Map Too Large For Filming — New York v. New Jersey

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THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4485

1 Cowrtamsast® Exeuerr No. 202. James D. Maher,

New York Crry, May 19th, 1915.

This certifies that o copy of the within report has Leen filed un the

Mayer s othiee by the Metropolitan Sewerage Commission.

JAMES MATTHEWS,

Evecutive Secretary.

Preliminary Reports on the Dieposal of New Yorks Sewage.

Study of the Collection and 1 Das ve rsee | of the Sewage of the Lower

Hudson, Lower East Biver, and Bay ))ivision.*

Metropolitan Sewerage Comission of New York.

George \. Soper, Janes 11. Puertes. 1. de B. Parcons, Charles

Soomemith, Linely R. Williams, Commissioners.

February. 1913.

2 Pretimwonary Report V1.

Stady of the Collection and [)iepesal of the Sewage of the Lower

Hudson, Lower East River, and Bay Division.

Contents.

Page.

1. Boundaries and topographical Features.................. 3

2 The Exiting Sewers, Their Qutfalle and Re«ulting Nuisances 7

3. —S that the Sewers of Manhattan Will Have to be

ED ccndncctvesdecesconceseeeasteereseesvsoress

4. Quantity and Composition of the Sewage..............

5 Lraagornil ait y of Dixpesing of All the Sewage Through Dilu-

them with the Harber Water... .. 2... cececccccccecess

OS, es ae ee OO WE covccceseoseccousccosoeoses

7. Powible Methods of Sewage Treatment..................

&. Plan for the Diepoxal of the Sewage of this Division. .......

9. Collecting the Sewage to the Outlet Island................

Appendices.

1. Stadies for Grit Chambers, Screens and mapas ———

i, Cn... 6 cesegenteueeureeorsees ea

Ill. Studies for Sulamerged Outfalle......................

W. Opinion of U. 8. Engineers on the Proposed Island. .....

*This report is issued in advance of the final report of the Metro-

politan Sewerage Commission in order that the contents may be of

early service. Some features of this report will remain open for

Fevision until the final report is submitted.

1—Ex. 9

14M4 THE PROPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK V5.

3 Stedy of the Collection and Disposal of the Sewage of te

Lewer Hudson, Lower East River, and Bay Dirimon.

Honorable William J. Gaynor, Mayor of the City of New York

Sion: This repert. the sixth in thie commmiemion’s series of Pre

liminary Keports on the Diepomul of New York's Sewage, ix ieuel

with the oljeet of making public. at the earliest practicable date

this commi-sren + studies as to the way in which it will be necessary

to deal with the sewage of the fourth. and lat of thee division

inte which New Vork hae been divided to facilitate the work.

While many details til] remain to be com=idered. these stodie

show the general character of the works which <heuld Le constructed

To protect the Harlem and Lower Fast Kiwers. large sewers

to intercept the sewage and carry it te an artificial ivlend

to be built near the outer limite of the harler aleut three mile

from shere. here. after a «bert and inoffensive treatment the sewage

can be discharged mto the ocean with confidence that the organi

matters will be promptly rendered inert. Al! the rest of the sewage

im this divieion sheuld be passed through screens and grit chanvher

and discharged beneath the surface of the water in the main tidal

channels.

1.—Boundane~ and Topographical Features.

The territory in the Lower Hodson. Lower Fat Kiver and Ber

Divieion lies on both sides of the Lower Eaet river. the weet de

of Manhattan and the east side of Upper New York bay. It &

tends from the extreme northwestern toundary of the city to below

the Narrow-.

It contains the largest population. and the mest den-ely -ttlel

sections of any of the four divisions inte which the comm =ien hae

divided New York for the purpere of planning the muon dramage

and sewage disposal works which will be reqvired. Wothin it lies

the major part of the Boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, whieh

were separate cities until 189s.

This divixien is bounded on the eat lw « line which begins a@

Bensenhur-t on Gravesend bay, runs im an irregular course north

easterly to Foret’ Park, in the Rereuch of (hueen<, and thence

northwesterly to the East river near the mouth of the Harlem river.

All of that part of Brooklyn and that part of which lie

the west of thie boundary line are i in the division.

4 Crosing the East river the boundary enters upon Manhattan

Island at East Eighty-econd Street, proceeds

to Central Park Wet, which it cromes at Ninety-firet Street,

thence follows an irregular northerly direction along the height of

land to the Harlem river at vten Duyvil. That part of Mar

hattan, which lies to the -outh and wet of the boundary so de

scribed, lies in this division. A small part of the division border

on the Hodeon between Spuyten Duywil and Yonkers. The wet

2—F1. 92

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es Pr oe FT

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THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4485

ern boundary of the division is formed by the Hudson river, Upper

New York Bay, the Narrows and a part of Grave-end bay.

In the northern and southern parts of this division the porn?

is favorable te drainage, but there are large areas wear center

which are <0 low and flat that the construction of sewers with sufli-

cent grades to insure self-cleansing veloritie= and watfalls «0 situ-

ated a+ to provide for a free dieeharee at all sages of tide i« te

posible.

Made Land.—Many of the sewers in Manhattan feel the effect

of the riximg and falling tide for a considerable distance from the

chores. in some instances, for over one mile. The worst cases of this

kind are usually asribable to the inadequate filling of low-lying

ot slanerged areas ax the beds of creeks and the once marshy

shores of water courses. A remarkable regular shore line, made by

filling in Manhattan, is shown on modern map-.

Tree I.

Aeres of Filled Land in this Divwmon.

Borough: Actes.

i, . cccosduededtedsoredoerureetoresCeereses 1,140

Reet oc cece ccccccccccccecrcereccereceeteseces 1520

"ee P PP PETTTLITEEE LEELA Be

Te. ccvcavesessevaseseerebroeucoesoesennadus 3,120

The filling has heen largely. but not entirely, done along the water

front. Fro S2nd Street on the Hudson river, <outhward, to the

Rattery, and thence northward along the Lower East river to 34rd

Street. Manhettan, the marginal «treet ix entirely on made land,

the total length of «here < recovered being ten and one-half miles.

In many instances the made land extends seme blocks back

fom the river front and in the neighborhood cf Canal Strect,

Manhattan. it runs acro- the island, a distance of nearly two

On the Brooklyn shore, the made land extends from a point north

of Newtown creek to near 45th Street, South Brooklyn, a distance of

tight miles. The Brooklyn Navy Yard ix entirely on made land.

A large area in the neighborhood of Red Hook and Gowanus canal,

Brookivn. has been reclaimed by filling.

growth of made land has been gradual. It has increased

increasing «ize of the city. The chief object in filling in

ving places has Leen to el‘minate «wamp= and marshes and

area of ground available for trade and commerce more

than originally existed. At the same time the filling has

teins

AOI AO 2 ie CAT WIE EROS AE REREAD AL PLEAD YL TELLS LALEITA ALA EDA ee ee

HIN THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK VS.

aries which are now seriously polluted would soon be straightened

and the water would be more easily kept clean than under the exist-

ing circumstances.

To facilitate the filling in of the low-lving shores, the Harbor

Line Board, composed of engineer officers of the U.S. Army, which

has charge of maintaining the navigable channels of the harbor,

has established lines for solid filling, These lines extend through-

out the harbor and give a good idea of the plans to which future

operations of filling will probably conform,

The land whieh les in this division at elevations within twenty

feet of mean sea level, includes all the filled land and also some ad-

ditional areas mostly in Brooklyn and Long Island City. A broad

belt runs from the head of Newtown creek to the vicinity of the

Brooklyn Navy Yard. The total area helow twenty feet elevation

in this division is about 3.3 square miles in Manhattan: 6.5 square

miles in Brooklyn and 2.9 square miles in’ Long Island City.

Seventy-three per cent. of all the land in this division is of more

than twenty feet elevation above mean tide. In Manhattan the

high Jand lies for the most part near the center of the island. The

highest point is somewhat above 100 feet, and is situated north of

77th Street. There is no point above sixty feet elevation further

south than 23rd Street.

In Brooklyn the land, which lies at an elevation above sixty feet,

exists chiefly in the eastern part of the division, where a well reeog-

nized ridge runs in a northeasterly direction from the vicinity of

the Narrows. Elevations of 100 feet or more frequently occur on

this ridge.

6 Tidal Range.—The difference between mean sea level and

mean high water is one-half the mean tidal range as given

in the Table TT.

Taste Il.

Range of Tide in New York Harbor.

Mean. Spring.

ee Se a rer Ty 4.7 5.

Narrows. Fort Flmmilfom .....ccecccccescece 4.6 5.

Upper bay, Governor’s Island............... 4.4 5.3

Hudson river, Spuvten Duyvil.............. 4.0 4.8

Fast river, THallett’s Point (Tell Gate)........ 5.5 6.6

East river. Throws Neck .......6.-csse0ee. 7.2 8.5

Harlem river. High Bridge ............... >.0 78

Kill van Kull. Shooter’s Island............... 4.6 55

Newark bay, Panaiec Light ...........+0e08- 4.7 5.7

Peas Cay TOE. vsvecesevereesveuwes 5.0 6.0

Geology.--The superficial geological formation of this division

is recent except for a small low-lying area of stratified drift in and

near 125th Street. The surface of Manhattan island as far south as

4—Ex. 202 8

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 44587

93rd Street is composed chiefly of mica schist rock. South of 23rd

Street. the rock disappears and stratified drift: predominates.

In the Brooklyn part of this division, drift exists on each side of

the central ridge, the ridge itself exhibiting the features of a ter-

minal moraine with till on the western slope. Swamp and marsh

lands exist to a limited extent, and then only in that part of Queens

which lies in this division.

Value of Land.—The most valuable land in this division lies in

the central and southern parts of Manhattan. It is a peculiar fact

that whether for business or residence purpose, the most costly land

lies along the center of the island. At the southern extremity is

the financial district. North of this is the City Hall with the central

post-oflice, numerous newspaper offices, the principal law courts and

municipal administrative headquarters. Next above follows the

wholesale dry goods center, then the region of retail shops, hotels

and theatres and finally areas of high-class private residences and

apartment houses which extend to the northern limits of this divi-ion.

From this central zone east and west to the river front lie areas

occupied by factories and residences, the latter ranging from modest

dwellings to congested tenements.

In Brooklyn the water front is chiefly oceupied by large fae-

tories and warehouses. The most crowded residence district and the

center of financial administrative activity lies in that part of the

horeugh which is opposite the southern end of Manhattan Is-

land.

7 2.—The Existing Sewers-—Their Outfalls and Resulting

Nuisances.

Practically the whole of this division is sewered on the combined

principle of sewerage.

In addition to the sewage which comes from the storm water of

the streets and from the interior of the houses, the sewers of Man-

hattan and Brookiyn are required to carry away the water which

falls upon the roofs, yards and courts of the buildings. The con-

nections are trapped in order that the air from the sewers shall not

enter the houses. The plumbing of the houses is ventilated by

extending the soil pipes to the roofs.

In many cases, especially in Manhattan where the cellars of large

buildings are deep, it is often necessary to pump the sewage into

the street sewers. This is done at private expense.

Relief Sewers.—In most of Manhattan the sewers, which are large

and short, have generally proved adequate to the requirements of

the growing population; but in Brooklyn much trouble has been

experienced from the insuflicient provisions which were early made

for drainage. The first sewers were built when the populations which

they were required to serve were small and scattered, and when a

comprehensive system of sewers was built betwen 1850 and 1860,

the rainfall data were inadequate to permit designers fully to under-

stand the requirements. With the increasing population the original

sewers have been supplemented by large and expensive relief sewers,

and these in turn have had to be assisted in some cases by the con-

5—Ex. 202

pymet ss

4485 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK VS.

struction of intercepting sewers for the collection and removal of

storm water.

_ The sewers of Manhattan and Brooklyn are of many shapes and

sizes. Among the older sewers of Brooklyn are many storm drains

whose courses are not known. The older sewers are generally cir.

cular in shape, and when over twenty-four inches in diameter are

of brick or concrete. Clay and cement pipe have been extensively

used for the smaller sizes. Since 1907 the principles of design and

construction have been much improved in Brooklyn.

Most of the sewer outlets on the Manhattan shores are between

two and five feet in diameter, but there are some which have a sec-

tion equivalent to a circle having a diameter of ten feet and more.

The outlets on the Brooklyn shore are somewhat less numerous and

some are larger than the largest of Manhattan, having a section

equal to a circle with a diameter of fifteen feet.

Many of the sewers of Manhattan were built many vears ago.

They represent various periods of growth due to the introduction

of public water supplies and other causes and have been ex-

8 tensively reconstructed and repaired within recent years.

Throughout this division the sewers are provided with

catch basins at the street corners which were intended to convey

the storm water from the gutters and protect the sewers from grit

and other solid substances.

Ventilation.—It was intended that the sewers throughout this

division should be ventilated through perforations in the manhole

covers located at frequent intervals in the street. In most parts.

notably in the older sections near the water front, the ventilation

is defective, partly as a result of the settlement of the sewers, the

entrance of tide water and the submergence of the outlets. Nuisances

frequently result where steam and hot water are discharged into

the sewers, since hot vapors rise and issue through the manhole

covers disseminating odors of cooked sewage.

Outlets.—The outfalls of the sewers of this division, as elsewhere

in the metropolitan district, are located at the bulkhead or shore

line or, frequently in Manhattan, near the outer ends of the docks

and piers. ae

The submergence of the sewer outfalls, as at present, and the rising

of the tide drive the foul air into the streets and produce coatings

of grease and solids upon the sides of the sewers, and this interferes

with the flow of sewage. So much deposit is produced in some of

the sewers that a cleaning gang, working continuously, can make

no appreciable reduction in the depth of the deposit. Congealed

grease has been found to measure as much as a foot in thickness in

some of the sewers of Manhattan.

Physical Condition.—Inspections of the sewers made by the Metro-

politan Sewerage Commission with the co-operation of the Bureat

of Sewers and the Borough President of Manhattan have reveal

many examples of distorted shapes, worn out inverts, sunken arches,

and cracks due to settlement. In many places irregular holes had

been broken through sewers in making connections, and the holes

never properly repaired. It was impossible to enter some of the

6—Ex, 202

“2 SS IS 2 © @

—_— =

we Ve. eS eT

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4489

sewers for inspection owing to steam and hot water escaping from

neighboring buildings. Other sewers could not be entered on aec-

count of the presence of illuminating gas in such quantities as to

endanger health. In other areas, lanterns could not be carried into

the sewers on account of gasoline vapor, presumably from = auto-

mobile garages or other establishments using this explosive com-

ound,

In Manhattan the sewers are inspected and cleaned only on com-

plaint. The sewers are not flushed, but are cleaned by hand. Street

sweepings are frequently pushed into the catch basins against orders

in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

9 Catch Basins.—The effect of the catch basins is compara-

tively slight. They soon become filled with grit and other

solid matters. To be of material use, they should be cleaned after

nearly every storm. This is not done. The records for the vear

1909 show an average of one cleaning for each catch basin in Man-

hattan every 5.3 months. This does not mean that all the 6,348

‘atch basins in the borough were cleaned, Some were cleaned out

at compartively frequent intervals and others were not cleaned at all.

In the vear 1907 the catch basins in Brooklyn were cleaned on

an average about 21% times a vear and the quantity of deposits re-

moved aggregated 35,272 eu. vds. The cost of removing this ma-

terial was $1.12 per cubic vard. The incompleteness and great cost

of removing solid matter from sewage by the use of catch basins

can be readily understood from these figures.

Large quantities of solid matters which pass the catch basins are

deposited in the sewers themselves and are eventually removed by

hand, washed out by the flood water of storms, or carried away

through the alternate choking and flushing action which is produced

by the rising and falling tide.

About 400,000 cubie vards of deposits are dredged each year from

the slips and docks of that part of Manhattan which lies in this

division by the Department of Docks and Ferries and large quanti-

ties are also dredged by private enterprise and from the Brooklyn

shores. It is generally conceded that this solid material comes chiefly

from the sewage. The water from which the deposits are taken is often

black and offensive and gases of putrefaction rise in innumerable

bubbles from the deposits at the bottom. During flood currents the

sewage matters are driven back into the slips and in this quiet water

some of the solid matters are deposited. On the outgoing tide grease

and excreta are left adhering to the dock walls and piers. In the

immediate vicinity of the outfalls the water is discolored and ob-

jectionable in appearance and odor. In some cases many acres are

rendered turbid by the sewage.

