Sewerage

The Marietta Leader, February 1, 1893

It may not be generally known that plans and specifications have been prepared for a complete system of sewerage for this city, but such is the fact and the Council by a recent ordinance has adopted them and divided the City into sewer districts. 

These plans cover nearly every street and designate the depth, size of pipe, etc. for each street. Of course the depth of sewer trenches must relate to each other in such a way as to secure a rapid flow from one to the other and finally through the main trunk into the river. 

One of the mains will go down Putnam to Front, down Front to Butler, and thence to the river just below the railroad bridge. This will be 24 inches in diameter and fully sixteen feet deep and will probably be the first to be laid.

The sewers as planned will be for sewage, not for surface drainage; roof water, however, to a certain extent will be admitted. At convenient intervals will be constructed catch basins with automatic syphons for flushing purposes. These syphons will fill with water and when full will discharge into the sewer and flush out all impurities. 

These sewers will be constructed on the assessment plan. All the property in the sewer district will be assessed according to its valuation on tax duplicate pro rata, to pay the expense of construction. 

The City issue bonds for such amount as may be necessary to complete the district sewers, and these bonds will be paid off by the assessments as they fall due. The payments can be distributed over such period as the Council may determine. In some cities the bonds run for ten or more years, thus making the burden easier to bear. 

Everyone interested ought to begin to think about this matter and add the weight of their opinion to the general expression on this subject. The Council certainly will not move in this matter if any decided opposition shall be made. It will be done, if done at all, with the expectation that it is for the best interests of the City to have a complete system of sewerage - and not to please any faction or small minority.

It is certainly desirable to put in sewers ahead of street paving, and the sewers should be started far enough ahead of paving to enable the pavers to obtain a good foundation.

If any large amount of sewer work is to be done this season, no time should be lost in getting ready, as it takes about as long to get ready to lay sewers as it does to lay street pavement.