REPORT 
OF 
SPECIAL COMMITTEE 
ON THE SUBJECT OF 
Water Supply and Sewerage, 
z TO THE 
CITY COUNCIL, 
OCTOBER 4, 1864. 
CINCINNATI: 
GAZETTE COMPANY PRINT, COR. FOURTH AND VINE STS. 
1864. R E P O R T. 
City Buildings, 
Cineianati, Oct. 4, 1864, 
To The Hoy. City Council : 
Gentlemen-In obedience to a resolution of Council; 
the Chairman of the Committee of Public Improvements, the 
Chairman of the Committee of Sewerage, and the City Civil 
Engineer, have visited various cities East and'West, with the 
view of obtaining such information as we could, in a short 
space of time, upon the subject of Water supply and Sewerage. 
Having in a very brief way, visited the several cities stated! 
below, we cannot be expected to give with much detail the 
several modes adopted by our sister cities for securing a good 
supply of water, and a good system of sewerage. It being 
deemed more within the province of our mission to ascertain by 
actual observation, what had really been done, and what was 
now doing in regard to the subject of our investigations. 
First, in regard to the Water supply :- 
This question, withus, is fast becoming of very great impor- 
tance, and, one which must be met by our authorities in the 
most liberal and enlarged spirit. 
And with a view of engaging the attention of our citizens, as 
well as that of those having this matter immediately in charge, 
we have prepared the following statements of what other cities 
are doing in this matter. 4 
Taking the cities in the order in which they were visited: 
ST. LOUIS.-With a population about equal to our own, 
and situated as ours, on one of the great rivers of the West, 
obtains its supply by pumping from the Mississippi. Their 
reservoir is an artificial one, elevated about 150 feet above the 
river, and is "regarded only as a make shift until new and im- 
proved works are constructed and brought into use." The en- 
gines for raising the water, are placed at the upper part of the 
city, but much complaint is made that the water is taken from 
a portion of the river too near the business centre of the city, 
and the authorities are urged to obtain the water further up 
the stream. The City Engineer in a communication to Council 
in March last, says, "new works should be commenced as soon 
as the preliminaries can be settled, for there is no time to lose. 
A commission of citizens, aided by an experienced engineer, is 
in my opinion the best mode that can be adopted for devising 
and executing a proper water works extension." 
CHICAGO.-This city obtains her water from the Lake, by 
means of pumping engines. The water being forced into the 
stand pipes from which it is distributed throughout the city. 
These pipes are generally at an elevation of about 80 feet above 
the Lake. Owing to the contamination of the river, and shores 
of the Lake near the city, by the large amount of offal and filth 
thrown into them, by the various slaughtering and manufac- 
turing establishments of the city, and by the sewers, the city 
authorities are now constructing a tunnel under the Lake, for 
the purpose of obtaining "water from a point two miles 
from the shore. The cost of this work will be very great 
of course, but the object, the obtainingpure water in abundance, 
is considered sufficient to justify even a much greater outlay. 
DETROIT-Is also supplied by pumping from the Lake, 
the same causes for polluting the water, not existing here as 
at Chicago, the city is abundantly supplied with excellent 
water. 
CLEVELAND-Is supplied from lake Eric, the water being 
pumped by engines built under the direction of our former 
townsman and Superintendent of our Water Works, T. R. 3 
Scowden, Esq. The reservoir is an artificial one, and is ele- 
vated some 160 feet above the Jake, from whence the water is 
distributed by means of pipes throughout the city. 
BUFFALO.-This city also obtains its water from the lake 
by pumping. The reservoir is an artificial work 85 feet above 
the lake. The works are owned by a private corporation. 
ALBANY is supplied by gravity. The water is obtained by 
gathering it upon grounds some distance from the city and 
storing it in 'lakes or reservoirs formed by throwing dams 
across the creeks and natural drainage ways of the country. 
These lakes and storage basins are large and beautiful 
aheets of water, the largest called Rcnsellear Lake, contains 
thirty-nine acres of surface, the smaller, called Watervleit or 
Tivoli Lake, has thirteen acres of surface. In addition to 
this, is a subsiding or purifying reservoir of eight acres con- 
nected with the latter reservoir for the purpose of receiving the 
water during storms from which it is passed into the storage 
reservoir after it has become somewhat purified. The water 
is conducted to the city a distance of four miles from the 
larger lake, or reservoir, in a brick conduit to a distributing 
reservoir, entirely a work of art of seven acres water surface, 
and from this reservoir passed through pipes to and through 
the city. 