Local Nuisances.—Extensive nuisances occur in this division at

various points along the Brooklyn shores. Gowanus canal, Wall-

about bay and Newtown creek are the most conspicuous. These

bodies of water are actually large, although small in comparison

with the great areas of the main divisions of the harbor. The con-

dition of Gowanus canal, into which a 15-foot relief sewer as well

as some eight other sewers ranging from 11% to 61% feet in diameter

discharge, has been notorious for years. The water is black and

7J—Ex. 202

Bids»

4490 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Vs.

foul-melling at all times and the sides of the piers, bulkheads and

masonary structures are coated with deposits. As a means of im.

proving this canal. the Borough of Brooklyn has constructed

10 a flushing tunnel which leads from the head of the canal

to an outlet in the Upper bay. Pumps force the water from

the head of the canal through the tunnel. which is 6,270 feet long

and 12 feet in diameter. The outlet is about 2 feet below low tide

and is situated close to the shore hetween two long piers. The water

in the vicinity of the outlet is strongly discolored when the pumps

are in operation, the discharge from the tunnel being visible at

times for a distance of more than a mile.

Wallabout bay in the Lower Fast river is polluted by a 9-foot

sewer which discharges at the bulkhead line. The point of discharge

is so protected from the tidal currents that a satisfactory dispersion

of the sewage cannot take place. The hay is exceedingly offensive

at all stages of tide. the bottom being covered with putrefving sewage

sludge and the top with sewage apparently in an undiluted state

oe objectionable conditions are in front of the New York Navy

ard.

Newtown creek, which empties into the Lower East river from 4

low-lying manufacturing district north of Brooklyn, is an offensive

body of water. It supports a heavy traffic. Considerable quantities

of manufacturing wastes are discharged into the creek from ware

houses, elevators and factories, which line both banks. Some sewage

empties into it, although the further pollution of this stream is

prohibited by law. A 15-foot sewer, constricted through the joint

action of the Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. empties into the

head of Newtown creek and although this sewer was intended to

accommodate storm water only. the dry weather flow being diverted,

considerable pollution is ascribable to it.

There are no figures available to show the total cost of the sewer

which exist in this division. It has been estimated that those of

Manhattan exceeded $26,000,000, and it is helieved that those of

Brooklyn have cost about an equal sum. There are about 522 miles

of sewers in Manhattan and about 814 miles of sewers in Brooklyn.

3.—Possibility That the Sewers of Manhattan Will Have To Be

Rebuilt.

It has seemed to those char sed with the duty of maintaining the

sewers of Manhattan, as well as to consulting engineers who have

been called upon to examine into the subject, that it would event-

ually be necessary to reconstruct a large part of the existing sewer

of Manhattan. ;

The chief reason for reconstruction lies in the need of repair

and the harm done to the sewers from the building of undergrou

structures of various kinds, as, for example, passenger subways.

conduits for electric light, telephone and telegraph and pipe

11 for we er, gas, steam and pneumatic mail service. As

city is sntering upon extensive sulway construction, it may

be well to consider whether the interferences which now exist of

are to be expected will not cause so much expense and make the

8—Ex. 202

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- 7 ons oe Ff BB OS @

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THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4491

sanitary removal of the sewage so difficult that a reconstruction of

the sewers will be a practical necessity. If the sewers are to be

rebuilt, this fact should be known and preparations for it made at

once so that such saving as can be effected in the cost of temporary

alternations can be accomplished.

Right of Way of Sewer=.—Of all the many structures beneath the

city’s streets, it is most important that the sewers should have the

right of way. Unlike pipes for water, gas or electricity, which oper-

ate wider pre=sure, sewers, whore flow ix due alone to gravity must

be laid to proper grade and alignment or they will not operate

rly.

To he self-cleansing, sewers should maintain a certain velocity of

flow and any reduction m the grade which checks the velocity will

lead to deposits, Short turns and bends and changes in the cross

section also alter the flow and interfere with the proper function of

the sewer.

When it is remembered that sewerage sy=tems should he well de-

signed and constructed ; that they are built under the ground in a

manner which is intended to be permanent and durable: that they

cannot be altered in size, shape, grade or location without harmful

consequences; that their function is to carry off promptly and com-

pletely the most offensive and dangerous wastes of a city. the claim

of the sewerage svstem for right of way beneath the streets appears

to be fully justified. That this claim has not been respected is a

regrettable fact. In defiance of the officials charged with the duty

of maintaining the sewers, they have been moved from place to

place, pierced and damaged in many ways. Instead of being used

for tha purposes for which they were built. the sewers have heen

abused by the discharge into them of harmful manufacturing wastes,

hot water and steam and been rendered dangerous for inspection by

the illegal emptying of gasoline and other inflammable compounds.

The structures which interfere with the sewers are located at depths

which range from that of the shallow conduits which earry the cur-

rent for the surface railways to that of the passenger subways. The

passenger subways form a serious obstruction. They are situated as

close to the surface of the street as practicable in order to facilitate

entrance and exit and they require over 20 feet of depth. For the

most part the subways, like the water, gas and other large mains

run longtitudinally through the island and the sewers in seeking

their outlets to the rivers run perpendicularly to them.

12 Interference from Subways.—The first subway for passen-

gers was built on a line which divided the sewerage systems

of Manhattan into approximately two equal groups, the subway fol-

lowing along the axis of the island for most of its length. The inter-

ference with the sewers was, in this case, as slight as possible. it

being feasible to cause the sewage to flow in many instances with but

little alteration of the sewers to a convenient point of discharge to

one of the nearby rivers on the east or west side of the island. But

other subways which had heen designed will run in lines nearly

lle} to the first and will divide the sewers further. There will

no easy readjustment possible, as in the first case, for there will

9—Ex. 202

4492 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Vs.

he a central area which will he blocked off by the subways from the

river on either side. In order to carry the sewage past these new uh

ways, it will be necessary to make extensive reconstructions. It will

be necessary to collect the sewage to more or less suitable points in

the areas between the subway lines and then conduct it by siphons

beneath the subway structure to points from which it can iow away

by gravity. The alignment and grade of the -ewers Will, in) teeny

cases, he seriously interfered with. The siphons which should be

capable of being emptied, inspected, repaired and cleaned, will be

costly te build and, when of considerable depth. difficult to maintain

Sewave which now flows directly across the island will have to be

diverted so as to run for considerable distances longitudinally. with

the result that there will he a tendency to loss of velocity and forme.

tion of deposits in the drains.

Need of Repairs.—An important argument for reconstructing the

sewers of Manhattan lies in the need for repairs. Inspections made

by the Metropolitan Sewerage Commission have shown that sonte of

the sewers, and especially the older ones, are in dangerous condi

tion. Of 246 inspections, 38, or one-sixth, showed places where the

sewers will have to be rebuilt within a few years on account of de

fective brick work alone. These locations exist along the whole

length of the island. Of the 522 miles of existing sewers in Man-

hattan, 55 miles are seriously out of repair. To repair these, would

involve an outlay which could more profitably he spent on new

construction.

Separate vs. Combined Svstem.—If the sewers were reconstructed.

it is the opinion of many engineers that they should he built To

the separate system. Drains for storm water should he laid clow

to the surface of the streets and should be large and have ample

grades to carry off much solid matter. When street washing. which

is rapidly coming into favor, hecomes general in the city, the quan-

tity of grit and other solids to he removed by the sewers will in-

crease. To a great extent the storm sewers should he made to carry

off snow. Storm sewers should be built without eateh basins at the

street corners and should lead to central points where grit and

13 other heavy materials can he removed before the sewaue is

discharged into the harbor. The elimination of the 14.000

eatch basins which now exist would he desirable.

Sewers for house drainage should he laid so far heneath the «ur

face of the streets as to permit the sewage to flow into them by

gravity. They should he sufficiently deep to pass clear of all other

subterranean structures. The comparatively small size which the

sewers for house sewage would require would permit them to be

located, even in congested streets, so ax to vive vood alignment

and grade. The sewage would thus be more promptly carried away

than under present cireumstances. In general these sewers would

run perpendicular to the subways, crossing under them and deliver.

ing at suitable places into interceptors for conveyance to sewage dix

posal works or pumping stations.

Objections Against Reconstruction.—The objections to the recon

struction of the sewers of Manhattan lie in the expense and incon-

10—Ex. 202

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4405

venience which the reconstruction would directly and indirectly entail

upon the public, Almost all the «treet of the city would require to

be opened and the large quantities of earth and material< of con-

druction would have to be handled without topping vehicular traffic

where the alterations were going on. The plumbing of over 150.000

houses would require to be altered so that the proper sewer connec:

tions could be made.

It is not clear how the storm water sewers, which should be laid

dow beneath the surface of the streets could escape the underground

trolley conduite abowe, and the passencer subways heneath, in the

longitedinal highways. There should he no siphons on these storm

water drains.

Storm Water.—If the house sewage and -torm water were col-

lated separately, the disposal of the sewage would be facilitated,

provided the storm water was not treated also,

It is not customary for cities to build works to treat all their storm

water. The volume is so great, even when moderate falls of rain

eceur, that the works required to purify all the storm water would

he excessively large and costly. There is, moreover, a ceneral helief

that the waste water from the roofs of houses and from the streets

does not contain enough putrescible material to add materially to

the pollution.

The literature relating to the treatment of storm water shows that

exverts generally consider that <torm water from cloxely lilt-ap

cities ix capable of producing at least as much offense as house sewage.

There is reason for believine that the fir flush of storm water is

worse than even the relatively concentrated sewace of FEuronean

cities, and that it ix therefore desirable to treat a portion of the

storm water.

4 European and American Sewace —Much of the recorded

information and oninion which exist with respect to the pol-

luting effects of storm water is haved upon Furenean conditions.

where the quantity of sewage at times of drv weather may amonnt to

2 of 20 gallons per capita per 24 hours Tf the quantity of sewage

in American cities is taken at 120 to 180 eallons per capita, it is

evident that the argument for treating storm water has mor: weight

in America than it has abroad, for if storm water 1 as had as domestic

sewage when the latter is concentrated to the extent of 20 or 30

gallons per capita per day, it must be about six tines as had when

the domestic sewage is so dilute

The aggregate weight of solid matter carried by storm water is

very great. Analyses can he quoted which show that the percentage

of suspended matter is several times as hich in sewage containing

storm water as it is in purely house sewage. This being so, and it

heing remembered that the volume of sewage ix greatly increased

at times of storm. it follows that the total amount of «nspended mat-

ter carried by a given volume of storm water is much greater than

the analvses indicate.

_ Numerous experts have expressed the opinion that careful atten-

tion should be given to the polluted character of the first flush of

storm sewage. In the opinion of Samuel Rideal, whore familiarity

11—Ex. 22

tiv THE PROPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Ys.

with the chemical and biological composition of sewage and whow

knowledge of current practice in England entitles him to be regarded

as an authority, “whatever svstem be adopted, the raw storm wate

of populous districts should never be allowed to pass in large volume

at the heginning of « term directly inte a stream.” Dr. Donker

Director of the Hygienic In-titute at Hamburg. and an authority

on sewaee di-pomal on the Continent of Europe. as well as in England

says: “It must not he supposed that the contents of rain wate

sewers are in general not so polluted as ordinary sewage. In bast

districts, the washings from the <treets. even if these are thoroughly

cleaned daily, are everywhere found to le worse in every respert,

including putrescibility. than ordinary sewage. Dr. Houston. the

celebrated English hacteriologist. <avs that storm water ix as “‘poten-

tially dangerous to health as normal erode sewage.” To these opin

ions many more could be added to the <ame eflect.

American Analyses —There ix scant information on record te

show the composition of storm water in American cities, although

some data are available to indicate the average composition of <ewage

containing the combined drainage of houses and streets. This in

formation is not as valuable as it would be if it had been collected

with the intention of showing the difference in composition whieh

occurs in the sewage of a given city during drv weather and at period:

of storm, but some facts exist with respect to this «abject.

15 At a testing «tation, established at Gloversville, N. Y., at

which analyses were made continuously for about one vear

1908-199. the marked effect of storm water upon the drv-weather

flow was shown in the following manner. Following a period of dry

weather, rain fell for practically 24 hours on June 5 and the flow

of sewage increased 31 per cent... although comparatively few storm-

water drains were connected with the sewers. The storm water came

chiefly from the roofs of houses and from the streets. The <trength

of the sewage increased as follows -*

Total suspended solids from 312 to 622 parts per million, or 166

per cent.

Volatile <uxpended matter from 196 to 254 parts per million. or

73 per cent.

Fixed suxpended solids from 116 to 368 parts per million, or 224

per cent.

It ix worth noting that the largest increase in suspended matter

was due to non-volatile, fixed or mineral matter. This suggest< that

storm water is peculiarly susceptible of improvement by settlement,

an inference which is not strictly correct. for the removal of minera!

matter would not produce nearly ax much benefit as the removal of

organic or nitrogenous metter. A large part of the suspended mat-

ter is grit.

The average composition of the combined sewage of some Ameri-

can cities, ax determined by numerous analyses made at investigat-

ing laboratories, is indicated in Table ITI.

* Report to the City of Gloversville, N. ¥.. hy Eddy and Vroeman. Ang. 7.

1, pp. 57.

12—Ex. 22

—

E Lr 6H r oF ay 0'OL ol El oF e'9 oet 68 Ry steeteree® ae ‘wyqdpepend 9

ye sb sul o oF oo ou ns se" oct 0's 633 Lut a aan eee 6 S06L ‘PULASIAAO[E) a

= we sb ou 008 oo out tl 8". s Fl vil on aetna tllatieie west “Ae FP

& re o ox o@ Ot oe enesenwesesqQ SHOST ‘SRQUINIOD E

= our oul ow aw ow “et 6 6 tt Le ne ree ws nial Lust “Wonmey F

» 88s 2°61 es 7 oo el est te **. ef ee 8 888 eereeereeeere Cyuel “uopso" 1

_ a | ote we. eBay Pe ee a eee, perid eee

4. Wa wo + -_—_ + —— eee ny a. —_ alte

. PewNsGoo UABAR) oY UeBOATN splioe pepdedsng

z Cao 40d 8328g)

= ‘euouDy Ouyeay BnOLiH | 7D XDRIS {o woywodwo)

: ‘Tl Sv 8

ew k& & . Peat & ee at ea A OA eS es. oe

THE THOTLE OF THE STATE OF BREW YORK ve.

44%

a aethit

Het if pitt fe

iF Uy Hi Sf32t Ht

qi i eH iit hag

le - BG]

Hd 4) Le 234151; (23

HHH Te) et

Rhine FSH:

42 sata? AHH eas

H dis ee HH ihe

BST

“83-32 ABTHIN LE i Hie

2 TH HUTTE

puagtag git

PH i Te et

Haha i i

aarti tle

i] aia i |

upyan ie 4 fe |

1 Baalipsal i

He : TREE a F

fat “iu att Bi

- 333

eat eal

THE STATE OF SEW JERERY FT AL. aw

it more ot lew sulid matter, whit war either present on the pave

before the beginning of the storm of is thrown out after the

begin ;

i i

Aswrming one ten of dry «upended matter to be equivalent te

alesat 45 totes or alent OS cobae vard= of wet <ladge it apyewrs that

the population of the wmetropelitan dretrret inte barter

each year the equivalent ef 12.400,000 tomes of having a bulk

of ahet 14,000,000 culace yards.

Data relative to the population and sewage flow in different parte

A the metreqerlitan «wage district. including the waters of this di-

are @

= FF SE lUC rel hl rrrellUmUCUULOUMCrCTPPa

ven ven in Tables TV and V.

The Tables. —The eight divisions inte which New Vork harhber

for purpemes of study have been dexeribed in the

commision + repert of Naguet, 1912. To these ix here added a ninth

age which is naturally tributary to the Pasaie

and Hackensack rivers

In preparing Table I. the dry weather flow of sewage discharged

inte each division has been acumed to be the same as the volure of

are charged with the duty of providing the public water supplies.

