ing such that a large amount of ground water and presumably also river water must be finding its way into the pump well direct.

Such being the case it is very important that steps be promptly taken to correct this condition, either by breaking off this line altogether or through the installation of a gate at a point just above where the line leading from the filter-collecting well enters. It is assumed that you will arrange to give this matter early attention.

Regarding the broken seal on the gate valve at the screen well, this was never reported, as required by law. Concerning when the gate was last opened we have no information. If this was a considerable time ago it must have escaped Mr. Marner's observation as it should have been sealed by him.

SUNAPEE

The following is the text of a communication addressed to the local heaith officer relative to the Sunapee Water supply:

August 21, 1925

"Mr. Albert D. Felch

Health Officer

Sunapee, New Hampshire

Dear Mr. Felch:

"As you are aware, on the 18th this department investigated with you various matters pertaining to the protection of the purity of the water of Lake Sunapee.

"Most of these directly related to the purity of the town water supply, these items being (I) sewerage from hotels and cottages lining the Harbor, (II) incidental contamination at the boat landings, (III) conditions at the town bathing beach, and (IV) an inquiry concerning the feasibility of so extending the public water supply intake as to permit of removal of the existent prohibition concerning bathing within the restricted area.

We are informed that the present intake is some 200 to 300 feet out from the restaurant wharf, a little west of the channel, in about 30 feet of water. Pipe said to be of wood, "about a foot in diameter." The supply, installed by the town in 1901, is drawn by a pump from the lake over a slight elevation to the pumping station situated on the river just below the highway bridge, thence forced up to a distribution reservoir.

I. DRAINAGE FROM HOTELS AND COTTAGES

Both sides of the Harbor for some little distance above the intake are rather thickly lined with cottages, and some distance back from

the water's edge, but contributing heavily to the pollution of the watershed are at least two hotels, one of which (the Burkehaven) has for some time been a source of complaint because of the extensive sewage discharge, much of which, in spite of collecting contrivances, seeps along on the surface well toward the lake shore. The other hotel (Indian Cave), recently erected, is just now experiencing trouble with its sewage disposal but this is now planned to be taken care of through entrance into a small sewer line conveying to the river.

With a few exceptions the cottages on the lake shore depend upon cesspools and septic tanks, with however no very great measure of success. The slope is a very considerable one, and the soil rocky, relatively non-absorbent, and full of water, and it is obvious that even though indirectly and with some filtration all of this polluted, or at least but very imperfectly purified, water must eventually seep into the Harbor. Considering the number of cottages involved, together with the hotels, the resultant contamination must be substantial and to be reckoned with.

The argument that as regards the hotels and cottages the conditions are not materially different now from what they have been for a long time is not altogether sound. Conditions are in fact far from being the same as they were twenty or even ten years ago. Nowadays people bathe much more than formerly. The modern demand is for a "room with bath", and certainly in the absence of out-of-door bathing facilities the tendency is to provide cottages with bathrooms. This means that the problem of keeping sewage out of the lake is a much more difficult one than formerly.

II. CONTAMINATION AT LANDING

Immediately at the foot of the Harbor are the boat wharves, boat houses, landing house, a restaurant pavilion and various other structures, while but a few rods back is the large Ben Mere Inn. While the sewage from all these buildings appears to be carried away by a line into the river, yet there is bound to be a great deal of incidental contamination from the very large amount of boating almost continually going on during the day and evening immediately over and around the intake. A storm sewer which takes the wash from the lawns of the hotel and the highway discharges close to the water's edge immediately opposite this intake.

While it is true that the current here is from the intake toward the shore into the outlet, yet this current is not a very powerful one and it is quite conceivable that with strong winds some of the contaminative material may be blown toward the intake. In addition there is a question as to the tightness of the individual joints of the submerged pipe.

Investigation showed that in the case of both of the steamboats the toilets are provided with pails, the contents of which are said to be emptied into the sewer.

By all modern recognized standards the conditions under which the public water supply is taken from the lake must be adjudged as very poor,-something which could not possibly receive the sanction of any state health board were this a new proposition coming up for approval-such as is now required in New Hampshire for new water supplies under the Law of 1913.

III. BATHING BEACH

The town maintains a most attractive bathing beach on the west side at a point a half mile or so above the steamer landing. One serious defect noted, and which has a direct bearing upon the public water supply, is the absence of any toilet facilities. This is a situation which should be corrected as soon as possible.

