The value of pure water / by George C. Whipple.

  • George C. Whipple
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The value of pure water / by George C. Whipple. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of the works. Both of these methods are similar in that they contemplate the substitution of a satisfac¬ tory water for one not satisfactory. Another method of measuring the depreciation appli¬ cable to a water-works plant because of an inferior quality of the supply would be to ascertain what the use of the impure water has cost the consumers com¬ pared with what a pure and satisfactory water would have cost them. This method has not been used in practice, but it seems to be a reasonable one, and one which would be of more general application than the preceding, if the data upon which it is based could be accurately determined. Unfortunately, this is not the case in most instances, but by the use of certain general¬ ized data and assumptions results may be secured which are of considerable use in comparing the value of waters different in quality. The qualities of a public water-supply which most affect the ordinary consumer are: 1. Its sanitary quality; that is, its liability of infec¬ tion with disease germs or substances deleterious to health. 2. Its general attractiveness, or lack of attractiveness, as a drinking-water. 3. Its hardness, so far as this relates to the use of soap in the household.
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