The populations for 1910 have been taken from the United States

census reports theme for 1940 are based on carefully made extimates

i» commision revised with the latest information obtam-

1S Ex. 2

THE PROTLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Vs.

4400s

2 15

eer i Say | TTL LLL ELL Wey uM

me wel tambo a

oe ee ort 1 qq eniid

owt 1 owls edhe Mae MeN

aes tt wy ” AM omar

ow iv te oer st gt SMO iy TT TTL eT Lee swq qaemen

Ue wees wut a | ooorels ty sh eeeee “ eq aeddy

eM Loe wo ot am soue ter

owolet ule Garces te '' aioe

GONE & Ie s ooo amend

eowelrt el am iee't COE Th h heroes aR QeQuER eee eee ee ee aay wey ory via]

om are oe wu Gm ont te

caw Let me nr SHRP TR eee staanty

ae St ie) Se | u ae ee ee

nore am” tet LU LIe! mT

camo te INS te " eg sey

Geert ser one. oe #};}42 é*900s00s00 wepequuggy ttre tee 284). Goepnyy

om welt me er tem Lal te

owt te awl Pe yey

OO oe wil oo ny aL ‘eee eee eee UB eQuER eee ee ee eee ee ee 20414 moe

sep aed

— . atk ood canes —— one, ee sOysBY OG) JO GOHEH ON) i

want smag <a ; - as wei 2004 sere

2040 H ogi fo ewomman, (Pasar OY) Od MeoiRQis | Ayo se moy fo eomRTO | pen ruopnpNday

‘Al fer st

—

THE #TATE OF SEW JERORV ET AL. a0

Has

ees

GDC S.A ta CRC GA 6 BAAE ERG Eee ok Se eT eS er ee ke

{500 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK V-.

From Table IV it will be seen that the total quantity of house

sewage tributary to the harbor in the year 1910 was 765,000,000 gal-

lons per 24 hours, and the population supplying this sewage was

6,019,000, By 1940 the population will be almost doubled

19 and the quantity of sewage will be more than doubled. The

sewage expected in 1940 in one day will be enough to fill

a reservoir one square mile in area and 10 feet deep.

A glance at Table IV shows that a proportionate burden of pol-

lution is not placed upon each division. The Lower East river re

ceives much more sewage than any other division in comparison

with its size. This will Le true, also, in 1940, if nothing is done

to prevent it. At that time over one-fourth of the total amount of

sewage produced in the metropolitan district will be directly tribu-

tary to this stream. The increase which will go to this division from

Brooklyn and Queens will be about half the quantity which was

produced by Manhattan in 1910,

Table V has been made from data contained in the report of this

Commission dated August, 1912. Of particular interest are the sus

pended organic and volatile maters.

TABLE VY.

Assumed Composition of the Sewage which is Tributary to the Har-

bor on the Basis of 100 Gallons per Capita per 24 Hours. The

Qvantitics are Expressed in Parts by Weight per Million of Water.

Solid Matters ........... 800 Nitrogenous ............ 15

eB RN es 500 ND id oa vane

Suspended .......... 300) Non-Nitrogenous ........ 250

Organic and Violatile Mat- ere Pe rey ae

SO Reet OES a Ca te 400 Total Carbon ............

Dissolved hh «0 be ee ee 200

Suspended .......... 200

5.—Impossibility of Disposing of All the Sewage Through Dilution

With the Harbor Water.

The discharge of sewage into a natural body of water is properly

termed disposal through dilution. Dilution aids in the disappearance

of the sewage, but it is only one of a number of factors which must

come into play before the solid and liquid ingredients can perma-

nently disoppear.

Oxidation Essential —For the disposal of sewage to be permanent,

it is necessary that the decomposable ingredients shall be transformed

into other and simpler chemical compounds. These transformations

involve physical, chemical and bacteriological reactions. The final

and indispensable change is really one of combustion ; oxygen is ab-

sorbed and the substances which were offensive, or likely to become

so; are mineralized. In this state and by this process alone do they

become inert and incapable of producing offense.

1S—Ex. 202

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 101

It is the aim of all processes of sewage purification to oxi-

2%”) ~~ dize the decomposable ingredients or prepare them for oxida-

tion. In the land treatment of sewage, the ingredients are

oxidized near the surface of the ground. In sprinkling filters and

contact beds, oxidation is accomplished by bringing the sewage into

intimate contact with the air ou the surface of broken stones: The

effect of dilution is to bring the liquid and solid particles of the

sewage into contact with the oxygen which is dissolved in the water

In all these processes the end is essentially the same. Oxidation is

the object aimed at.

In treating sewage by disposal upon land, in filter beds or in water,

the sewage should be freed from its gross suspended solids before it

is subjected to the final oxidizing process and if this is properly done,

there is likely to be little trouble so long as the quantity of oxygen is

sufficient and time enough is afforded for the oxidizing process to

become complete.

If the ratio of sewage to oxygen is too grent, serious consequences

follow and this is as true when sewage is discharged into water as

when it is passed through filters or placed upon land. The evil

effects include discoloration, the evolution of foul smelling gases

and the production of slimy, semi-solid deposits. Land and filters in

this condition are said to be sewage-sick and water is popularly

called stagnant. The condition is one of putrefaction.

Putrefaction is decomposition in the absence of oxygen. It post-

pones, but cannot replace; oxidation. Oxidation must eventually take

place and if it does not occur promptly and under conditions which

are Within control, it will occur under such conditions as may acci-

dentally and ultimately offer.

The Supply of Oxygen.—The exact amount of oxygen which

should be supplied to sewage in order that decomposition should pro-

ceed at the most rapid rate or, at least, at a reasonably rapid rate is

probably not determinable. The action is essentially a biological

and chemical process in which time and temperature are important

factors. The organisms which carry it on must be provided with

all the oxygen which they need. It is impossible for them to have

too much,

Clean water generally holds a large amount of oxygen. One thou-

sand volumes made up of half sea water and half land water, un-

contaminated with sewage and without decomposing matters of any

kind, should have at 65 degrees Fahrenheit, 6 volumes of oxygen

per litre or about 8.6 parts per million by weight. The harbor water

in this division usually contains from two-thirds to one-half of what

itshould possess. ‘The oxygen that has disappeared is the measure of

the organic pollution.

Dilution Required.—As a result of observation and experiment in

various parts of the world, engineers have formed opinions as to

the amount of sewage which can safely be discharged into a natural

body of water, such as an inland river or lake. The word

2% safely here refers solely to the chance of producing a nuisance,

chifly odor. It has no relation to the effect which the sewage

may Lave upon health.

19—Ex. 202

Aa See Me, none = 28 sat RI So ek Se te

$502 fHE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Ve.

According to the opinion of American engineers, the dilution must

be in the proportion of at least 20 or 25 parts of water to one part

of ordinary sewage and there may be conditions where a nuisance

may result where the dilution amounts to nearly 50 parts of water

to one part of sewage. When the proportion of sewage to water is

vreater than this. the capacity of the water is likely to be overtaxed.

These supposedly safe ratios of dilution are based upon the assump-

tion that the water with which the sewage is mixed is clean and pos

sesses its nortial amount of oxveen. Where the water is polluted to

begin with the necessary dilution must be much greater.

In the Eighth Report of the Royal Commission on Sewage Dis

posal of Great Britain, issued at the end of 1912, it is recommended

that where the dilution of sewage to water is between 150 and 200

times, the sewage -hould be puritied so that the effluent will not con-

tain more than 60 parts of suspended matter per million and that

only when the dilution exceeds 500° times the volume of sewage

should crude sewage be permitted to be discharged into a water

course, These figures refer to English sewage, which ix about 6 times

as concentrated as American sewage, and to the water of inland rivers

and lakes, but the Royal Commission holds the opinion that the

proportions hold generally true for tidal waters also.

A glance at Tavies VIEL, IX and X of this report will show that

the sewage in this division was not diluted with a proper amount of

water in 1£10, and will be still less adequately diluted in 1940 if

measures are hot taken to reduce the pollution,

It is worthy of note that the observations upon which American

and English experts base their opinions have been made where sew-

age has been discharged into inland bodies of water. There has

been no study of the discharge of sewage into tidal estuaries whieh

would permit of safe ratios to be stated with positiveness for salt

water, Such investigations as have been made indicate that sewage

sulids settle more rapidly in salt water than in land water, and it is

believed that gallon for gallon, land water will dispose, in a normal

manner, of more sewage than sea water.

It is not always clear how the dilution of sewage can be calculated

in sea water, ‘The same, or nearly the same, water often flows back-

ward and forward for days near a sewer outfall, while the discharge

of sewage is continuous, Under these circumstances the sewage flow

is irregular and its calculation is involved in uncertainty.

22 Errors which may be made in such calculations include the

assumption that:

(a) The assumption that the flow of sewage is uniform during

the 24 hours. It may vary as much as 50 per cent. at different hours.

(b) The flow of tidal water is uniform. It is quite the reverse.

Aside from the fact that the currents at each turn must gradually

slow down to the stopping point and then gradually increase to the

normal strength of flow. winds, heavy rain, snow and intense cold

may each produce a decided effect upon the volume of water moving

in a harbor.

mixed with the waters. The opposite is the fact. Dispersion an

20--—Ex, 202

ate

‘ff ae

fie STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4503

ifusion are diflicult to accomplish and consequently there are many

kinds and” degrees of stagnation.

(d) The sewage remains sewage after it is well mingled with the

water, This is not true. Chemical changes at once set in.

(¢) The waters into which the sewage is discharged are free from

pollution to begin with. This assumption, however warranted in

dealing with an inland river, is quite contrary to the fact as related

to New York harbor.

The changes which sewage undergoes when it is discharged into a

natural body of water should be carefully kept in mind, and the mis-

take, often made, of assuming that the sewage remains and can be

reckoned with as sewage after admixture should be avoided. In no

other way is it possible to obtain an accurate understanding of the

subject. It is wrong to speak of sewage matters as sewage two or

three hours after they have been discharged into a tidal estuary.

Some of the original ingredients may still exist. but the chances are

all avainst the continuance of any of them in an unaltered condition

except the grosxer solids and such others as may be able to persist in

greatly diluted ferm.

Oxvgen Required. It is impossible to say with any useful degree

of accuracy how many pounds of oxygen one million gallons of sew-

age will require in order that the putrefiable ingredients may be rend-

ered inert. The two ways of approaching this subject, that is. by

analysis and incubation te-ts, are, unfortunately, too artificial to

show what can reasonably be expected in nature. Predictions as to

the amount of oxvgen which would be present if a given quantity

of sewage was to he dischareed into a given quantity of water must,

in the present state of knowledee, be considered unreliable.

jut if it is impossible to calculate the oxygen requirements of sew-

age or express in percentages the proportions of sewage to water

which may he present throughout a harbor, it is feasible to <tate, in

at least approximate terms. the relation which exists between the

volume of sewage and the volume of water present under

23 various circumstances and such caleulations may be of some

value. Thev are likely to prove of greatest service when

they are expressed in a simple way and are used with other data as

a means of obtaining a general opinion of the case.

It was in this way, and with all the restrictions and qualifications

which a knowledge of the situation imposed, that Prof. Adeney. in

a report to the Metropolitan Sewerage Commission, calculated the

dilution of sewage in New York harbor (See p. 95, Report Metro-

politan Sewerage Commission. August, 1912).

Calculations of Dilution.—Taking his data from the published

reports of the commission, Prof. Adeney calculated that about

59,400,000 eu. ft. of sewage flowed into the whole harbor during a

tidal evele of 12 lunar hours. Inasmuch as about 23 per cent of the

water of the harbor flowed out on the ebb tide, the same percentag

of the contribution of sewage would flow to sea at the same time.

leaving about 77 per cent. mixed with the harbor waters at mean

low tide, The quantity of liquid sewage matter subsequently re-

maining within the harbor would increase with each succeeding tidal

21—Ex. 22

1d THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK VS,

cycle until the quantity which passed out with the ebb tide became

equal to that which drained into the harbor during the tidal cycle,

This would occur when the total volume of liquid sewage, remaining

intermjxed with the harbor waters at mean low tide had become

equal to about 195,500,000 eu. ft., which it would do after about 20

tidal cycles. The volume of liquid sewage matters passing out of

the harbor through the Narrows would then continue to equal the

volume of liquid sewage matters flowing into the harbor during a

complete tidal cycle. That is, if 59,490,000 cu. ft. of sewage passed

out of the harbor with each 12,310,000,000 cu. ft. of ebbing tide,

the dilution of sewage to water would be in the preportion of 1 to

200 and the dilution to the liquid sewage matters remaining in the

harbor at mean low tide would be in like proportion.

Both at the beginning and end of his calculation, Prof. Adeney

took pains to fully explain that this calculation did not, as no cal-

culation could, truly represent the facts.

In a report by Messrs. Black and Phelps, made to the Board of

Fstimate and Apportionment of New York in 1909, the question of

dilution is dealt with at length, for it was believed to have an im-

portant bearing on the question of dissolved oxygen, and the authors

considered that the oxygen should not fall below 70 per cent. of the

amount which would be present if the water was saturated with it.

The sources of the water in each principal part of the

24 harbor were assumed in accordance with volumes and _veloci-

ties stated by the Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1886, and

the proportion of water from each source was apportioned by the

authors as. in their judgment, seemed correct. For convenience—

these volumes were reduced to percentages of the whole and each

was given a characteristic letter to facilitate computation. A series

of equations was derived and the composition of the water of each

part of the harbor was calculated for various tidal periods.

These studies were taken by the authors to indicate that the

volume of pure sea water which entered the harbor between the

Narrows and Throgs Neck every 12 hours was 29.135 million gal-

lons and that this contained under summer conditions 1,946,218

pounds of dissolved oxygen. It was considered that if this oxygen

were to be reduced by sewage to 70 per cent. of saturation, 583,865

pounds would be lost in 12 hours. The total volume of water in

the harbor within the limits named was taken to be 251,418 million

gallons, and it was stated that if this were reduced to 70 per cent. of

saturation, it would absorb jn 12 hours from the atmosphere 9.95

per cent. of its saturation value of 159.550 pounds.

The oxygen absorbed from the atmosphere plus the oxygen from

the pure sea water would give a total of 743,415 pounds of oxygen.

Finally, assuming that the sewage would be produced at the rate of

100 gallons per capita per day, the authors arrived at the opinion

that the natural supply of oxygen would be sufficient to care for

the sewage of a population of 7.4 millions, provided the sewage was

discharged at the two ocean entrances.

22—Ex. 202

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4505

6.—Ratios of Sewage to Water.

Some calculations of the ratios of sewage to water have been made

by the Metropolitan Sewerage Commission which deal with com-

paratively small parts of the harbor and are consequently not greatly

affected by the errors which are generally inseparable from such

computations. But all calculations of this kind should be regarded

as crude approximations of the truth,

There are three divisions of the water with which it is of interest

to compare the sewage. First, the volume of water which is con-

tained in the vicinity of an outlet at mean low tide; second, the

volume of the tidal prism or quantity of water in the vicinity be-

tween the levels of low and high tide: third, the net ebb flow past

the point where the sewage is emptied.

The Metropolitan Sewerage Commission has divided New York

harbor into ten sections and the quantities of sewage which were

discharged directly into these sections in 1910 have been estimated :

the quantities of water in each <ection below mean low tide. in the

tidal prism. and the net ebb flow through the section have

2 been computed and the ratio between the sewage and the

water has been calculated. Calculations based on estimates

of future quantities of sewage have also heen made.

In addition to these computations, estimates have heen made of

the aggregate weight of sewage impurities which are tributary to

each section. These calculations are based on a definite composition

of the sewage which is assumed and taken to be uniform for the

whole territory. The composition assumed is that of the standard

sewage as shown in Table V. The volume of the sewage for the

vear 1910 is based upon the public water supply. The volume ex-

pected in future is also founded upon anticipations of the drinking

water requirements. The per capita volume of sewage being stated.

it will he possible at any time to correct the estimates of weight of

impurities discharged into the harbor in case either the composition

or volume of the sewage becomes known. It is improbable thet

= knowledge can be obtained until main drainage works are

mit.

