“Shallow well-waters of Brooklyn”

Abstract

Many streets of Brooklyn are without a public water-supply and a sewage system. The residents of these streets are therefore dependent upon wells for their water-supply, and upon privy vaults and cesspools to remove the sewage and waste water of their homes. The soil is uniformly sandy and water may be had by driving a pipe or digging a few feet below the surface. The water obtained is to a certain extent surface water. The underground water is necessarily influenced by the sea water. This influence is very marked in some instances, as is shown by the high chlorin content, accompanied by the low contents of other constituents that could indicate sewage contamination.

The following tables present average analytic data regarding condemned shallow wells, also regarding wells considered to be of a suspicious quality and wells which were passed as being of fair quality. Very few of the latter class were considered to be of good quality, and some might possibly have been classed as suspicious upon their high nitrate contents, considered with the proximity of the sources of contamination.

Tables giving average, and high and low results of analyses of 438 shallows wells in Brooklyn N. Y., which are used for domestic purposes; also sic data obtained for 14 deep wells used for manufacturing purposes. The figures represent parts in 100,000.

The highest and lowest figures which enter into the averages are also given. These figures do not represent any particular analyses, but are selected from the different results from which the averages were made. Table D gives the average data for deep wells that supply water for manufacturing purposes. These data may be used as standards in judging the purity of wells whose waters are used for domestic purposes.