Letter enclosing report on Las Vegas water supply from Henry Albert (Reno) to Walter R. Bracken (Las Vegas) postmarked May 26, 1925

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA STATE HYGIENIC LABORATORY HENRY ALBERT. DIRECTOR RENO. NEVADA May 26, 1925. Mr. Bracken, Vice President and Agent of the Las Vegas Land & Water Co., Las Vegas, Nevada. My Dear Mr. Bracken: Enclosed please find a copy of the report of the survey of the Las Vegas water supply made by Mr. Mendelsohn and myself. Am also enclosing a photograph of the well. I am sorry that we did not have more time to spend in Las Vegas, but hope to be with you again next year. Very sincerely yours, Henry Albert HA/EB INVESTIGATION OF THE WATER SUPPLY OF LAS VEGAS, CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA. On April 24, 1925, by Dr. Henry Albert, Director State Hygienic Laboratory, and Associate Sanitary Engineer, Isador W. Mendelsohn, U.S. Public Health Service. In accordance with a cooperative arrangement between the Nevada State Board of Health and the U. S. Public Health Service, an investigation was made of the public water supply of Las Vegas. Information was furnished by Mr. Walter R. Braoken, Vice-President and Agent of the Las Vegas Land and Water Company. Las Vegas is the county seat of Clark County in the extreme southeastern part of Nevada. It is a passenger and freight division point of the Union Pacific System and the railroad has large shops here. The surrounding country is an agricultural section, with some mining. The population according to the 1920 census was 2304 and is estimated at present at about 2500. The water supply is owned by the Las Vegas Land and Water Company which is a subsidiary of the Union Pacific System. The water system consists of an artesian well, settling basins, and distribution mains. Formerly the water was obtained from several springs, but these have been abandoned recently. The well was drilled in the spring of 1924, water being tapped on June 27. The well is on land owned by the company about 1 7/8 miles east of the city. The well is 635' deep with 12" California stove pipe casing to the bottom. The log of the well is as follows: 23' lime rock; 7' gypsum; 3' lime rock; 23' gypsum; 3' lime rock; 67' clay; 5' lime rock; 105' clay; 3' lime rock; 14' clay; limerock, shale; 4' lime rock; 34' clay; 128' gravel and boulders; 2' clay; 11' gravel; 24' lime rock; 86' clay, 75' cement gravel. There are no habitations within a quarter of a mile of the well. The land is fenced in at present. The top of the well construction is incomplete, not being capped satisfactorily. The water flows by gravity through an open 12" square wood flume above the ground to a concrete settling basin with wood cover, with wire screens at the inlet and the outlet. This basin is 10' x 10' x 8' deep. It is to be removed as soon as a new basin is constructed. From this basin a 16" steel pipe extends 300' to a concrete settling basin 6' x 6' x 6' deep with screened inlet and outlet. The cover is of wood boards. From this basin a 13" wood pipe carries the water to the city, this pipe enlarging into a 16" redwood pipe near the city. At present a new settling basin is being constructed, 5' deep x 40' x 60', of concrete with concrete roof. This basin is connected with the smaller basin by a 34" wood stovepipe. The basins are on land owned by the company, as is also the pipe line to the city. The flow of water from the well is computed at 8.13 second feet. The land at the well is 83' higher than the city. The spring water and the excess flow from the well is diverted into Las Vegas Creek at present, Mr. Bracken stating that no spring water is turned into the city mains. The distribution mains consist of wood pipe, 13", 10", 8", and 6". In 1934, many of the older and smaller wood lines in the city were replaced. There are no dead ends. Of the 434 services, 417 are in use. All are on a flat rate. This rate is $1.00 per month for a house with less than six rooms; 15cts. for each additional room; 35 cts. addition for a bath tub; and 35 cts. additional for a toilet. A chemical examination of the water supply at Las Vegas as made by the Department of Food and Drugs Control, University of Nevada (See Department Report for period ending Dec. 31, 1918) gave the following parts per million:- Total solids 267 Silica 13 Iron .3 Calcium 56 Magnesium 33 Sodium and Potassium 11-6 Carbonate radicle 0 Bicarbonate radicle 339 Sulphate radicle 43 Chlorine 6 Nitrate radicle 3 Bacteriological examinations of Las Vegas water collected at the well and at the Nevada Hotel on April 34, 1935, were made at the State Hygienic Laboratory at Reno. The sample from the well contained 10 bacteria per cubic centimeter, the one from the hotel, 13. No B. -2- coli were found in either of these specimens. Discussion of the Purity of the Water. This supply seems to be safe, providing the well is capped in a sanitary manner and the water brought in a closed pipe system to the town. The spring water and any surface water should be excluded from the system. Means should be provided for keeping trespassers from the well and the settling basins to prevent contamination of the water. The water company is responsible for the purity of the water. In case of any waterbcrne disease outbreak in the city due to the water furnished by the company, the company is liable for damages. In 1920 in the case of the People vs. the City of Pittsburg, California, the court held the city for $32,831.29 damages for 19 plaintiffs who contracted disease from the water supplied by the city. RECOMMENDATIONS. In order to safeguard the water supply as much as possible, the following recommendations are made: 1. The fence about the well and the basins should be repaired and locked gates provided. The tops of the basins and any manhole covers should be locked. 2. The well should be capped in such a manner that no contaminating material may enter the water. The water should be led from the well to the settling basins in closed pipes. Union Pacific System Methods of Watering Cars; According to Mr. J. F. Cory, the Car Foreman, all passenger trains are watered at Las Vegas, which has a through station. The cabooses are also watered here. There are 21 hydrant boxes spaced 50' in the 10' wide gravel walk between the two passenger train tracks. The boxes are of concrete with iron covers flush with the ground. They are 3' x 3' x 3' with one inch iron pipe risers extending 2' above the gravel bottoms of the boxes. The water hose is screwed to the end of the riser pipe and kept in the hydrant box. Most of the boxes are larger than the dimensions given. The rubber hose are in 50' lengths with 12" iron nipples. -3- At an early date sheet iron guards are to be placed on the hose near the nozzles. 1/2 thick by 7 1/2 in diameter, according to blue print drawings A-1528, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, December 24, 1924. Cabooses are watered on the caboose track near the shops. The four hydrants are iron pipes extending 2' above the ground with hand valves and air hose couplings. The rubber hose are in 50' lengths with air hose couplings and no nozzles. The hose were found on the gravel ground. The ice house is of wood at the side of the tracks west of the station. The ice carts are of wood and canvas, with covers. The railroad has an eleveated steel water tank of 70,000 gallons capacity. A water softening plant is to be set up here. RECOMMENDATIONS. In order to water the cars in a sanitary manner, the following recommendations are made: 1. Iron prongs should be fixed in the hydrant boxes to keep the nozzles from the bottoms and prevent contamination. 3. The rubber hose for the cabooses should be provided with nipples and guards similar to the passenger train hose, and should be kept in similar hydrant boxes and given the same care.