It has seemed desirable to calculate the quantities of sewage ma-

terial which would be discharged into the various sections of the

harbor in case the sewage was first passed through works for the

more or Jess complete removal of the impurities. The processes of

treatment which have been thought most worthy of consideration

in this connection are such as have been well established by ex-

perience. Screens are considered hecause of their compactness and

ability to operate with varvine quantities of sewage and smal] head.

Settling basins have been included because of their almost universal

employment in sewage purification works and their efficiency in re-

moving suspended matter. Chemical precipitation has heen con-

sidered because it is one of the most efficient means for removing

both suspended and dissolved matter at one process. Sprinkling

filters have heen included. since they represent the most effective

means of oxidizing the sewage impurities in a given area of land.

23—Ex. 202

4506 THE PEOVLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK VS,

It would be feasible, and it is customary where a high degree of

urification is required, to combine two or more of these processes

in a given plant.

The least effective process which seems worth considering for the

sewage which is to be discharged into the harbor is screening, and

the highest degree of purification practicable in most cases in the

territory where the sewage is produced in screening and rapid settle

ment. More purification than this would require a greater amount

of land than is procurable except at great cost and involve probable

nuisance from odors and flies,

Estimates of the quantities of sewage discharged into New York

harbor show that all sections do not receive an equal share

26 of pollution; the analyses of the water show that the circula-

tion of the tide is insufficient to distrilute satisfactorily the

excessive burden which some sections receive. Some parts of the

harbor are much more polluted than others, the region of greatet

pollution being close to the most densely settled part of New York

City. The Lower East river and Harlem receive large quantities of

sewage from both shores.

Taste VI.

Volumes of Water at Low Tide, in the Tidal Prism and the Nea Dix

charge from the Several Divisions of the Harbor. The Quantities

are Expressed at Million Cubie Feet.

Volume

—s of water Tidal —_

Division of the harbor below prism. 12 lanar

ae head hours.

eee GUN cccceseecess 285 148 15

Hudson river, Battery to Mt.

ee 12,330 1,697 1,087

Upper East river .......... 5,512 1,869 saver

Lower East river .......... 4.174 552 100

DT ncvevcceceveres 12,970 2,541 1,283

Mo coe dee rene 1,542 1,071 105

fe aes 728 150 88

Se OO Scesveceesace's 2,029 1,977 er

40,971 10,033

Table VI was prepared partly from tidal data computed by this

commission and partly from information supplied by the United

States Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1909, as a result of studie

which were made in response to this commission’s request.

It will be seen from Table VI that the Upper bay contains more

water at low tide, has a larger tidal prism and has a larger net di+

charge of water than has any other part of the harbor. The Hud

son river is a close second in volume at low tide, but it has a smaller

24A— Ex. 202

i ee ee el a ~

A RR ee

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4507

prism and net flow than the Upper bay. The tidal prism and

volume of water at low tide are nearly the same in Jamaica Bay and

Newark bay, from which jt appears that these bodies of water are

almost half renewed at each tide.

In the Lower East river, the tidal prism is one-sixth the volume of

water which lies beneath the level of mean low tide and the net ebb

flow ix about one twenty-seventh uf it, Nowhere else in the metropoli-

tan district is the net ebb flow so mall in comparison with the tidal

prism or volume of water at low tide. Large as i= the volume of water

in this division, it is evident that there ix not a great deal of

27 new water passing through it. In the Harlem also, the tidal

prism is large and the net ebl flow small when compared with

the volume of water at mean low tide, From these figures, it appears

that <weh refreshing action as the Lower East river and Harlem

river receive is due to diffusion with cleaner water at the two ends

of these streams and that little renewal occurs by actual displacement

with water from a neighboring section. Large though the Lower

Fast river seems to be and swift as are its currents, it ha- only one-

tenth as much net ebo flow as the Hudson.

To facilitate computations which will be described later, the

quantities of sewage discharged into the several divisions of the har-

bor have been converted from gallons per 24 hours to cubic feet

per 12 lunar hours, The results are recorded in Table VII.

Tamir VII.

Volume of Sewage Directly Tributary to the Sereral Divisions of the Harbor.

Directly tributary,

million cu. ft. per 12

Division of the Harbor. lunar hours.

Year 1910. Year 1949.

Harlem river .......-.-+0+-+. eeeadneeetesee ouacswte 6.9 17.5

Badnan fIWOT 2... ccc cc cer esse cer seeecssereeeeererees 9.2 20.9

Upper Bast river. .... 0.0 cceecee ec eeeeeeer eee sinenaee 1.5 6.9

Bower Flatt river... .. 5... 6. cece cee ew ee eeceee recs ' 17.1 R15

Upper bay .......66-ceceereereeee bubees pemevevesones 4.4 8.2

Newark hay .... 5... .sccec cece cc eeweeeereerser renee o.9 2.1

Kill van Kall..........++-+ eases qeeses vaeeeenseeneéet o.5 1.6

Jamaica bay ......-+- entnawsenveeeeeeseu vgestecouce 3.7 11.3

4500s THE PROPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Vs.

Taste VIII.

Ratios of the Volume of Sewage Directly Tributary per 12 Lunar Hours to the

Volume of Water in the Harbor at Mean Low Tide. The Quantities Given

are in Millions of Cubic Feet.

Sewage tributary to the division.

Water —————_—- ——_——————_ — -— --—

Division of the Harbor. in the Year 1910. Year 1940.

division. ———__—__—_ ————__—__,

Volume. Ratio. Volume. Ratio.

es GP oecctuscevecs 2 6.9 1:41 17.5 1:16

PD id cvese adobe 12.330 9.2 1:1250 20.9 1:70

Upper East river.......... ANZ 1.5 1 675 6.9 1:799

Lewer East river.......... 4.174 17.1 1-244 31.5 1-132

I ee a 12.070 4.4 1 2020 8.2 1: 1580

Pt GE cnccevcesseses 142 o.9 1: 1680 2.1 1.740

A ) ae 7: 0.5 1:1470 1.6 140

Co aa 2029 2.9 1m 11.3 1:10

ROTO H.2 1 1. oe

28 Table V'i1 which is prepared from data contained in Tables

VI and VII emphasizes the proportionately heavy sewage

burden which is now, and in future would be, placed m the

Lower East river. The ratio of sewage to water at mean low tide

which was ! to 244 in 1910 would be 1 to 132 by 1940. A notably

low ratio is that of the Kill van Kull which was 1 to 1470 in 1910

and would be 1 to 460 by 1940. This body of water received much

of its pollution from neighboring bodies of water. The pollution

of Newark bay will increase by direct contributions of sewage until

the ratio which was 1 to 1680 in 1910 will be 1 to 740 by 1940

unless measures are taken to keep the sewage out of it.

Tapie IX.

Ratios of the Volume of Sewage Directly Tributary to the Volume of Water in

the Tidal Priam. The Quantitics Giron are in Millions of Cubic Feet.

Sewage tributary to the division.

Water a = a ee a

Division of the Harbor. im the Year 1919. Year 1949.

prism. —_ ---——- -- — ——E——

Volume. Ratio. Volume. Retio.

ee 148 4.9 1:21.4 17.5 14.5

OY — ea 167 9.2 1:185 20.9 1-1

Uwper East river......... 1 Sho 1.5 1:12%6 6.9 1271

Lower Fast river......... Anz 17.1 1233 31.5 1:17.45

Upper bay .......... —— 44 eo 2 1-0

0 re 171 o.9 1:1170 2.1 15%

ee GED Geibecceveucces Im on 1m i. i

ne GED seccetescocs 1977 3.7 1-540 11.2 1:175

10.1065 44.2 1-229 100.0 1:

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4509

Table IX has been prepared from Tables VI and VII and shows

the remarkably smal] ratios which exist between the sewage and tidal

prism in most of the divisions of the harbor. The smallest ratio oc-

curs in the Harlem, 1 to 21.4, although the Lower East river, 1 to

32.3, is very low for the year 1910. In 1940 the tidal prism will be

only 8¥% times the volume of sewage discharged directly into the

Harlem and in the Lower East river only 174% times the quantity of

sewage received.

Unlike the ratio of sewage to water below mean low tide, the rela-

tion of sewage to the tidal prism is comparatively large in Newark

bay and will be considerable in 1940. This division of the

harbor, which was comparalle with the Lower East river in

Table VIII, resembles the Hudson river, where the pollution

is, and probably will remain, large.

The Guantities of water passing through each division in their re-

lation to the volume of sewage directly discharged are shown by

Table X, which was prepared from Tables VI and VII.

Tame X.

Ratio of the Volume of Sewage Directly Tributary per 12 Lunar Hours to the

Net Ebb Flow. The Quantities Given are in Millions of Cubic Feet.

Sewage tributary to the division.

Net ——-

Division of the Harbor. ebb Year 1910. Year 1940.

flow. —— Meee OO Or

Volume. Ratio. Volume Ratio

Harlem river ......--«-- os) 6.9 13.3 17.5 10.85

Hudson river ....-.---+- 1,087 9.2 1:119 20.9 12

Upper Fast river.....--- --+-++-- ' ier. OD — coaveree

Upper bay ..---++-+--+- 1.283 4.4 1-28 8.2 1:16

Newark hay .....-.++«-«- 1% 0.9 1:114 2.13 1”

vom Ball. ...ccccres SN 0.5 1:178 1.6 1%

Jamaica bay ....------- a4 3.7 14.5 11.3 12.1

2.702 44.2 11 1.0 127

The «mall amount of dilution from the net ebb flow which the

sewage which was discharged into the Lower East river received in

1910 and will receive in 1940 is even more graphically indicated in

this table than in its . By 1940 there will be more sew-

age discharged into the Harlem than there will be tidal water pass

ing through that stream. There wil! be about three times as much

tidal water as sewage passing out of the Lower East river. The Hud-

son river and Upper New York bay alone seem to be comparatively

ied with water available for flushing purposes.

Table XI shows the number of tons of the various constituents of

the sewage based on the composition shown on Page 18, and the

volume shown on Page 27. It will be seen that in every important

respect, the Lower East river receives a greater weight of contami-

nating matters than does any other division of the harbor, ay ol

tive of its size. Next comes the Hudson river, followed by the -

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1514 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Ys.

sive trades are not likely to be produced by sewage works, but the

difference i= sometimes not great, and the erroneous belief that sew-

age odors are in some way connected with disease. if not actually a

cause of it, adds greatly to the objectionableness of sewage purifica-

tion plants in any locality.

33 A convenient and economical location for sewage works is

hampered by the uncertainty that they will be permanent.

Unlike some manufacturing plants, they cannot well be moved in

case they produce a nuisance. If they are objectionable at first,

they are likely to hecome more so with the passage of time. Owing

to the protest with which a proposal to build a municipal plant for

the thorough treatment of sewage probably would be received in al-

most any part of New York City, this commi-sion has felt compelled

to confine its plans largely to works of the simplest character or carry

the sewage to a disiant point for disposal. In the selection of sites,

considerable difficulty has been experienced because of the changing

character of many localities. Few parts of New York are perma-

nently constructed. Solidly built-up sections are constantly chang-

ing from residence to business occupancy. Suburban districts are

rapidly becoming urban, and rural territory is being converted to

suburban uses. Each change increases the value of the land. The

Tost rapid developments, and the most uncertain, are sometimes in

the very localities where it would be most convenient to build sewage

disposal works. Tere wiimproved property, even farm land, is not

infrequently held at a high valuation in the expectation that a strong

demand for real estate may set in at any time.

Owing to the facts here mentioned, this commission has not found

it feasible to design works which would purify the sewage tributary

from the outlying territory to a high degree, and the water which

will reach the inner harbor will consequently not have as great a

capacity for assimilating sewage as theoretically it should possess.

What is here said as to the nature of the works which it has been

feasible to design for Queens, Richmond and the Bronx applies with

greater force w the Lower Hudson, Lower east River and Bay Divis

ion. The aggregate volume of sewage produced in this division is

now great, and thirty years hence will be about double what it is to-

day. Such treatment as it is practicable to accomplish within the ter-

ritory where this sewage is produced will remove only a small propor:

tion of the ingredients which are capable of reducing the amount of

oxygen in the water into which the effluent is discharged. Sprinkling

filters, contact beds, sedimentation basins and chemical precipitation

plants, cannot be considered for want of land and because of the

odors which such works would produce.

The forms of treatment which could be best employed on the

shores of Manhattan and Brooklyn would be such as could be carried

on with grit chambers and screens. 4

Grit Chambers and Screens.—In some respects grit cham-

3 bers and screens are well suited to the conditions. Beside be-

ing compact, they produce little odor; they can be located

partly below ground ; they require no extra pumpin, ; they are com-

paratively inexpensive to operate; they can be employed without

32—Ex. 202

iff

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. $515

highly skillful supervision, and it is practicable to have many plants

of moderate capacity. Against them is chiefly the criticism that they

remove only the largest particles of sewage matter and leave the dis-

olved organic matter and finely divided putrescible materials to pass

tothe harbor. Notwithstanding this fact. they would serve usefully

in attaining the standard of cleanness which the Metropolitan Sew-

erage Commission has proposed for the water, pardicularly as respects

requirements Nos | and 3 of the standard, This standard follows :*

1. Garbage. offal or solid mater recognizable as of sewage erigin

shall not be visible in any of the harbor waters.

9 Marked discoloration or turbidity, due to sewage or trade wastes,

effervescence, oily -leek, odor or deposits, shall not eccur except per-

haps in the immediate vicinity of sewer outfalls, and then only to

sich an extent and in such places as may be permitted by the

authority having jurisdiction over the sanitary condition of the

harbor.

3. The discharge of sewage shall not materially contribute to the

formation of deposits injurious to navigation.

4. Except in the immediate vicinity of docks and piers and sewer

outfalls, the dissolved oxygen in the water shall not fall below 3.0

cubic centimeters per litre of water.+

Near docks and piers there should always be sufficient oxygen in

the water to prevent nuisance from odors.

5. The quality of the water at points suitable for bathing and

oyster culture should conform substantially as to bacterial purity to

adrinking water standard. It is not practicable to maintain so high

astandard in any part of the harbor north of the Narrows or in the

Arthur Kill. In the Lower bay and elsewhere, bathing and the

taking of shellfish cannot be considered free from danger of disease

within a mile of a sewer outfall.

Inasmuch as grit chambers and screens seem to afford the best

practicable means available for treating the sewage of Manhattan

and Brooklyn locally, it is desirable to consider in some detail how

sch works would be constructed, how many plants would be re-

quired, about where they should be built, what they might cost and

how much improvement they would accomplish. In studying these

questions, two chief considerations have appeared to be important.

First, the outlets from the works should be so built that the treated

sewage will be promptly and thoroughly diffused, and Second, the

plants should be so located as to permit the sewage to be collected to

them without unnecessary difficulty or expense.

Submerged Outfalls —Owing to the incompleteness of the purifi-

cation, and the necessity of complying with requirement No, 2 of the

*Report Metropolitan Sewerage Commission of New York, August,

1912, page 70.

*With 60 per cent. of sea water and 40 per cent. of land water and

at the extreme summer temperature of 80 degrees F., 3.0 cubic centi-

meters of oxygen per litre corresponds to 59 per cent. of saturation,

33—Ex. 202

—

4516 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK VS.

Standard of Cleanness, it would be necessary to discharge the

35 effluent from the plants in such a way as to produce the most

immediate disappearance of the sewage which is possible

For this purpose, it is desirable that the outfalls should be near or

upon the bottom and be so located that ample and strong currents

will sweep by them.

The construction and maintenance of outlets at the bottom of the

tidal channels some distance from shore would be difficult. The

outlets would have to be so built as to meet all the requirements of

the United States Government which has -upervi-ion over the main-

tenance of the channels for the purposes of navigation.

Locations for Outlets—Bearing in mind the difficulties of con-

struction and maintenance, as well as the advantages of carefully

selected places, a number of point have been chosen along the shores

of Manhattan and Brooklyn where the sewage, after treatment, could

with the greatest advantage be discharged.

The facility with which the sewage could be collected to suitable

points for treatment was taken carefully into consideration in select-

ing the points of outfall. It was thought desirable that the sewage

should require the least amount of pumping possible; that the plants

should not have to be placed too far below tide level and that the

greatest possible normal flow of sewage should be gathered to each

plant.

