flushed, and have each of its openings into the house securely guarded. All drains, poll pipe, and waste, pipe should be water-tight and air-tight. All plumbing should be tested by’ filling with water or smoke to detect leaks. An excellent process of sewage disposal is partly mechanical and partly bacterial, consisting of a preliminary septic tank treatment and of final treatment by application to a natural soil by surface or subsurface distribution, or to a specially prepared filter. The septic tank, although air-tight and supposedly water-tight, should be located as far from the house and the well or spring as convenience and local surroundings will permit, thus reducing the danger of pollution or nuisance in case of leakage or improper operation of the system. Contrary to the usual opinion, small sewage systems require some watching and care. It is well to study the system and watch the action in the entire plant for any signs of clogging or waterlogging. If the sewage is applied contiguously to the final disposal system and in such quantities that the system is. kept saturated, the filter or disposal area becomes waterlogged and "sewage sick" and ceases to be effective. A grease trap is described which acts as a separator of grease and sewage from the kitchen sink or dairy room. If gr.ease.ls allowed to enter the sewer it accumulates and eventually clogs the systemThe above features are desOTibed la Bulletin No. 57 of United States agri-

cultural department, which consists of 46 pages and contains 38 figures and diagrams with a number of tables.

Principle of Operation of an AutoPneumatic Pump.

Application of Autopneumatle System to a Farm Home.