Watervleit or Tivoli Lake is situate below the larger lake 
and supplies the lower portion of the city. The gathering 
erounds from which the water is collected into the storage 
basins, or lakes, comprise something over three thousand acres 
of land, and belongs wholly to the city, having been purchased 
for the purpose, and the whole area draining into these storage 
basins is controlled by the authorities so as to prevent con- 
tamination and impurity. 
The soil in the vicinity of Albany is peculiarly well adapted 
to this mode of supply, being a light sand upon a subsoil of 
tenacious clay, and the heaviest rains are almost wholly ab- 
sorbed as soon as fallen, the water percolating through the 
sand and draining gradually into the lakes many weeks after 
its fall, thus becoming purified and clear. It has been ob- 6 
served, by those having charge of these works, that the heav- 
iest rains rarely cause an immediate rise in the lakes or storage 
basins. These reservoirs, situate as they are amongst the 
hills and ravines of the city suburbs, with the surrounding 
grounds kept in the neatest order and under excellent superin- 
tendence, having beautiful forest trees in their vicinity and all 
rank vegetation kept down, offer a most pleasing landscape to 
the eye and are spots of rare and refreshing beauty. 
BOSTON, it is well known, is supplied by gravity, the water 
being collected in several natural ponds and brought to the 
city by means of a conduit. In 1848 Boston completed her 
Cochetuate Works. In building these works they have taken 
into consideration the future growth of the city and have made 
ample arrangements for an abundant supply. 
The source from whence the water is drawn is a lake situate 
in an elevated part of the country twenty miles distant from 
the city, remote from the habitations of men, and secluded 
from the seats of all such occupations as might subject it to 
causes of impurity. The lake covers an area of a mile 
square; it is of great depth; in some places seventy feet deep, 
and is supplied by the rains which fall upon a large surround- 
ing country, as well as by springs and streams never liable to 
be rendered impure or turbid by inundation. The waters ot 
the lake have flowed for ages through a remote part of the 
country to the ocean. Their natural outlet is now forever 
closed and a new channel has been formed by the excavation 
of the intervening barriers of earth and rock. Through this 
channel a covered aqueduct of brick masonry has been built to 
secure the flow of a uniform current sufficient to supply the 
wants of the city even should its population become double 
what it was at the time of the completion of the work. 
The area of the lake, when raised to the height intended, 
will contain two billion of gallons, above the level of the con- 
duit by which it is conveyed to the city, and this amount can 
be increased, if required, by other ponds in the neighborhood, 
or from the Sudbury river, which can be entirely commanded, 
if needed, under the charter granted by the State. 7 
NEW YORK, as all know, is supplied from the Croton river 
by gravity. This is an immense work, and for the purpose of 
obtaining pure water in abundance, the city authorities did not 
hesitate to enter upon the most liberal expenditure of money 
to attain the desired end, and her aqueduct thirty-seven miles 
in length, and her magnificent reservoir of nearly one hundred 
acres surface water in extent, and having a capacity of over 
one thousand millions gallons, built within her city limits, 
ranks the first in this country-the capacity of the aqueduct 
being more than equal to the whole flow of the Croton river at 
an average stage of its water, and capable of delivering daily 
more than 60,000,000 gallons. 
BROOKLYN, containing a population not much greater than 
Cincinnati, has with commendable energy and liberality on 
the part of her city authorities, constructed an admirable and 
substantial work. Being situate on an island, with no great 
rivers or lakes, she has extended her arms, as it were, and 
grasped the waters of the heavens and by means of gathering 
grounds of some sixty square miles in extent, collects and 
stores the waters in no less than twelve different ponds or 
lakes obtaining a minimum daily supply of 20,000,000 gallons. 
From these storage basins the water is brought 12| miles 
in a brick conduit, capable of furnishing forty millions of 
gallons daily, to a point near the city, from which it is pumped 
by steam a height of one hundred and seventy feet into an 
artificial reservoir of twenty-five acres in extent and contain- 
ing 161,000,000 gallons. From this reservoir the water is 
distributed by means of iron pipes through the city. 
Another reservoir, built for the purpose of supplying the 
higher part of the city, has a capacity of 20,000,000 gallons. 