This beach is patronized by hundreds of bathers every warm day during the summer months. The trend of the current from here is directly over the intake.

IV. PROPOSAL TO EXTEND INTAKE

At the request of certain of the cottagers resident on the Harbor some consideration was given at this time to the feasibility of so extending the present intake pipe out into the lake as to permit of the removal of the present bathing prohibition. At the present time bathing is prohibited within the area, the outside bound of which is a line extending from the Nutting cottage, on the east (?), to the Keyes cottage on the west side, these limits being established under the provision of the 1923 statute.

Such restriction is not unnaturally proving irksome to many of the residents whose cottages are situated inside the proscribed area, compliance with the law requiring that these go some half mile, more or less, by boat over to the public bathing beach. Reference has already been made to the modern increased bathing trend and undoubtedly there is something in the complaint that it is a hardship and a source of considerable annoyance to those who, although having porches with steps leading almost directly into the water, are nevertheless forbidden from taking the morning plunge now regarded by so many as an almost necessary beginning for the day's existence. These summer people argue that, denied this privilege, no inconsiderable part of the attraction and value of their sojourn at the lake is lost to them; they also argue, also probably with considerable force, that the business they bring to the locality means much to the town, and that therefore the permanent residents might

well afford to go out of their way, if necessary, in order to grant the desired concessions.

In so far as the latter may mean any modification of the present bathing limits in respect to the present public water supply intake, such an appeal is not entitled to further consideration. This department has already investigated this phase of the matter and is satisfied that the public safety, both that of the summer as well as of the permanent residents, demands that these limits continue as they now are.

NEEDED IMPROVEMENT OF SUPPLY

Meanwhile we have no doubt that here, as is usually the case under similar situations elsewhere, there is a certain not insignificant amount of surreptitious bathing going on within the area of proscription, notwithstanding the regulations. This and pollution by irresponsible boating parties are but two items of a number which, considered in their entirety, must inevitably convince any sanitarian that the present situation is one calling for improvement. One means to this end would be in extension of the intake, but whether this were done or the intake remains where it is, the same procedure would be to install chlorination as a safeguard against chance infections. As we have many times before pointed out, the cost of installation and operation of such a treatment is inconsiderable, and also with due respect to certain physicians, the erroneous views of whom are given without any intimate knowledge of the matter whatsoever, it is a treatment which would not impair the natural quality of this lake water in any degree. Not only would the dosage required be extremely minute (less than two pounds per million gallons) but no trace of even this minute proportion would ever reach the consumer as free chlorine. No consumer could truthfully and without the aid of imagination ever recognize the slightest difference.

It may be pointed out that this is not the first time this department has taken occasion to criticize the local water situation. Whatever course may be eventually decided upon, it is important that you bring to your citizens the need of taking some form of action for securing improvement.

As this communication apparently failed to arouse local interest to the need of improvements, on March 6, 1926, a letter was addressed to the State Board of Health by the chief of this division, urging that the town be instructed to take appropriate action, the situation being reviewed as follows:

"The situation may be summarized by stating that this supply is taken from a section of Lake Sunapee known as Sunapee Harbor, and that during the summer season, at the time when the cottages which line the shore of this part of the lake are occupied and there is a considerable congestion at this point of summer visitors, the water is exposed to a very material pollution hazard consequent upon drainage or seepage from the cottage sewerage systems, the operation of many boats, (including two steam boats), extensive bathing at the nearby bathing beach, and more or less surreptitious bathing. This hazard, while existent during the entire summer season, reaches its climax at the time of the annual regatta, which event is attended by thousands and when, through a special "dispensation," the rule against bathing in the Harbor is suspended.

"As the lake water is normally very clear and clean, filtration is scarcely called for and during seven or eight months of the year no treatment is essential. But during the summer season the application of a protective treatment is unquestionably indispensable to the public safety. In addition to transmittal of the attached report, the matter has been taken up orally with the commissioners. Apparently, however, the latter are not impressed concerning the need of application of any safeguard, and it is understood the local board has recently expressed itself as disinclined to take any action."

Subsequently a conference was had with the board of water commissioners, this resulting in the installation of chlorination of the supply early in the summer of 1926.