Considerable care has been taken in the designs to make an

economical use of land, to provide for adequate inspection and +

pair, not only of the apparatus, but of the structure itself, to insure

light and ventilation and to facilitate the cleaning of the basins and

s-reens and the removal of the impurities from the plant. Numer-

ous forms of grit chambers have been designed and studied. Every

form of screen which the experience of other cities had proved re

liable and efficient have been considered with the result that the

type employed in the new works at Hamburg, Germany, was clio-en

as the mos-t suitable for these works

8. Plan for th Disposal of the Sewage of this Division.

Investigation having shown that it will be impossible to discharge

all the sewage into the water in the vicinity of the territory where it

is produced, even after such purification as is practicable, it becomes

necessary to consider where it can be taken and what can be done

with it.

Amount of Sewage to be Taken Away.—It will not be worth while

to take a small amount of sewage from the inner harbor. To accom-

plish much benefit, the volume will have to be large both actually

and in relation to the total quantity produced in this division.

36 If possible, it should be taken from a part of the harbor which

needs relief both on its own account and because of its influ-

ence on adjoining sections. As far as practicable, the sewage should

be collected from a region of dense population in order that the

length of the sewers shal] be no greater than necessary. For the

JA— Ex. 202

a . . '

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4517

same reason the distance from the central point of collection to the

point of disposal should be as short as possible.

This report shows that the greatest burden of pollution which is

placed upon any large portion of the harbor is discharged from Man-

hattan and Brook)yn into the Lower East river. Here within a dis-

tance of 4 miles, about 200,000,000 gallons of sewage are discharged

every 24 hours from about 50 outlets located along the crowded

shores. Not only is the volume of sewage large, but, as shown else-

where in this report, the waters are peculiarly unsuited to receive it.

If this polluting material can be removed, the waters in the imme-

diate vicinity will be improved and the excessive burden of pollution

now put upon the whole inner harbor will be relieved. An improve-

ment of the waters of the Lower East river is desirable for the help

it will give in disposing of the sewage which, in accordance with the

commission’s plans already announced, will be brought to Ward’s

Island.* At Ward’s Island the large quantity of sewage which will

be brought from the Harlem river will be passed through settling

tanks and discharged into the deep waters of Hell Gate, and reliance

must be placed upon the digestive capacity of the waters to oxidize

the liquid organic matters.

If 200,000,000 gallons of sewage per day can be kept out of the

Lower East river, the ratio of sewage to water in that section will

improve sufficiently to meet all requirements of this commission’s

tandard of cleanness for the present. The ratios of water to sewage

which will exist in the Lower East river are given in Table XITI.

Taste XIII.

Ratios of Sewage to Water in the Lower East River, if 200,000,000 Gallons of

Sewage per Day Are Kept Out of theae Waters.

Sewage to Sewage to Sewage to

Year. water at low tide. tidal prism. net ebb flow,

PE rtkddetroventdmee 1 to 1090 1 to 204 1 to 30

___ Een ey roan ete 1 to 178 lto 33 1to5.6

Direction in which to Take the Sewage-——There are not many

directions in which the sewage can be taken. It would be imprac-.

ticable to carry ii north into Westchester County, for the lan@ there

lies at too great an elevation. It would be impossible to carry

37 it west because the people of New Jersey would object to re-

ceiving it. The idea of discharging it into the Hudson river

cannot be entertained, for if this were done that stream would become

wo heavily polluted. Sentimental considerations require that the

Hudson shall not be made a receptacle for the sewage from other

parts of the harbor.

It would not be feasible to carry the sewage to Long Island sound;

* Preliminary Report IV. Study of the Collection and Disposal of the Sewage

of the Upper East River and Harlem Division, July, 1912.

35—Ex, 202

7 memmng

6 6 RR

451s THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK V8.

the distance would be too great, the volume of water there available

would be insuflicient, the danger of polluting extensive shellfish

beds would be large. and the risk of contaminating the shores in the

vicinity of villages, towns and country estates too imminent,

The sewage could not be taken east on Long Island, except to a

distance of 30 or 40 miles, for its disposal would be certain to produce

nuisance and, consequently, serious injury to property already occu

pied for residence purposes or likely soon to become valuable for this

purpose. Furthermore, opportunities for the disposal of the effluent

of treatment works are lacking on Long Island, the north shore of

which ix deeply indented with bays and. for the most part, high and

rocky, and the south shore bordered with broad, shallow bays and

marshy islands, where the flow of tidal water is relatively slight.

Staten Island Not Suitable for Very Large Sewage Works.—To

the southwest of this division lies the Borough of Richmond, o

Staten Island, and much sewage could Le brought there for treat-

ment as far a= engineering considerations are concerne|, There are

several thousand acres of marshy land on the west =ide of this island

bordering the Arthur Kill which might be employed for sewage dix

posal, provided no nuisance was produced, ;

The sewage could be taken to the dispo-al works by a tunnel which

could be driven beneath the waters of Upper New York bay to the

north shore of Staten Island. and thence through the hich land te

the low-lying area near the Arthur Kill. The Arthur Kill has been

dredged for the convenience of ships and could receive a well purified

effluent, although owing to its small volume of flow and the osecillat-

ing effect of the tide. the capacity of the Arthur Kill for unpurified

sewage ix comparatively small. If the sewage could not be purified

sufficiently to discharge the effluent into the Arthur Kill, it would

have to be carried by tunnel eastward from the treatment works to

the waters of Lower New York bay.

It is probable that treatment works capable of purifying the sew

age to such an extent as would permit the effluent to be discharged

into the Arthur Kill would be impracticable on Staten Island, Ap

parently some oxidizing process, either sprinkling filters or possibly

contact beds, would have to be employed, It is probable that

38 if either of these processes were used to treat the quantity of

sewage which would have to be dealt with, not less than 200,

000.000 gailon= per 24 hours. with a certainty of more later on, ob-

jectionable sanitary conditions would be produced. The sewage

would be septie and, consequently, likely to produce oder when

brought into contact with the air either in the fine spray necessary im

sprinkling filters or in the large areas of surface exposed by the

broken stone of contact beds. The likelihood of trouble from flies, a

frequent any annoying feature in sewage works, should also be con-

sidered. The peculiar mist whieh sometimes hovers in calm weather

over extensive areas of sprinkling filters would prove a source of

gave concern to property holders, even at a considerable distance

from the works. Before the authorities of the Borough of Richmond

would give their consent to receiving the sewage of this division m

26—Ex. 202

re Peed ee a ame 7 4

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4519

that borough for disposal, it ix probable that they would in-i=t upon

more assurance of immunity from nuisance than safely could be

given.

Added to the sanitary difficulties which would attach to the di--

posal of the sewage by works upon Staten Island ix the consideration

of cost, Tt would he expen-ive to carry the sewage of this division to

Staten Island and there dispox of it. The tunnels would be long

and, in places, very deep. The foundations for the works on the

wwheds in the we-tern part of Staten Island might prove difficult

of cm-truction, The outlet tunnel for the effluent would be long

and costly.

Objections to Collection at Barren I<land.—Two other possible

means of dixpoxing of the sewage of this division remain te be con-

dered. Fir-t. collection to the vieinity of Barren Island, near the

mouth of Jamwica hav, and treatment there, with a discharge of the

vent at sea. Sanitary considerations, <uch as have heen mentioned

in conection with the possibility of carrving the sewage to Staten

Idand, would weich heavily avainst purifving the sewage any more

empletely than ix alxolutely nece-<arv at this point. The outlet

would therefore have te be long enough to carry the sewage far from

shore.

Unless the sewave was purified in bacteria beds, it would he nece--

ary te extend the outlet some milex eut to sea hevend Rockaway

Point in order te make -ure that the sewage would not be carried

tack to the land by the wind end tide. and there are practical diflicul-

ties in the wav of doing this, The necessary tunnel for this purpose

would he very difficult te construct. It would have to be at least 75

feet Lelow the surface of the water. in order to cross well beneath

the deep, swiftly-tlowine channels of Reckaway inlet, The water at

this point ix between 30 and 40 feet deep at low tide. Proceeding

vaward it would net be found desirable to approach much nearer the

surface with it. The point of outfall should probably be

% = located about 2 miles from shore, This would be an unfaver-

able location for an outlet crib or other permanent structure,

for it would he exposed to the full force of the Atlantic ocean and the

+ifting sands. This project thus has weighty arguments against it,

Advantages of Disposal at Sea.—The sewage from the Lower Ea-t

tiver section can he taken directly to the sea, and this is the plan

thich the commission recommend-. In accordance with this plan.

wntral collecting points will Le e-tablished which will be tribotery

wa general central station, to which latter point will be gathered

ach part of the sewage as needs to be carried to a distance. Pumps

rill he located at the central station and from it a main will run

directly to an outfall island to be built about 3 miles from land on a

andy reef. This reef ix one of a -cries of shallow areas, interspersed

rith channels, which once formed the bar te New York harbor, It

lies slightly to the west of an imaginary line between Sandy Hook

and Rockaway Point. The outfall will be about 15 miles from the

New York City Hall. 6 miles from the Narrows, over 4 miles from

Sandy Hook and about 3 miles from Coney Island. The point

lected for this island is shown in Plate I, following page 48.

37—Ex. 22

4520 THE PROPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK V5.

As much sewage as it is necessary to carry to a distance from the

Lower East river, Hudson and Bay Division can be taken to the is-

and for dispose! As time proceeds and the quantity of sewage im

creases. the main sewer can be duplicated and the provisions for

treating and discharging the sewage at the island can he enlarged.

A large part of the sewage of this division is now di-charged inte

the waters of the Lower East river. If this sewage is taken away for

disposal, it will for sotue time be posible to discharge the -ewage

from the rest of the division with no other treatment than < Teening

and passage through grit chambers, The water of the Hudson will

be capable of as-imilating the sewage produced on the west ide of

Manhattan Island and the water of the Upper bay could take the

sewage produced along the Brooklyn water front from Governor

Island southward.

All the sewage from this division, except that part which ix taken

away, should be passed through grit chambers and screens and.

where feasible, the dry weather flow discharged through submerged

outlets. In course of time, if the quantity of sewage from this divis

ion. ax well as from that part of the Upper East river and Harlem

Division which would be concentrated at Ward's Island, increases te

euch an extent as again to place an excessive burden upon the water

of the East river, the sewers can be extended and finally the Wards

Island work< can be connected with a main sewer to the artificial

island for disposal.

40 The plan of relieving the harbor of its heaviest burden br

at once taking to sea a large part of the sewage which flows

to the Lower East river and increasing the scope and magnitude of

the work as necessity arises, appears to this commission to be a neces

sary and sufficient solution of the problem. In no other way can

the sewage he disposed of with so little chance of danger or offense

The project has the advantages that it will afford. at minimum ev

pense, all the relief that is needed for the present and is capable of

expansion in the future.

There are no selfish industries in the vicinity and no current

which would carry any of the sewage to a bathing beach. The ser

age will not be exposed long enough to the air to cause annoving

odors to be given off and there will be no opportunity for flies to

The plan is in accordance with the het engineering precedent.

There is no feature connected with it which ix untried or expert

mental. It avoids offensive, complicated and uncertain proces

purification. It is based upon a careful consideration of the need

of the whole harbor. It leaves the waters of the inner harbor in a

sufficiently improved condition for the a-similation of such -ewage

as cannot be kept out of the waters without wellnigh prohibitive e%

pense.

Ultimate Digestion by the Sea Water —The project for carrying

a part of the sewage to sea contemplates the treatment of the ser

age at the island and the ultimate digestion of the liquid organ

matter of the sewage by the sea water. Responsibility for the di

38—Ex. 202

Fei ee

—

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. $521

of the sewage cannot cease until all the ingredients are rendered

harmless and inert, It ix important that the sewage shall not flow

from the outlets as a coherent mass and that none of it~ element-

chal! be carried to the inner harbor or find their way, under the in-

fuence of wind or tide, to the shore. Accunsulations of solid miat-

ter injurious to navigation must not be permitted to occur, nor must

odors or fliex or other objectionable features too commen!y associated

with <ewage dixpoxal works exist to mar the natural attractivene==

and bealthfulness of that part of the ocean where the outlet i located.

The liquid sewage matters will have a strong avidity for oxygen

and will be rendered inert by the oxygen-saturated sea water with

shich it comes in contact. The great amount of water available

at the point of outfall will have an abundant capacity to dige-t the

liquid ~ewage.

At first the form of treatment needed at the island will be -ettle-

ment in tanks perhaps aided at time- by precipitant. In addition,

it may be practicable to disinfect the -ewage and produce a consider-

able amount of oxidation by the addition of bleach or electrolytically

produced hypochlorite.

If at any time in the future it becomes desirable to completely

purify the sewage, ne such favorable location for the nece=-arv

41 works can be found in the metropolitan distriet than this

artificial island, Owing to the shallowness of the water and

the ease with which filling can be obtained, land can be made here

for less money than an equal area can be bought on shore at any

point net more distant from the New York City Hall.

In addition to the sewage from the Lower East river section, it

will ultimately he feasible and de-irable to send the sewage of the

sestern Jamaica bay sub-division to the island for disposal. This

would make it unnecessary to construct treatment works at Barren

Idand ax proposed in an earlier report of this commission®

9.—Collecting the Sewage to “se Outlet I-land.

Sub-division of the Territory.—The territory included in the

Lower Hudson, Lower East River and Bay Division has been sep-

arated by this commis<ion into %2 sub-divisions for the purpose of

laying out the works which will he uecessary for the sanitary dis-

of the sewage, and each sub-division has been given a number.

sub-divisions numbered 1 to 12, inclusive, comprise that part of

Manhattan which is naturally tributary to the Hudson river. Sub-

divisions from 13 to 26 are in Manhattan and Brooklyn, bordering

upon the Lower Ea-t River. Sub-divisions 27 to 31 are in Brooklyn

and border on the U bay. Sub-division 32 borders on the Nar-

rows and Gravesend bay.

The sub-divisions vary in size and in quantity of sewage which

ao goeiese. The boundaries which have approximately extab-

are intended to show the limits within which it will be feazible

t collect the sewage io a central point on the water front in each

*See Preliminary Report ITI.

29—Ex. 2012

PEON eS ee 2 ee ee eo

we ee ee ee —

M22 He Phere OF THE ©TATE OF SEW YORK wa.

subalivicion. The central points are usually near exiting large

wer atl, a offen ax practicable, at places which are fovenralde for

a preg alwisture of the «wage effluent with the harler water

\+ «tated elaewhene in the. reqeet, the crv -weether thew of ~eU age

after eAlection te a central point in mest of the «ab-divisions. <hould

be passed through grit chambers and «teens and « di<charved ute

the water as te insure prompt diffusion,

The drv-weather flow of «wave produced in the «ix following «al

divisions bordering upon the Lower Eat river should not he die

charged inte the neighboring water. lat <hewld he gathered te »

central point and thence carried to «a In Manhattan, 13. 14 and

15. and in Brooklen, 24. 25 and 26.

The methed of collection in thee <whdivieions frow which the

sewage is to be carried te a di-tance may or may not be the some a

in these subdivisions from which the «wage will he discharged

hates thee pees ay! oo Tihg Wotetm™ Ther ate Verve Wave w bined

42 the sewage can he collated. Ome method maw he dewribed

In was of ilo<tration

The drv-weather sewage can be collected bw marginal «ewer tes

central point in each sub-division and there passed through grit

chambers and «reens. Pa-<ing beneath each central collecting pount

will he a deey-l\ ing InteTeopting «ewer whieh will receive the <ewage

after it passes through the <creens and grit chambers. Storm water

in exces: of twice the dry-weather thew will pass bw overflows at each

outlet directly to the river. Further details of this plan fellow,

The Necessary Marginal Sewers and Interceptors —Each central

collecting point will have orn overtlews. regulators ated trde gates

exces flew of sewage during periods of rainfall The Interceptor

are intended to be large enough to accommnedate twice the mean rate

of flow during periods of dry weather, The maximum rate of dry

weather flew ¢- a--vmed to be alet one and one half the average rate

per 24 hours, This will permit the interceptor te carry off <ome of

the first flush of storm water even if it reaches the plant during the

hour of maximum <ewage prendiet ion.

