CREATING COMPULSORY FILTRATION.

CREATING COMPULSORY FILTRATION.

The Supreme Court of the State of Pennsylvania has passed a law which practically makes it compulsory that water furnished communities for domestic consumption be free from impurities. While such a law may be necessary the public interests are now well taken care of by the state boards of health, who make regular analyses of water supplies and report thereon. A contemporary says: “Though the recent decision in Pennsylvania that consumers of water cannot be made to pay for water which is contaminated, or otherwise unwholesome, is merely the judgment of one court, in one state, it is of universal interest to all who purchase the use of water. It is not in anywise improbable that the precedent established by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania will be followed in other states. Once the principle is fixed in American law, that impurity in water supply creates no financial obligation, a big range of possible litigation will be opened up, not only for water consumers, and water companies, but for municipalities in their charges for water rates. The people will be better off if the doctrine laid down by the Pennsylvania court shall obtain general recognition.” This is looking at the matter in a purely commercial and secular way. The determination of the quality of water is based on the health of the public. If the typhoid rate is low it is an indication that the water furnished is of a good potable quality and needs no litigation to compel an improvement. It is becoming a general condition throughout the country to procure the best natural supply, and failing that, to provide filtration to ensure purity. While laws are sometimes necessary to compel needed municipal improvements, in the case of water supply, under present conditions, they will be little needed.

The Supreme Court of the State of Pennsylvania has passed a law which practically makes it compulsory that water furnished communities for domestic consumption be free from impurities. While such a law may be necessary the public interests are now well taken care of by the state boards of health, who make regular analyses of water supplies and report thereon. A contemporary says: “Though the recent decision in Pennsylvania that consumers of water cannot be made to pay for water which is contaminated, or otherwise unwholesome, is merely the judgment of one court, in one state, it is of universal interest to all who purchase the use of water. It is not in anywise improbable that the precedent established by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania will be followed in other states. Once the principle is fixed in American law, that impurity in water supply creates no financial obligation, a big range of possible litigation will be opened up, not only for water consumers, and water companies, but for municipalities in their charges for water rates. The people will be better off if the doctrine laid down by the Pennsylvania court shall obtain general recognition.” This is looking at the matter in a purely commercial and secular way. The determination of the quality of water is based on the health of the public. If the typhoid rate is low it is an indication that the water furnished is of a good potable quality and needs no litigation to compel an improvement. It is becoming a general condition throughout the country to procure the best natural supply, and failing that, to provide filtration to ensure purity. While laws are sometimes necessary to compel needed municipal improvements, in the case of water supply, under present conditions, they will be little needed.