NOTES ON SOME OF THE SAMPLES OF WATER EXAMINED IN THE LABORATORY.

No. 470. This sample was taken from an old well twenty feet deep, located 20 or 25 feet from the privy, and fifty feet from the stable. The report to the person who sent the sample said that "the sample is chemically a fairly good water. The nearness of the privy and even of the stable to the well is more suggestive of danger than the actual condition of the water as we find it now. The privy, especially, should be managed by some of the dry methods so that no soakage from it can find its way into the well."

No. 471. From a spring in the woods about a third of a mile from any buildings. This is a water very free from organic impurities, but considerably harder than the average of spring waters in the State.

No. 475. From a spring The blank accompanying the sample says that there is no privy "within thirty feet of the spring." If there is one not farther removed than this distance it undoubtedly accounts for the fact that the free and organic ammonia and even the chlorine are in excess of the average for spring waters in this State. The water cannot be considered a safe one for drinking purposes.

No. 478. From a spring issuing from a ledge. There are no sources of pollution in the vicinity. This is a very pure spring water and of a very desirable quality for drinking purposes.

Nos. 479 and 480. These two samples were sent by the Phillips Water Company for the purpose of enabling them to decide as to a suitable source for a public water supply. One sample was taken from Sandy river when the water was at medium height and the other from a spring on a hill side. The following report was made on the samples :

"I enclose blanks giving the results of the chemical examination of the two samples of water lately received from the Phillips Water Company. Looking at the results obtained, that is, judging from the chemical analysis alone, I should say that either source would furnish a good supply for drinking purposes. It is, very far from advisable, however, in choosing a source for a public supply to base the judgment upon the chemical examination alone and much

less upon the results of a single examination. I should, therefore, advise by all means the sending of other samples for examination at intervals of about four weeks and as long a time as the interval before beginning work will permit. It would especially be useful to you to have an examination made at the time of the spring freshet.

"I would say of the results of these examinations that the total solids, hardness, and free and organic ammonia, are all very satisfactory. The organic ammonia is especially low for a river water. The spring water has a little higher total solids, it is a little harder, and has a little more free and organic ammonia in it than is found in the very best of spring waters in this State, but not enough in it to justify me in calling it otherwise than a good spring water, especially without further examination of it. I would respectfully refer you to the report made last year on the examinations of the public water supplies in the State. You will perhaps be interested in comparing the results therein given with those which I give you with these two samples. I would gladly send you a copy of that report if the edition were not almost entirely sent out, and will do so, if you cannot borrow one from your local board of health."

No. 481. From a well dug twelve feet below the bottom of a Icellar in which it is located. The well is in a thickly built part of the village with the sink drain, cess-pool, and privy from twenty to thirty-five feet distant. Typhoid fever and much other sickness has occurred in the families using this water, and the doctor has been called to them much oftener than to other families close by using the aqueduct water. The following report was made: "The well is badly located and even with the care which has apparently been taken with the well the cess-pools are much too near for safety. Under such conditions, almost always, we usually get more unfavorable results than I have with this sample, yet for Maine well-waters there is an excess of chlorine and nitrates which indicate a certain amount of pollution. I should feel very sure that at certain seasons, the water from this well would give much worse results than I have got from this sample. The examinations which I have made of the water supplied by the Sanford Water Company shows it to be good. The water from this well I should not want to use,

basing my judgment rather more upon the description of the surroundings of the well than upon the chemical examination.