The water is raised by steam to this latter reservoir a height 
of fifty feet. The soil of Long Island, like that of Albany, is 
well adapted to this mode of supply, being composed almost 
exclusively of sand, through which the water filters and be- 
comes pure and clean before reaching the lakes and storage 
basins. 
PHILADELPHIA, having the magnificent Schuylkill not 
only for supply but for motive power, is so well known as to 
hardly need a notice here. Her water is of the purest and in 8 
quantity sufficient for all her demands, only needing to increase 
her machinery to increase her supply indefinitely. 
BALTIMORE is suppliecflby gravity. The water being col- 
lected at a point about five mjles distant from the city in a valley 
of a stream known as Jones' Falls, in which by the erection of 
a dam across the valley in a narrow pass near what is com- 
monly known as the Relay Station of the Northern Central 
Railway, whereby the flow of that stream was arrested and its 
waters forced to accumulate in the natural basin into which the 
valley expands immediately above the dam. This forms what 
is known as Swan Lake Reservoir, which contains on its water 
surface one hundred and sixteen acres and has an available 
quantity of water of 400,000,000 gallons. From this lake the 
water is conveyed by a conduit a distance of a little more than 
three miles to an elevated point about a mile and a half from 
the northern limits of the city, where it terminates in another 
reservoir called the Hampden Reservoir, formed by a deep ex- 
cavation in the natural earth in great part, a portion consisting 
of an artificial embankment of earth. This reservoir has 
about eight acres of surface water and a capacity of 50,000,000 
gallons. From this reservoir the water is conveyed in two 
distinct pipes of thirty inches diameter each to another reser- 
voir known as Mt- Royal Reservoir, having about five acres of 
water surface and a capacity of 30,000,000 gallons. This res- 
ervoir is supplied from a head sixty-seven feet higher than its 
own surface. From this reservoir pipes are laid to and 
throughout the city. The total cost of this work is not quite 
a million and a half of dollars. 
We have thus, in a very hurried and brief manner endeav- 
ored to present the result of our observations. 
An abundant supply of good water is regarded by all as 
worthy of almost any expenditure of energy and means; and 
we will here say that notwithstanding the apparent liberal 
provision which many of the cities have made, they already 
begin to feel the necessity of husbanding their resources and 
are taking measures to increase their present supply. New 
York, Boston and Philadelphia are now agitating this question 
We make this statement to show that it is necessary to provide 9 
very liberally for the future wants of our population, so great 
is the increase in all our cities; and all the reports show that 
an increase of consumption every year is greater in proportion 
than the increase of population. 
Our city has now arrived at a stage when this question must 
be met, and we ask that it may be met in a spirit of liberality 
and wise foresight. The vexed question of the source of sup- 
ply, and the mode, has yet to be determined, and we desire to 
see it undertaken willingly and promptly; and in order to do 
this, in the most thorough manner, we would suggest, without 
intending to disparage in any way the labors of the present 
and past Trustees of the Water Works, that a commission 
composed of the Mayor of the City, the Trustees of the Water 
Works and a committee of three from this Council, be formed 
for the purpose of taking into consideration this whole subject 
of water supply, examine thoroughly the various sources of 
supply as drainage grounds, the Miami and Ohio rivers, the 
subject of storage basins and lakes as connected with the 
drainage ground, and also with the supply by pumping from 
the Ohio, and with this view we submit a resolution herewith, 
namely: 
Resolved, That the Trustees of the Water Works be invited 
to meet with the Mayor of the City and a committee of three 
members of this Council, for the purpose of forming a com- 
mission to take into consideration the best method of obtaining 
an abundant supply of pure and wholesome water for the city, 
and that said commission be and are hereby authorized to in- 
stitute and carry out all requisite preliminary surveys and in- 
vestigations for ascertaining the most economical and practical 
mode of supplying our city with pure water, and report to 
Council at as early a day as practicable. 
It may be of interest, in this connection, to present the daily 
average amount of water supplied to different cities in 1860, 
as showing what we may have for a basis of calculation for our 
own city. 10 
New York average per inhabitant, 51.6 wine 'gallons. 