The marginal «ewers required to collect the «wage from the pore

ent sewer to the central points in each <al-divi-ion will lie ax claw

to the surface of the ground as physica! conditions permit.

The interceptor. will be situated at a considerable depth and be

80 located as to aveid as far as posible difficulties of construction.

It will probably be necessary te construct the interceptors lv «hield

tunneling. In making the plan= and etimates. careful attention

has been given to the information available concerning the geology

of the territory passed through as determined by borings made be

the Public Service Commission, Beard of Water Supply and other:

The Manhattan Lower East Side Sub-divixions.— The Interceptor

from sub-division 13 will run from a screening plant -ttuated near

Roosevelt St. parallel to the shore to Corlears Hook. where the <ewage

will empty inte a siphon and be carried to Brooklwn. This South

Manhattan interceptor will be 5’ 9” in diameter.

A second intarveptor, which may be termed the North Manhattan

“Fx. ae

ee Oe : <.-

THE STATE OF KEW JERSEY ET AL. 4525

interceptor, will run from East i4th St. southerly to « siphon te

Beerkive whieh begins at Corea eek, The «ize of the North

Manhattan intervepter will be & 6” from the screening plant fer

auladiv item 15 te the sereening plant fer <wh-divi-ven 14 at De Loner,

Slip. where of will neve’ te 1 10" in diameter before joining the

siphon. The North Manhattan interceptor will be large

enough to permit an extension te be made in it, « a& te

take in the <ewage of -ahedivi<iew< 16. 17 and 1S i comer

of time Profiles of the Manhattan marginal sewers and ontercep tor:

are shown on Plate 11. following page 4.

The total quantity of seware te be taken from <ulh-divieions 13,

and 15 is estimated at 99,000,000 gallons per 24 heures in the vear

i. The estimated population for the <ame wear ic 680.500, and

area from which the drv-weather flew will be taken & 1.737 actes.

The Siphon from Manhattan te Brooklyn. —A siphon will he re

quired to carry the sewage from Manhettan te Brooklyn beneath the

lower East river. The point selected for the ero-ing ix at « narrow

part of the river where solid reck mav he anticipated. The <iphen

which will be ired te take the sewage produced in 1915 should

have a diameter of 8 9”. The depth will be 110 feet heneath the

wrface of mean low water, The «iphon will he 2.300 feet long and

extend from Corlears Teck to South Sth St. When the North

Manhattan is extended so as te take the sewage from

subdivisions 16, 17 and 18. it will he necesary te build « second

vn which he tributary to the main <ewer to the <ea will he treated

ma way -imilar te that described for collecting the «-wace from the

ewer cont side of Manhattan. The quantity of «wage te he taken

fran this part of Brevklwn will be o litth bereer then the qnoantity

fran Manhatten. or about 104,000,000 callen< per 21 hour: in 115.

The estimated population trilatary in Brooklyn will be -lichtly

larver. or 722.212. and the net area more than three times ax lerve.

or 5.790 aeres,

a Wallaheot St. near the head of Wallahout canal. Thix inter-

Teer will be 5 3° in diameter before mecting the siphon and wv

from the junction with the <iphen te the pumping -tation. Thi-

may he termed the North Brooklwn interceptor, In course of time,

fit becomes necessary to brine the sewage of <ul—division- 19.20.21.

22 and 23 te the general pumping «tation. thie can he done by

ii THE PROTLE oF THE #TATE OF SEW YORK Vs.

44 From sub-division 26 in Brooklyn, which ix mite the

lower end of Manhattan, an interceptor sould be built t

the general pureping station. The central collecting point in sab

division 26 will be near \dame> Street and the interceptor leading

therefrom <hould te 4° im diameter. Thix ix estimated to be d

sufficient size to take the flow from <al-divieion 27 im the future

At Haden street. this interceptor would receive the -ewage collected

from sub-division 25. Rewning around the Brooklyn Nawy Yard,

this South Brooklyn interceptor -hould have a diameter of 9 6” we

the general porsping station. Prefiles of the Brooklyn marginal

sewers and intercepters are shown on Plate ITT. following page 4%.

The General Pumping Station --The «ewage collected at the gen

etal ing tation. armeunting to alent 200,000,000 gallon a day.

will have heen passed through grit chambers and -cteens and will be

in reasonably fresh condition. It will all flew to this point by

gravity. The pumps will be required to raise the sewage from am

elevation of aleut 27 below mean tide and pur it under a head

of about 45 feet to the artifie(. island at sea. The distance to be

pumped will he about 11.8 mile and the head to he overcome will

he thet whieh ix necessary in order te rwike the <ewacr from the

level, at which it is delivered to the purge te the level of the tamke

where it ix to he treated on the island, plas the head required te

overcome the frictional revictance offered to the passace of the <ewage

threngh the lone main The parte can be operated bw steam. ail

or bw purchased electric current It would -eem feasible and de

sirable to drive the pumps with electric pewer to be obtained from

burning the solid refuse of the city in detractors as is commonly

done in England and in certain larce citie of Rarepe.

The Sewage Main to Sea —The force main through which the

ill he pumped te the i-land will be bait, for the most part.

in tunnel. There will be three shafts, «0 situated as te permit the

work of construction being pushed with expedition and ecomomy.

The internal diameter of the completed main will be 12’ 10” from

the purnp= to a point near Sheep-head hav. where it will be increased

to 14’ in order te accommmedate the sewage from the weetern part of

the Jamaica Ray Division A profile of the outfall main ix <hown on

Plate IV. following page 4%.

The estimate given below are based upon the work already at

lined. let <imee the <ewege main oil! pas comparatively acer

this change are (a) reduction in cost over the Barren I+land

projet and (4) aveidance of the neceitv of con-tructing a «wage

disposal plant at the entrance of Jamaica hay Rw adding the <ewage

ot the western Jamaica hay <ab-division to the <ewace of Manhattan

and Brooklyn which is pamped to the island, the disposal works will

* Preliminary Report 111, November. 1911.

42—-Fx. 32 r

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4525

centralized and questions of admini-tration and maintenance will

Western Jamaica Ray Sub-division.—The sewage from the

part of the Jamaica Ray Division will he collected at twe

| perrepeineg tat iene cme at Hendrix Street and the other at

;

Avenue. From the eastern pumping station, an inter-

to ¥ 6” in diameter will extend for 2.6 miles to » second

Flatlands \venue. From this 1 the inter-

and finally to

diameter will extend to Nostrand. where it will be joined A by

interceptor

pumping station

bay whieh will be converted inte « pumping

enlarged to 12’ 4” will end at « rumMping

located at Ocean Parkway and Avenue Ww. This last

dation will discharge the sewage into the main which

to he located at Sith Street and Avenue V in

Bensonhurst will discharge through a 4” interceplot to the pumping

tation whieh will -rve the we-tern part of the Janna Haw Pbrwt-

om. The sewage of Coney Iland will be prreped from the present

The quantity of sewage from the western part of Jamaica bay wil

gallons per day in 1915. The population will

te he penetrated bet

diameter and constructed

g vated

start

he extended as required. The genera

at a depth of about 60 feet, the material

lt will be port! le ter evaretruet the tem-

nel with two headin c. one frean the -here and ome fren the i-tand,

the two meeting and heme preqeerly paned.

island hae been carefully chosen with

ndereme to eromemy of conaraction, resaance to the destructive

faces of tidal currents and storms, freedom of obstruction te

i ent

Plate V. following page 4%

of the ;

Pee iaver face of the island will he a wall of rip ray componed

here vere. of leeken <tote cared to the on bantt- avd lard

the hard sandy bottom. It that <ome settlement

ee : leced Aen

wore sctiiement is to be expected. The main balk of the

will he compared of cand suppliel from a suchen on

-— eee

1o26 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Vs.

The height of the island above mean low water will be about 18

feet. The length will be 1,300 feet and the width 1,000 feet. The

side of the rip rap wall which is exposed to the sea will have a slope

of 1 vertical upon 3 horizontal and the other sides will have a slope

of about 1 on 2. The cost of constructing the island has been

estimated at about 615.000,

The landward side of the island will be provided with a quay wall

for the accommodation of vessels engaged in taking supplies and

other materials to and from the island. Shelter from the sea will

he provided by a breakwater, which will enclose a small harbor.

The island will contain a plant of settling tanks in which the

sewage will have an opportunity to deposit its solid matters during

a period of about two hours. These tanks will be of modified Dort-

mund tank construction, similar to those recently constructed at

Toronto, Canada. Provision will be made for treating the sewage

if necessary with a coagulant before passing it into the tanks.

After treatment, the sewage will be discharged through a number

of outlets arranged radially on the seaward side of the island. If

desirable, it will be feasible to pump sea water into the sewage and

provide for the mixture of the two before the discharge takes place.

Such admixture would facilitate the immediate diffusion of the

sewage in the sea water, but the active agitation and free movement

of the great volume of water in the vicinity of the island will prob-

ably make the preliminary admixture of sea water and sewage by

pumping unnecessary.

The taaterial which -ettle- out in the tanks will be carried to sea in

boats and dumped.

Cost.—This project will require the construction of about 5.3

miles of marginal sewers in Manhattan and Brooklyn and about an

equal length of irterceptors in these two boroughs. The siphon

from Manhattan to Brooklyn will be a little less than a half mile

long. ‘The main from the pumping station to the island

WkAS will be about 13 miles long. If the Jamaica bay sewage is

brought to the island, about 2 miles of collectors and 7 miles

of interceptors will be required in addition.

TI . studies which have been made indicate that the total cost of

construction would be about $22,874,000, including $4,072,000 for

the Jamaica Bay Division. The fixed charges, including sinking

fund and interest, would be about $1,157,000, allowing $206,000 for

the Jamaica Bay Division. The total maintenance and fixed charges

would amount to about $1,803,000, including $286,000 chargeable

to the Jamaica Bay Division.

METROPOLITAN SEWERAGE COM-

MISSION.

GEORGE A. SOPER,

JAMES H. FUERTES,

IH. DE B. PARSONS,

CHARLES SOOYSMITH,

LINSLY R. WILLIAMS.

February, 1913.

(Here fo low piates marked I, IT, !11, 1, and V, Exhibit No. 202.)

44—Ex. 202

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THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY FT AL. 4527

Appendices.

Studies for Grit Chambers, Screens, and Regulators.

The grit and screen chambers could be constructed, beneath the

level of the street pavements, but in all cases it would be desirable,

and in some instances probably necessary, to provide a s"per-struc-

ture. All the plants would be small and where a building over them

was necessary, it could be made architecturally unobtrusive in ap-

pearance, Tf the sewage were collected by a combined system of

sewage, the plant would require to be provided with means for

separating a part of the storm water and the latter could discharge

directly to the water. It would be feasible to pass three times the

dry weather flow of sewage through the plant during periods of storm,

and if this were done the work of the water from the streets would

be provided for in the works. A study for a grit chamber is shown

in Plate VI, following page 52.

In addition to the provisions for avoiding an excess of storm water,

the principal features of the plants would be a grit chamber and

screens, Pulnps, tide gates and submerged outfalls, The grit cham-

her would be essentially an enlargement of the sewer and be of such

design as to provide for the slowing of the sewage flow as much as

practicable, A prominent feature should be the means for cleaning

out the grit and other solid matters which would be deposited.

Elaborate methods for cleaning grit chambers are emploved in some

European sewage disposal works, but simple and effective dredging

apparatus appears to be preferable. The material dredged from the

grit chamber should be dumped into suitable carriers. These car-

riers, which could also carry away the screenings would operate elec-

trically. They should convey the materials to some dock or pier

where a vessel could carry the impurities to sea or the inflammable

part of the refuse could be disposed of by burning.

On passing from the grit chamber the sewage should be screened.

After considering many types of screens employed in Europe and

America, including those capable of removing the utmost quantity

of suspended matter possible, it seems best to employ a moving bar

sereen with openings of about 4/10 of an inch. The type used in the

new installation at Hamburg, Germany, appears to be suitable for

New York. This screen consists of an endless belt of bars arranged

at an inclination to the flow of the sewage. The sewage passes be-

tween the bars and leaves the solids, which are caught and carried

upward on the screen belt as it slowly revolves. The screens which

are carried up out of the sewage are removed from the belt by means

a of brushes and a hose and discharged upon a belt conveyor

a0) which carries the material to a car which stands in readiness.

The size of the openings hetween the bars of this sereen do

not necessarily indicate the size of the particles removed from the

sewage. If the screen is revolved very slowly, its effectivness in re-

45—Ex., 202

ae ae

4528 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Vs.

moving suspended matter will be increased. After the sewage leaves

the screens, it passes to the pumps. The pumps should be of the

centrifugal type directly connected to motors. The pumping equip-

ment should be in duplicate, as should the screens and grit cham-

bers.

Leaving the plant, the sewage should flow under slight pressure to

the outer ends of piers, where it would pass downward through a

pipe to the bottom and thence outward into the current for discharge.

The tide gates should be located near the point where the sewage is

passed through the grit chambers and screens.

In order to consider the practicability of installing grit chambers

and screens, locations have been tentatively chosen for the outlets

and the approximate locations of the works fixed. The next step

was to separate the division into subdivisions and select a few of

those for more detailed study. The collecting system in each sub-

division was assumed to be already complete save for such intercep-

tors and other large sewers as might be needed to gather the sewage

which was now passing to the harbor through many outlets to the

central plants. Four sub-divisions were selected for special study, in

which the topography and other conditions were dissimilar.

Suli-division No, 5.—One of the sub-divisions was on the Hudson

river shore of Manhattan Island, between the northern end of Cen-

tral Park and the Riverside Park. The sewage from this area is

produced by a high-class apartment house population. The topog-

raphy is such that no difficulties to drainage exist. The site for the

plant was in Riverside Park at 96th Street. The quantity of sewage

was 25.4 million gallons per 24 hours during dry weather and three

times this quantity was provided for at the plant. The storm water

outlets were intended to he carried to the end of the West 97th Street

pier and were given a capacity of 270 million gallons per day. The

cost, including excavation, sub-structure, super-structure and 15%

for contingencies, was $89,000 for the plant. The outlets tor the

dry weather flow would run to a point 300 feet off the pierhead and

would cost about $24,200. The outlets for the storm water overflow

at the pierhead would cost about $37,000, Total, $150,200. This

estimate does not include the cost of intercepting the sewage and de-

livering it to the treatment plant.

Sub-division No. 14.—The second sub-division studied would have

a treatment plant at Broome Slip, near the East river. In this case

the area drained is occupied by a crowded tenement house

Al population. There would be difficulty in collecting the sew-

age to the plant, since the ground is, for the most part. low.

The works would have a total capacity of 93 million gallons, which

would be about three times the dry weather flow. Storm water in ex-

cess of this quantity would he diverted directly to the East river, and

the rest raised by pumping. In all other essentials the plant would

he similar to that at 96th Street. The estimated cost, including exca-

vation, sub-structure. super-structure, machinery and 15% for contin-

gencies, is $133,000. This figure does not include the cost of col-

lecting the sewage and delivering it to the plant or of conveying it

from the works to the outlets.

46—Ex, 202

SEI i nt 23 REASON IN IES LET AOS SOR RU A at: OIE BPE GMO Ig SO eT pitas ease tee _—

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4529

Sub-division No. 19.—A third sub-division studied contemplates

the location of a plant at Orchard Street, Astoria. In this case the

capacity would be 87 million gallons per day or three times the dry

weather flow. Difliculties of drainage due to low-lying land would

require pumps to lift the low level sewage to the works. The esti-

mated cost for excavation, sub-structure, super-structure, machinery

and contingencies would be $81,700, exclusive of the cost of deliver-

ing the sewage to the plant or conveying it thence to the outlet.

Sub-division No. 30.—A fourth location for a grit chamber and

screening plant would be at the foot of 64th Street, Brooklyn. The

capacity in this ease would be 68 million gallons per day or three

times the dry weather flow. The cost, including exeavation, sub-

structure, super-structure, machinery, connection with sewer and

15% for contingencies, would be $147,000, exclusive of cost of con-

veying the sewage from the plant to the outlet.

