Pure Water for Coney Island.

Pure Water for Coney Island.

Fresh water fit for every purpose can now be furnished free to Coney Islanders at a rate of 1,000,000 gallons a day, and the supply can be increased indefinitely as necessity demands. This is the result of four years of hard work. The first thing done was the establishment of a sewer system. An invention of James J. Powers, formerly sanitary engineer of the Health Department of Brooklyn, was adopted with success. It deodorizes the sewage, allowing the liquid to flow off colorless and odorless, and retaining the solid matter, so that it may be used either for fertilizing purposes or cremated. There is a crematory attached to the station where the sewage is deodorizing, and any combustible body is destroyed in its intense heat. The sewer construction was a work of great skill and much cost to secure a grade that would carry off the waste. To aid this a pumping station was established so that water might be secured to flush the sewers. Experts said pure water could be had on the island if w ells were sunk deep enough. Such wells were sunk, but the water was brackish. For some time it was used and by some households introduced into their dwellings, but not with agreeable results. Sickness came with its use and a change was demanded and secured. ■ Recently there were opened and are now successfully operated twenty-four wells and a receiver, capable of delivering 1,000,000 gallons of-pure water daily. The supply can be increased to meet any demand. The work has been done by Contractor Frank P. Gallagher, with Inspector Emmons in charge of the work on behalf of the town. About 8000 feet of pipe were laid from the wells at Kings Highway, Gravesend, to the main at Coney Island. This water is furnished free to anyone who is willing to make a connection with the main at an expense of from $10 to $15. Many Coney Islanders are now paying a private corporation for water and the amount they pay is equal to their annual assessment for the sewer. If they take freewater from the town they will thus save enough to pay their assessment. The enormous expense for water at Coney Island may be appreciated when it is known that H erzberg s West Brighton Beach Hotel pays $1000 a year, and the actual consumption is only from June to August. Other places at West Brighton are paying proportionate rates. At Manhattan and Brighton Beaches they have their own wells.

Sheepshead Bay householders are circulating a petition calling for an extension of the sewer and water systems to that village, to thus prevent a pollution of the bay.