Philadelphia " " 35.9 " 
Baltimore " a 25. " 
Boston " " 96.9 " 
St. Louis " " 40.1 " 
Cincinnati " " 30. " 
Chicago " " 42.9 " 
Buffalo " " 47.6 " 
Washington City | 
and Georgetown 
" 19.3 
Albany u <c 69. " 
Detroit " " 30.5 " 
Jersey City and 
Hoboken 
" 51.4 " 
Making an average of 45.01 wine gallons per each inhabitant. 
It is a fact noticed by those who have given their attention 
to this subject, that the actual daily average quantity of water 
supplied, very rarely, if ever, diminishes in a city. In ancient 
Rome the amount furnished each inhabitant was 375 gallons, 
being a much greater quantity than is furnished by any city in 
modern times. 
We also deem it proper, on the present occasion, to present 
the analysis of water supplied to different cities as well as the 
analysis of water in our own vicinity, merely giving, however, 
the amount of solid matter in grains found in a wine gallon of 
water. 
Solid matter in grains found in a wine gallon of water. 
Lake Cochituate, at-surface 
" 62 feet below surface, 
Boston 
Long Island streams, Brooklyn 1.97 
Patroon's Creek, Albany 4.72 
Schuylkill River, Philadelphia 4.42 
Jones' Falls, Baltimore 5.85 
Potomac River, Washington 5.59 
Croton Lake, New York 4.16 
Ohio River, Cincinnati 6.74 
Miami River, Dayton 17.40 
Little Miami River 14.82 11 
SEWERAGE. 
In reference to the sewerage of the cities we have visited, 
we will endeavor, in a brief manner, to give a synopsis of what 
each has done and is doins. 
ST. LOUIS has no permanent plan of sewerage, but is building 
sewers as needed, and the authorities are doing all they can 
for the adoption of some well-devised system. The public 
sewers are built along the main course of drainage, at the gen- 
eral expense, to pay which there is a public sewer tax assessed. 
District sewers are constructed at the local expense of the 
property. 
CHICAGO, it is well known has arranged, and is carry- 
ing out an extensively excellent system of sewerage. 'It con- 
sists of brick mains and glazed stone-ware pipe, for lateral 
drains. The expense of constructing these sewers is borne by 
the city-bonds having been issued by the city under the au- 
thority conferred upon the sewerage commission by 'the Legis- 
lature. The city has now about seventy miles of sewers 
built. 
DETROIT has no system yet established. 
CLEVELAND has adopted a general plan of sewerage, and is 
engaged in carrying it out, using brick mains and glazed 
stone-ware pipe of a similar character, and, in .fact, from the 
manufactory-the Akron W orks-that is .now supplying 
our city with sewerage pipe. 
ALBANY has no system, though the authorities are taking 
measures to have a law enacted by the Legislature authorizing 
them to devise and form a permanent plan of drainage of their 
city, similar to that of Brooklyn. A number of miles of sewers 
are built, into which is drained the cesspools and surface waters 
of the older portions of the city. The sewers are mostly built of 
brick, though a cement pipe, manufactured in New York, is now 
being introduced. 
BOSTON has a well arranged system of sewerage, and the 
glazed pipe sewers are being gradually introduced in place of 12 
the smaller brick sewers which were formerly universally 
used. 
The corporate authorities of Boston pay one-fourth of the 
cost of constructing sewers, and the remaining three-fourths 
is paid by assessment upon the value of the land (not including 
improvements) benefitted. 
BUFFALO has not established any system, but they have 
been building sewers for the past ten or twelve years as needed. 
The sewers are all of brick, the largest being 5J feet interior 
diameter, and drains about two square miles of territory. The 
smallest sewers are eighteen inches, built of brick-no junc- 
tions being put in, and when it is needed to tap the sewer it is 
broken into and the junction formed. All sewers are built 
only on petitions of property owners, and are paid for by 
assessment upon the front feet of the property on the street in 
which the sewer is built. Cesspools are drained into the sew- 
ers, and all inlets are trapped. The total length of sewers 
built up to this time is about 60 miles. 
NEW YORK has at present some five hundred miles of 
sewers and drains built. Without having any regular system 
arranged for the whole city, the authorities having charge of 
this branch of improvement adapt them as best they can to 
works heretofore built. 
The cost of building the sewers is borne by the property 
adjacent, the city paying the contractor, and then collecting 
the amount from the property by her own officers. 