If there was one grit-chamber-and-sereening plant, in each sub-

division, the total number would be thirty-one. If their cost is

indicated by the studies made for the four sub-divisions mentioned,

the total outlay for them would be in the neighborhood of $710,000.

This would exclude land and the outfalls.

Heavy Rainfalls—Inasmuch as the frequency with which the

storm overflows would come into play should be considered, studies

have been made of the records of precipitation as kept by the United

States Weather Bureau. The maximum precipitation in each month

for 5. 10 and 60 minute periods from April 1, 1896 to January 1,

1912. and for 15, 30 and 120 minute periods from January 1, 1903,

to January 1, 1912, have Leen examined, The results for the months

of December, 1895, January, 1897, and February, 1598, are missing.

The tabulations of the Weather Bureau were for the most severe

single storm each month and it is posible that the actual frequency

would slightly exceed that indicated by these diagrams. But the

difference would not be so great as to be of consequence in any pro-

vision for storm water overtlows.

On applying the results of these studies of rainfall, it appears that

a volume of storm water in excess of three times the dry

52 weather flow would occur on an average once in about 34%

months and six times the dry weather flow would he received

about once in ten months. Ten times the dry weather flow would

happen about once in three and one-half years, and the maximum

flow for which the plant would be designed, above which the sewer

would be surcharged, would occur about once in 61% years.

Annual Costs.—The annual costs of operating the grit chamber

and screening plants have been approximately estimated. These

charges do not include fixed charges required on account ef inter-

cepting the dry-weather flow nor do they cover the provision of

storm water overflows or submerged outlets. The solid matter re-

moved by the basins and screens would be carried, according to

these estimates, to the nearest public dump: from the two Manhattan

plants by motor trucks serving about four plants each; from the

Astoria plant, by chutes to a steamer; from the 64th Street, Brook-

lyn, plant, it would he conveyed for a short distance to the water

47—Ex. 202

-_ —_ —

4530 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Vs.

front. In each case, it would be taken to sea by a steamer for dis-

posal, Still better, the screenings could be burned.

The amount of sludge produced has been assumed to be one ton

per million gallons of sewage. These estimates are based on the

assumption that a sufficient number of plants are in operation to

warrant the use of a sludge steamer without which the sea discharges

per ton would be much greater than the amount here indicated.

Estimates of Annual Expense of Grit Chamber and Screening Plants,

W. 96th St., Broome Slip, Orchard St.. 64th St.,

Manhattan. Manhattan. Astoria. Brooklyn.

Dry-weather flow, mil-/ 30) 33 30) 50

lion gallons per day §

Operation ......... $6,600 $8,100 $7,380 $8,109

0 a 2,640 29,000* 9420+ 3,100

Power, light and

ee 9,300 37,100 16,800 11,200

Fixed Charges...... 4,500 6,730 4,134 7.438

ee bnaveevas $13,800 $43,830 $20,934 $1S.628

Per Mged..... 460 1,328 698 373

Sludge Disposal... .. 1,825 1,848 547 1 825

Land charges..... 1,645 1,807 1,643 2.737

Sea charges ...... $3,470 $3,655 $2,190 $452

Per Med..... 116 111 73 M1

Grand Total...... $17,270 $47,485 $23,124 $23,200

Per Mgd..... 576 1,439 771 dtd

* Including pumping.

+ Pumping 8.9 million gallons per 24 hours.

(Here follows Plate VI, Exhibit No. 202.)

48—Ex. 202

a i. |

3-@ NO NOILI3S

C Cyhibde Vs 20 27) PLATE VI

433418 196 183M

iv wevg losee

ANWid Wso0dSig wos AONIS

i ie

. Swag Onwnag

SeNOH 2 Wie wore MONT OF «=MONY WIHAVIM ANC

ee ALIDVEYD =e

PANDA 806 DAPsoeWr . owEL

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4531

33 Il.

Studies for Tide Gates.

Most of the grit chambers and screens would be situated so close to

the tidal level that the plants would be in danger of tlooding through

the outlet pipes if provision was not made to prevent it. To prevent

flooding, tide gates would be needed and these should be of the moct

reliable form procurable.

Many forms of tide gates have been considered by the Commis-

sion, the experience of engineers in America and England being

taken carefully inte account, and special attention being paid to the

het current practice ir. this direction in Holland. As a result, it is

believed that although tide gates are not always reliable, a form can

be designed which will satisfactorily answer the requirements of the

situation.

Tide gates in common use are of three general types: flap valves,

swinging gates and sluice gates.

Flap Valves.—Flap valves which swing on a berizontal hinge are

mot often used on sewer outlets of moderate or small size, although

cood examples of this type exist in some large sewers, At_Wash-

ington, 1. C., gates are used which are made of Georgia pine 5 feet 5

inches wide by 8 feet high and at Philadelphia there are gates of

yellow pine 18 feet wide and 2 feet high. With large sizes, two

lap valves are usually placed in the gate, one above the other, as at

Aberdeen, Scotland, and Atlantic City. At Aberdeen, the balanced

flaps are of cast iron and the opening for discharge ix 5 feet 6 inches

by 6 feet 6 inches.

For the flaps to work freely, they should hang loosely from links,

as at Atlantic City, or from easy-working hinges. Composition bear-

ings are desirable in order to avoid corrosion. At Washington the

hinges and bolts are of bronze. A ring of rubber set into the gate

forms a watertight joint, with a cement seat. At Philadelphia, a

rubber gasket is provided which bears against a copper seat. To aid

in securing a tight closing of the valve, the seat is usually inclined

to the vertical; 1 jn 6 at Washington, and 30° at Philadelphia.

If the «ewer ix of large <ize, the weight of the flap gate may be so

great as to interfere with the free discharge of the sewage. Gates

which swing on a vertical axis have an advantage over flap valves in

this rexpect. The leaves of such gates are usually made of wood,

white pine being used in some cases, as in Boston. To insure tight

closing, a counterweight may be hung on a chain passing from a rod

frverting from the outer end of the gate to a point above the hinges.

na patented device used in Boston, the hinges are slightly inclined

so as to offset in part the buovancy of the gates which tends

BS | to keep them open. To further insure tightness in the Boston

gates, a lead weight which is moved by gravity in a closed

sheath attached to one leaf of the gate is hung on a chain which

passes over a pulley and then horizontally to a post on the other

leaf. The counterweight is thus kept out of the sewage. A rubber

strip is attached to the bevel end of one leaf and to each leaf is at-

49—Ex. 202

2 een

- - roy

4532 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Vs.

tached a rubber strip opposite the seat to insure tight closing. A

study for a flap tide gate ix shown in Piate VII, following page 54.

Sluice Gates —Sluice gates, or penstock gates as they are often

called in Europe, are sometimes employed to more certainly secure

protection from back water. In -ome in=tances, as at Kings Lynn, a

sluice gate is placed behind a flap valve for the added security whieh

is thus afforded. Sluice gates for this u-e are generally of cast iron

and are raised by a screw. Ax the weight ix considerable, a counte~

weight is often provided, as in the case of a flushing gate in Boston.

If the gate ix double, it will facilitate opening. the lower half being

raised first. An added advantage in having double gates lies in the

saving which they afford in head room in case the lower gate is of

large size,

Large sluice gates should be mechanically operated, as at Port+

mouth, where turlines actuated by the -ewage are used to operae

twelve 3 foot by 3 foot 9 inch gates. \uxiliary inlets to the turbines

are there first opened by hand, although it would <cem possible that

the operation could be entirely automatic.

At Aberdeen there are two penstock gate, one closing against the

tide and one again=t the sewage, with a flap valve between. They

are about 6 feet 6 inches square, with gun metal facings. Each

operated by a 30-inch hydraulic cylinder using water pressure of 35

pounds per square inch.

If properly designed and regularly inspected, flap valves are an

eflicient means of excluding tide water from sewers, but there is

always some chance that wood and other floating substances may be-

come caught in the opening and prevent the flap from closing tightly.

The Washington gates afford an excellent example of the reliability

and economy of this type of tide gate. Sixteen of these gates have

now been in service seven vears without any expenditure for repairs.

For very large sewers, swinging gates are to be preferred to any

other means of excluding tide water. Sluice gates are more certain

than flap valves and swinging gates to close tightly, but they are

costly and cumbersome, both to construct and operate. Where the

tidal ranges are great, they have advantages over other forms on

account of their strength and compactne-s. In all cases tide gates

should be built in duplicate.

( Here follows Plate VII, Exhibit No. 202.)

5O—Ex. 202

PLATE Vil

een Ie

gna acted! Kee Sagan dt weak.

“ssn

—— ADAG WIMIS YOI—-

: oe

Biv9 30lL

THE *TATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL

590 iL.

Studies for Submerged Outfalls.

The value of submerged outfall lies im the fact that they mate-

rally aid yn bringing alent a ptertapet and therough mixture oi the

sewage and water inte which Lhe -ew age ts discharged.

Preliminary to dextrilang a form of construction which appea->

w be practicable for sulmverged outlets in the sub-divieion with

which this report deals, it t- de-iratie to consider the circurm=tanees

under which sewage will and will not mingle with the surrounding

water.

Dispersion and [fl usten — The terms dixpersion and diflusieon are

emetimes used interchangeably in de-cribing the imtermuxture of

swage and water, although, -trietly, there ts a diflerence in their

weaning, The term dispersion implica separation and scatters,

icularly of solid particles, while ditiusten refers expecialiy to that

form of rapid and intimate mixture which is most often coustderesd

a taking place ameng ganes. Bet), dispersion and diffu-ien are

necesary for the disappearance of sewage. The solids must become

scattered and the liquid= nut Lecewe diffused, When -elid= accunit-

late. they may form deposits or else masses which are visible at the

surface, Uniex the liquids become diffused, they do not come mite

contact with the exvgen which i necessary for their moeneralization.

When dispersion and diffu-ien are ~wti-factory, the discharge of ~ew-

et into a large body of water ix «curcely, if at all, detectable to the

it.

It ix sometimes erroneously asumed that diffusion ix everywhere

and at all times proceeding rapidly among the hquid particles natu-

rally present in large baxhes of water, particularly im such bevcdies ax

mowe under tidal influence=, and that to cause sewage to be carried

away, it is only necesary te discharge it In net two great quantity.

This ix « mistake. Some bodice. of water should never receive any

sewage.

A prompt and general intermixture of sewage and water ix often

difficult or impossible te accumpli<h. It ix most difficult when the

water into which it ix enytied has no current or when the current

is « slow that there are ne eddies or counter currents produced. The

eddies and counter current- are necessary for rapad diffusion. lt &

not enough that the water inte which the sewage i discharged <hou'd

he great in volume, nor that the water should be flowing by a point

of discharge at a great velocity. If the velocity is uniform through-

out, dispersion and diffusion wii! net be as sati-factory ax it would be

if cross current- and eddies existed in it.

Wi Ascent of Sewage in Sea Water.—Diffu-ion between -<ewage

and sea water i+ more difficult than between sewage and land

water by reason of the greater «pecifie gravity of sea water. Each

cubic foot of wage ix 1%, pounds lighter than an equal volume of

sea water and, in comequence of this fact, every foot which is dis

charged beneath the <urface may be considered to be urged upward

5i—Fx. we

eee | THE PROTLE OF THE STATE OF SEW YORK V8.

with a force of about 1% pounds This upward force diminishes

as the sewage becomes mixed with the water and i+ initially le-~ if

the harher water is not a salt ax the «a. From the mathematical

equation V*==<2gh, it ix evident that the rate of awent will vary «

the «quere of the difference in <pecifie gravity, and that the velority

of wcent will be doubled when the bueying force ix wultyphed four

times.

It is, unfortunately, imposible yccurately to determine the velocity

of awent of a dream of sewage by weane of this or any other

formula. but the facts stated are of practical use in considering the

best means of cousing a prompt and intimate mixture of the sewage

and tidal water to take '

Many experiments have been made ty the Metropolitan Sewerape

Commi-ion to obtain information concerning the orcur-tance

under which sewage could and could net le made to diffuse in the

water of New York harbor. These experiments were carried on in

the laberatery. in large jum tanks and im the harber it-elf.

in the latter case. and tank <teamers loaded with «war

were taken to various parts of the harbor and. after being stromgiy

colored with dve, di<charged beneath the <urface. and the re-ulins

phenomena noted In these experiment. the harber water varied in

salinity. 4 a-wally contained aleat 75 per cent. of «a water. The

current inte whieh the wage was di<charged varied fram a litt'e

les than 1 foot per «cond te 3 feet per second. Moet of the large

seale experiments were carried on near the center of | yper New York

wav. Further details of thie work are dewribed in the report of the

Commision of April, 1910, pages 184-215, but the following frets

and opinions derived from thee studies are of interest here When

sewage is discharged inte sea water, the sewage will rive to the top im

a mas unlee it i+ intermixed through the mechanical action of

eddies and cross corrents. Tending to carry the sewage to the top

are gu, grease and light solid particles. The «wage ix w-wally

warmer than the water jnto which it i« discharged and this difference

in temperature tend= to carry the «wage upward.

When -ewage is diecharged into a mixture of SO cent. of land

water and 15 per cent. of sea water, Bb cemniep Go Ue contain ity

equilibriam. that i+. it neither ries nor fall< through the water inte

which it is discharged

When sewage ix allowed to «tand at the top of a perfertly

57 quiet body of water. diffusion occurs at once if the water &

bat net ontil 4% hours, if the water ix a mixture

of equal parts of land water and sea water, When sewage ix dix

charged beneath the <urface of a quiet body of water, currents are

eet up which help te produce an intermixture between the two fluids.

The force of these currents varies directly with the velocity of the

’ current and the volume of discharge. and i< helpful in

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4535

A the discharging stream, Wat intermixture sem to yroreed chiefly

net the discharging stream has lost its initial velority. It ix oti

mining process,

If directed vertically upward from « <ubmerged outfall, a dis

charcine stream of ewage fhews toward the surface of the water in s

gradually enlarging column. Arrived at the the sewage -preads

out thinly over the surface. Diffusion gradually take down-

laver. as when «wage i directed vertically upward from a

When sewage i« discharged inte a quiet body of tidal water con-

siting of 40 per cent. land water and (0 per cent. -ea water. it rises

toward the surface irrespective of the direction of the discharge from

the orifice, ane rend cut wpa the surtare 0 te lever. The up-

i aibly when the discharge takes

heriamtal diecharge facili diffusion. To secure the most prompt

snd thorough intermixture, the --wace shoold be diecharged in a

Svinmtel direction near the middle and at the bottom of a tidal

eneel and in # direction perpendicular to the direction of flow

sal Investigations in Reston Harber —The water m the vicinity

of the Pewton, Mass, outlets was analyzed by the Metropolitan

Commission of New York during the month ending Sep

harber and there were | studies made of the three

The total narber analvers was 388 The method

he analy and the floating laboratory were the same as

the large amount of informaten concerning the oxygen

of New York harber.

‘i q bw the die

Peer Se —

4556 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Vs.

were some places where the circulation of tidal water was insufficient

to carry away the sewage which was discharged. The outer harbor,

except in the immediate vicinity of the three main sewer outlets,

contained an abundance of dissolved oxygen.

The conditions surrounding the Peddocks Island outfall were

better than those found at Deer Island or Moon Island. [t became

apparent that the sewage began to be dispersed and diffused from

the moment it left the outfall at Peddocks Island. The shape of the

ascending column of sewage was somewhat like a funnel with in-

curved sides and broad flare. At a distance of 500 feet from the

center, there was 7 per cent. of sea water mixed with the sewage

at the surface. There was 3 per cent. 10 feet below the surface and

1 per cent. 15 feet below the surface. At 1,000 feet from the center

there was no sewage below 10 feet beneath the surface. At 2.000

feet there wa- no sewage below 2 feet beneath the surface.

The amount of oxygen present varied with the concentration of

sewage. At a distance between about 700 feet and 1.700 feet from

the center of the sewage field, there was a considerable increase in

the exhaustion of oxygen.

Submerged Outlets for Manhattan and Brooklyn.— For the dis-

charge of sewage from Manhattan and Brooklyn it is desirable that

submerged outfalls should generally be employed. In some cases

they should extend sufficiently far from the outer ends of the piers

to obtain the advantages of great depth of water, high velocity of

tidal current and remoteness from observation.

