Rumors respecting the quality of the water supply have been finely circulated about town. We are happy to inform the citizens that the quality of the water is better than usual at this season of the year.
Early in July the reservoir was drained and carefully cleaned. The reservoir was absolutely free from any matter injurious to health. We found a few live fish and a small quantity of sand; otherwise, it was in excellent condition.
As will be noted in the communication from the State Board of Health, the purity of the supply is threatened by the presence of a picnic grove on the north side of the pond. Your Board have employed a police officer to patrol that part of the shore of the pond to see that picnic parties are not allowed to deposit any matter of an injurious nature near the shore of the pond. We expect soon to have the authority of the State Board of Health to enable us to protect the water supply in such a manner that the services of an officer will not be required.
The following is the communication between your Water Board and the State Board of Health :—
“Norwood, Mass.. Aug. 6, 1900. State Board of Health, Suite House, Boston :
Gentlemen: There are now in this town several cases of typhoid. As usual at such times the purity of the water supply is questioned.
As your Board have made a recent examination of the quality of the water, also of the source from which our supply is drawn, we ask you to favor us with the results of your investigations so far as they pertain to the water works.
Yours truly,
Edmund J. Shattuck, Chairman, Norwood Water Commissioners.”
“Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Office of the State Board of Health, State House, Boston.
August 10, 1900.
To the Water Commissioners of Norwood,
Edmund J. Shattuck, Chairman:
Gentlemen: In response to your request of August Oth, the State Board of Health has considered the conditions affecting the quality of the water of Buckmaster Pond, and the results of the analysis of recent samples of the water. The analysis shows that the water is of better quality than usual at this season of the year. The bad taste and odor sometimes occurring in this water, but not now noticeable, are undoubtedly due to the presence of organic matter, generally in the form of microscopic organisms not known to be injurious to health.
The purity of the supply is now threatened by the presence of a picnic grove not far from the shore of the pond; but at the present low stage of the water, serious danger from this cause can be prevented by preventing the deposit of sewage and Local matter in such a manner that it is liable to be washed into the pond. Provision should be made for properly disposing of all sewage and waste matter from this grove as soon as possible.
The investigations which have been made by the Board show that the presence of a considerable number of cases of typhoid fever in the town at the present time is due to polluted milk and not to public water supply.
By order of the Board, Henry P. Walcott, Chairman
E. J. SHATTUCK, M. M. ALDEN.
Norwood, Mass., Aug, 15, 1900.”