BROOKLYN-situate somewhat similar to our own city in 
regard to having a good elevation for drainage and outfall for 
the sewers, has adopted a complete and comprehensive system 
of sewerage for the whole city, and calculated for all extensions 
which the future of the city will demand. This system consists 
of brick sewers for the mains, and glazed stoneware pipe for 
the lateral drains. The mains have six inch junctions inserted 
at intervals of about 20 feet for house connections. The whole 
work is done under the direction of a Board of Sewerage Com- 
missioners, organized under an act of the Legislature of the 
State, who are appointed by the City Council for a long term 13 
of years, and serve without compensation. These Commission- 
ers were authorized to borrow' upon the credit of the city from 
time to time, such sums as might be needed to meet the cash 
outlay in the construction of the sewers, (in anticipation of the 
collection of the assessments,) not however to exceed five hun- 
dred thousand dollars, at six per cent, per annum, the bonds 
to be payable in not more than three years. The sewers when 
constructed are paid for by assessment upon all the property 
of the district drained-the city paying the contractor as the 
■work progressed, and collecting the assessments by her officers 
appointed for that purpose. This plan has been in operation 
now some five or six years, and something over one hundred 
miles of sewers have been constructed, the city in no instance 
failing to collect the assessments. 
PHILADELPHIA has no general plan of sewerage arranged 
with reference to the whole city, many portions having been 
sewered many years ago without reference to any system; but 
the authorities are gradually introducing system into the 
sewerage works of the city. In all cases where sewers are 
built, the property owners on each side of the street are taxed 
seventy-five cents per front foot, without regard to the size or 
cost of the sewer, the city paying the excess if there is any, or 
taking the excess if there be any. An annual rental also of 
from one dollar to ten dollars is charged parties using the sew- 
ers, to defray cost of inspection and repairs. The total length 
of sewers and drains built in Philadelphia, is nearly four hun- 
dred miles. 
In conclusion, we arc pleased to state that we are satisfied 
that the system adopted for our city as arranged by our 
City Civil Engineer, in accordance with the act of the Legis- 
lature upon this subject, is in conformity with the most appro- 
ved method as adopted by other cities, very nearly conforming 
to that of the city of Brooklyn, whose system is now regarded 
as the best in this country, being the result of the experience 
of most eminent civil engineers, and comprises all that is known 
of this matter both in this country and Europe. We are of the 
opinion, however, that a modification of our present sewerage 14 
law, so as to make it conform as nearly as the circumstances 
will admit to the act regulating the sewerage of the city of 
Brooklyn, will be a great benefit, and contribute materially to 
the successful workings of the system. 
It seems to be the opinion of the better informed in all the 
cities we visited, that works of this kind should be under the 
exclusive control of a Board selected with special reference to 
their capacity for, and zeal in regard to, carrying out these 
matters of a purely sanitary character. The sewerage of a city 
like ours, involves a heavy expenditure of money, great care in 
the selection of its agents, and the determination of, and carry- 
ing out a well settled policy. Our Board of City Improvements 
have already a very large amount of business to transact, the 
committees appointed by Council cannot be permanent, nor can 
the members of Council give that attention to the subject which 
its importance demands. 
A Board of Commissioners, composed of such of our citizens 
who would readily undertake a great sanitary work of this 
character, to be selected and appointed by the Mayor and con- 
firmed by the City Council, to serve for a term of ten or twelve 
years-, without compensation, would, it is believed, prove highly 
conducive to the best interests of the city. 
We therefore submit the following : 
Resolved, That the Committee on Sewerage and Drainage, 
in connection with the City Civil Engineer and City Solicitor, 
prepare an act to be submitted to the Legislature at its coming 
session, providing for the appointment of a Board of Commis- 
sioners to take charge of the sewerage of the city, and report 
the same to the Council at an early day. 
We cannot close without expressing our thanks to the authori- 
ties of the various cities we have visited, for the unform kind- 
ness and courtesy shown us, and the facilities every where 
offered us in obtaining information in regard to the works in 
their respective cities. The authorities of several of the cities 
visited, desired to express their welcome in a much more for- 
mal and public reception than the nature of our hurried visit 
would permit, and we were therefore under the necessity of 15 
declining all such testimonials, hoping, however, when they 
may have occasion to visit our city their engagements may not 
be so pressing as to prevent us from extending to them the 
hospitalities we were compelled to decline. 
R. B. MOORE, 
W. P. WILTSEE, 
Committee.