The types of construction suitable for carrving the sewage to the

hottom of the main tidal channels must differ according to local

circumstances, particularly the depth of water and character of

the bottom, whether of silt or mud or rock. In the Lower East

river the currents. are so swift and the bottom so hard and the traffic

so great that submerged outfalls can be constructed only with diffi-

culty. On the Hudson river side of Manhattan Island. the

59& 60° conditions are more favorable and for this area a type of

outfall has been designed.

The capacity of the type of outfall which is here outlined for the

Hudson river side of Manhattan Island can be increased beyond

that mentioned, although the sizes given will be found economical

to construct and it may be undesirable to collect more sewage to a

single point for disposal than can be discharged through one outfall

of this type.

The plan is to carry the sewage through a 36 inch wood stave pipe

laid beneath a pier to a point near its outer extremity. The wood

stave pipe would be joined at its outer end by a 36 inch cast iron

pipe which would be placed vertically and extend to the bottom of

the water. At the top a manhole would be provided for easy access

for inspection, cleaning and repairs.

At the bottom of this vertical leg the 36 inch cast iron pipe would

turn and run out into the tidal channel for a distance of not less

than 200 feet from the outer end of the pier. At this distance there

would be a short riser of 24 inch pipe, provided with two 12 inch

54—Ex. 202

ALE,

PLATE Vill

( EKMG he 22 2)

mere

LIILNO GIOWAWENS

VWIIdAL O04

AGNLS

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0% =.1 B¥woS

VivsiNnd 40 311408d

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Re eee ST ee a een

PES (Sa = —_———- .. : : : -

Fale | 2.02 "Jala 13, ‘Of ar — : : : . |

A ' e "= ete

WO0l10G” ~ Fwnisiug | ~~~ ~~ > >>

S23Vsno zt MNS

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—— ALIWOHANY WORWYH

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WILWM HOH NWie

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“Lg O82 NHL SS3T 10N

BS -— ove cat

Ppne

wy wets a -

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4537

outlets which would discharge in a direction parallel to the main

line of the pipe and perpendicular to the direction of the tidal cur-

rents.

From the riser just mentioned, the cast iron pipe, now reduced to

30 inches, would extend 50 feet further from shore to a second riser

similar to the first. From this point the cast iron pipe reduced to

4 inches in diameter would extend the final 50 fect to its outer

limit, where it would be joined by a third riser to discharge the re-

nuining sewage, as in the first two cases,

The cast iron pipe would, where practicable. be laid in a trench

dredged in the bottom. Where the support was poor or uncertain,

piles would be driven to carry the pipe. The pipe would be covered

with a light filling of rip-rap and the trench filled. The minimum

depth at which outfalls of this character should) be constructed

would have to be fixed by the Harbor Line Board. Apparently

there ix a depth of water in the Hudson river along the Manhattan

shore at practically all points sufficient to permit this form of con-

struction to he adopted. A study for a submerged outfall is shown

in Plate VITT, following page 60.

The submerged outfalls would be for the dry weather flow of

vewage. Storm water would be overtlowed under the piers. The dry

weather flow of sewage would generally be carried to the submerged

outfalls by pumping.

(Here follows Plate VITI, Exhibit No. 202.)

55—Ex. 202

ASS THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Vs.

61 IV.

Opinion of U.S. Engineers on the Proposed Island.

Recognizing that responsibility for the maintenance of a proper

depth of water for navigation in the harbor rested with the U. s

War Department and that the island proposed by the conimission

for the disposal of the sewage of the Lower East river could be

constructed only with the permis-ion of that Department. applica

tion was made to the Secretary of War requesting the views of the

War Department with respect to thix subject. The commission:

application was referred by the Secretary of War to the Chief of

Engineers, U.S. Army, and by him to the New York Harbor Line

Board for report.

The New York Harbor Line Board consists of Colonel< W. 7

Rossell, W. M. Black and 8. W. Roessler of the Corps of Engineer:

U8. Army. The island would be in that part of the harbor whied

is under the special jurisdiction of Col, Roessler, who has had me

experience with breakwaters and other structures intended to red

the destructive action of the sea. The Iarbor Line Board eave «

hearing on the commission's project on Mareh 7, 1913. On the

oecasion the subject was thoroughly discussed, plans. charts and pro

files of the proposed structures being produced.

The opinion of the Iarbor Line Board was transmitted to the con

mission by the War Department on March 22. 1913. It wae to the

effect that an island in either of the two locations sugeested by thy

commission, one of which is shown on Plate I, following mace 4

of Preliminary Report VIoof the Metropolitan Sewerage Commis

sion, would not interfere unduly with navigation nor have an ur

favorable effect upon the harbor. In this opinion the Chief of

Engineers concurred.

The correspondence in full follows:

February 18, 1913.

Hon. Henry L. Stimson, Secretary of War. Washington. D. C.

Sir: In making plans for a sanitary disposal of the sewage of

New York City, it has hecome desirable to consider the practicability

of constructing an island near the entrance of New York harbor

The island would be located on one of the shallow, sandy bars whic

are divided by the Fourteen Foot Channel to the north of Ambrow

Channel.

62 The island would be constructed with an enclosing wall of

rip-rap and a filling of sand or other solid material, the total

area occupied being less than 30 acres. Upon the island would le

tanks and other structures in which much of the solid matters o

the sewage would be removed to be carried to sea in boats or disposed

of in some other acceptable manner, while the clarified effluent would

be discharged into the surrounding water through outlets so arranged

as to insure its prompt dispersion and disappearance. The sewage.

amounting to about 200,000,000 gallons per twenty-four hours.

would be brought to the island through a tunnel.

Recognizing the authority which is exercised by the general gor

56—Ex. 202

sia atti OOF ER Le CA OF pa eer: eae

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 4539

ernment over the navigable waters, this commission desires to place

its project in sufficient detail before vou, to the end that an early

determination may be reached as to the permissibility of construct-

ing and using this island in the manner, and for the purpose, stated,

Members of this commission will be pleased to call upon vou with

reference to the subject in case you visit New York, or they will go

to Washington to see vou, if preferable. The technical details of

this plan can be laid before such army engineer, oflicer or officers

of the New York Harbor Line Board as vou may de-ignate.

Your early attention to this subject is requested in order that the

result of your consideration may be known in time to be used in a

report soon to be issued by this commission.

Respectfully, (GEORGE A. SOPER,

JAMES H. FUERTEs,

H. DE B. PARSONS,

CHARLES SOOYSMITH,

LINSLY R. WILLIAMS,

Commissioners,

March 3, 1913.

Mr. George A. Soper, President. Metropolitan Sewerage Commission.

17 Battery Place. New York City.

Desk Sin: 1. The Harbor Line Board has before it your applica-

tion of Feb. 18 to the Secretary of War concernine the construction

of an artificial island near the entrance to New York harbor. and

also a letter of Feb. 1h from Mr, TL. de B. Par ons. Consulting

Engineer, requesting that this matter be laid before this Board. In

in the case, it ix requested that vou submit more detailed plans and

make a definite application for such construction,

63 2. The Board desires to take this matter up at 10 a. m. on

March 7th and it is requested that these plans be submitted

before this time and that if possible you or your repre-entatives be

present to confer with the Board in the matter on that date.

Very respectfully, WILLIAM T. ROSSELL,

Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Senior Member of Board.

March 6, 1913.

Colnel William T. Rossell, Corps of Engineers, New York Harbor

Line Board, Army Building, New York City.

Dear Sir: Your letter of March 3, relating to the proposal of

this commission to construct an island near the mouth of New

York harbor, has been received.

Application is hereby made for permission to construct and main-

tain an island for the treatment and disposal of sewage in accord-

ance with the following plan:

The object of constructing the island is to afford opportunity

for the treatment and final disposition of a quantity of sewage from

the inner harbor sufficient to relieve and protect the inner harbor

1 its excessive burden of pollution.

The location proposed for the island is in shoal water, preferably

57—Ex. 202

OTS,

RUT RT RRR tame

“7

in latitude 40° 32’ 02” N, longitude 73° 59’ 46” W, or in latitude

40° 31 26” N. loneitude 73° 5S’ 21” W,

In plan, the island would be approximately rectangular except

that the seaward side would le reunded. The area at the tart

would be about 20 acres of filled land and about 10 acres of harbor

for the protection of vessels engaged in transporting supplies to the

island and taking sludge and other materials away.

The outer face of the island will be a wall of rip-rap composed of

large pieces of broken stone carried to the site on boats and laid upon

the hard sandy bottom. It is expected that some settlement will

at first occur, due to the water cutting sund away from under the

stone. The main bulk of the island wil le compeced of sand

supplied from a suction dredge which will take its supply from the

bottom of the sea, or earth, ashes and other suitable material,

The height of the island above mean low water will be about 18

feet. The length of the island, when fir-t constructed will be about

1,300 feet and the width 1,000 feet. The side of the rip-rap wall

which is exposed to the sea will have a slope of 1 vertical upon 3

horizontal and the two adjoining sides will have an outer slope of

about lon 2. The rip-rap will Le 14 feet across the top and

64 will be surmounted by a concrete parapet wall 4 feet in height

The rip-rap will be from 75 to 122 feet wide on the bottom,

according to the location with respect to the sea. ’

The island will contain a plant of settling tanks in which the

sewage will have an opportunity to settle and deposit ite solid mat |

ters during a period of about two hours. These tanks will be modi- —

fied Dortmund tank construction, similar to those recently con

structed at Toronto, Canada. Provision can be made for treating

the sewage, if necessary, with a coagulant before passing it into the

tanks.

After treatment, the sewage will be discharged through a number

of outlets arranged radially from the island in such position as te

bring about the most immediate and perfect dispersion of the sewage

practicable. If desirable, it will be feasible to pump sea water and

mix it with the sewage before the dixchara take place. Such ad

mixture would facilitate the immediate diffusion of the sewage in

the sea water; but the active agitation and free movement of the

great volume of water in the vicinity of the island will, it is expected,

make a preliminary mixture of sea water and sewage by pumping

unnecessary.

The materia! which will settle out of the sewage in the tanks will

be carried to sea in vessels and dumped sufficiently far from the land

to insure that no trace will reach bathing Leaches, inbval ited «hore

or oyster grounds.

_ Provision will be made for a laboratory and dwelling house for

those who will be needed to operate the tanks and other devices for

the treatment and discharge of the sewage. It will he feasible to

maintain a light on the island for the benefit of navigation. in ca

this is desirable.

In course of time, it will be necessary to increase the size of the

island and it is proposed that this will be done by extending it

5S--Ex, 202

4540 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK VS.

et eRe

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY PT At. 141

length so that the total area covered will he about three times that

of the original island, or, approximately, 70 acres.

The quantity of sewage which will be brought to the island at

the beginning is estimated at about 203,000,000 gallons per 24

hours during dry weather. During -orms, this volume will increase

about 100 per cent. This sewage will be collected from those parts

of Manhattan and Brooklyn whose drainage is naturally tributary

to the Lower East river between the Battery and 28th street, Man-

hattan. It is proposed to collect the -ewage by building intercepting

sewers close to the water front to receive the sewage from the existing

combined sewers and gather it to a central pumping station to be

located near the Brooklyn Naey Yard. A siphon built beneath the

East river, will carry the -ewage of Manhattan to the Brooklyn side.

At the central pumping station the sewage will be purped through

a force main built as a tunnel to the island. The tunnel will be

over 20 feet Leneath the Lettom of the Lower hay and o be free from

injury to anchors even in the deepet parts of the channel be

tween the island and the mainland where vessels rarely anchor. The

sewage will consist of the ordinary dry weather flow except at periods

of rainfall when the storm water from the streets will also be received

to the extent of about once the volume of the average hourly produe-

tion of house sewage.

65 All the sewage which ix sent to the island will have been

passed through grit chambers and screens with openings not

larger than one-half inch. The sewage from Manhattan will be

screened before passing to the Brooklyn side. Since it will be rela-

tively fresh, it ix extimated that no less than 15 per cent of the sus

matter will be extracted. Grit chambers will be located near

the screens and their efficient operation will be insured by the neces-

sity which will exist for removing the readily settleable material

from the sewage in order to prevent obstructions in the siphon and

interference with the pumps. The Brooklyn sewage will be passed

through screens and grit chambers no less effective than those of

Manhattan before the sewage is pumped through the force main. "1

is estimated that the settling basins on the island will remove at

least 60 per cent of the suspended matter from the sewage. It is

expected that the total effect of the treatment by grit chambers,

sreens and settling basin< will he to remove considerably more than

75 per cent of the suspended matter originally present.

th is helieved ly this commission that either of the two locations

here proposed for the island will be favorable for the sanitary dis-

posal of the sewage and will be free from objection from the stand-

point of navigation. Both sites are upon sand reefs where no vessels

excent fishing craft of lighte-t draft are likely to pass. The area

of the island, even when extended to the dimensions which mav

ultimately be necessary, will be so small, as compared with the total

area of the Lower bay, as not seriously to interfere either with the

tidal prism or with the force or direction of the tidal currents flow-

ing in and out of the harbor. The amount of solid matter contained

the sewage when discharged will be slight as compared with the

volumes of water in the vicinity of the island and the action of

So—Ex. 22

42 THE PROPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Vs.

the waves and currents in thix part of the harbor are so active that

it seems improbable to this commission that deposits of any serious

extent would be formed, even if the sewage was to be discharged

in crude condition.

‘nt fret permission to build the island, which this conmni-<ien

would interpret as expressing a belief that no interference would be

caused by the island to navigation, this commission would value the

opinion of the Harbor Line Board as to the probable capacity of the

island to resist the destructive action of the sea. It ix recognized

that the Army Engineers posses the qualifications of experts on

this subject. If material criticism can be brought against the pro-

poral of this commission for the construction of the island on the

scope of structural defect. suggestions looking to a mere durable form

of contruction would be regarded in the light of a public service.

‘ecompanving this letter i< a chart of Lower New York | av, <hew-

ing the two alternative locations for the proposed island, a profile

giving the line of the tunnel through which the sewage would he

pumped to the island, a plan of the island and three cross sections of

the retaining walls.

Respectfully, GEORGE A, SOPER, President

66 March 22, 191%.

Ilon. George A. Soper, Pre-ident Metropolitan Sewerage Comix

sion, 17 Battery Place, New York City.

Six: Referring to vour letter of the 18th ultimo, submitting, for

the views of this Department, a proposition of the Metropolitan Sew-

erage Commission of New York, as part of a plan for the disposal

of the sewage of New York City by the construction of an island in

Lower New York bay, I beg to inform vou that the New York Har-

hor Line Board, to which the matter was referred, reports under

date of 15th instant, ax follows:

“The Board is of the opinion that an artificial island in the Lower

bay between Coney Island and Sandy Hook in either one of the

two locations shown on the map, and with the dimension= across the

direction of the hay and flow of the tide substantially as shown, will

pet intertere unduly with navigation, ner have an unfavorable

effect upon the harbor. Before issuing a formal permit it is sug-

gested that the Sewerage Commis-ion be requested to submit a map

~howing the approximate position and size of the island it propose

to build at the present time and propozed future enlargement, and

the location of the sewers between it and the shore; also such details

of the plan of the settling basin or other means for clarifying the

sewage as may be necessary to show whether or not such plan will

effectually prevent solid matter escaping into the channel in undue

amount; also a profile of the proposed sewer showing the depth

below low water along its entire route and beyond the crossing of

Coney Island Creek.”

The Chief of Engineers concurs in the views of the Harbor Line

Board, and the map referred to showing dimensions, etc., is trans

mitted herewith.

Very respectfully, ROBERT SHAW OLIVER,

Assistant 8S WwW

et tO

THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ET AL. 45

° Compviarsants’ Exner No. 208. James D. Maher, Com-

New Yorx City, May 19th, 1913.

This certifies that a copy of the within report has been filed in the

Mavor’s office by the Metropolitan Sewerage Commission.

JAMES MATTHEWS,

Executive Secretary.

Preliminary Reports on the Disposal of New York's Sewage.

vil.

Critical Reports of Dr Gilbert J. Fowler, of Manchester. England,

and Mr. John PD. Watson, of Birmingham, England. on the

Projects of the Metropolitan Sewerage Commission

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