Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/614

 WOMAN'S HOME 588 In considering any house remote from a public supply, the water question is one of the first and most important matters on which to obtain the fullest information. A good form of stay for casement windows The questions to be asked are : What is the source of supply ? If rain- water, how is it stored and filtered ? If well-water, where is the well situated, and what precautions are taken to prevent pollution ? Is the water hard or soft ? Should there be any circumstances of a kind to cast doubt upon the purity of the water for domestic purposes, it is wise to leave the house alone, unless the would-be tenant is pre- pared to spend money in putting things right, or is able to induce the landlord to do so. Apart from unwholesome pollution, well- water is sometimes rendered unpalatable by the intrusion of roots from a tree in the near vicinity. In a case investigated by the writer, the roots formed a tangled mass almost filling the well. In another instance, the rain-water from the roof was carried directly into the well, with the result that the well-water was always turbid after rain. These instances show that one cannot be too careful in searching out all possible causes of pollution of the domestic water supply before committing oneself to a tenancy. Rain-water Little need be said on this head because rain-water seldom constitutes the main domestic supply. There must be other very great attractions to make desirable a house that depends solely on a rain-water supply. The water is taken from the roof, and, therefore, is subject to contamination by the organic matter that collects there. Consequently it becomes essential to provide means for rejecting the water that comes •down first, otherwise the roof washings will descend to the storage tank. Even then it is safer to boil or efficiently filter it before use. As a supplementary supply in country districts, rain-water has a very real value for washing and culinary purposes, owing to its softness. It has been seen already how liable to contamination is well-water. The whole- someness of water from surface wells depends upon the efficiency of the means adopted for guarding it against the infiltration of organic impurities. In many cases no such means exist. The Well Well-water is usually bright and palatable, but these characteristics may co-exist with organic pollution of the grossest kind. In taking a country house supplied with water from a surface well, it is imperative that the tenant should have some guarantee that the water is pure, and this can only be obtained by putting the matter into the hands of an expert. Open wells are always liable to pollution by dirt and other offensive matter blowing or draining into them. The bucket also carries in its quota of dirt every time the water is drawn. The best type of well is one that is built in cement for the greater part of its depth, so as to exclude the surface drainage, and is covered in at the top. Tube wells have the same advantage, since the water is drawn entirely from the lowest level. The pump should always be indoors, both to guard it against frost, and for convenience. The best arrangement is a " force pump," delivering the water to a cistern in the roof, whence it may be distributed throughout the house. Lead pumps, formerly common, are dangerous when the water is soft. Modern pumps are of iron, which is free from this objection. SURFACE. WELL A surface well should be covered in at the top, and be buijt in cement for the greater part of its depth The cistern should be covered in to exclude dirt and animals, and put in a readily accessible place to permit of periodical cleansing. Every cistern should be provided with a ball-cock of approved pattern. To be continued.