Dr. McCullough. The policy of the provincial board is, broadly speaking, along public-health lines. We are satisfied that the water supplies are accountable for a good deal of disease of an intestinal character, and it is our object to lessen the amount of pollution of the boundary waters as much as possible and have the waters purified as much as possible. Just recently we have been able to secure a purification plant at Niagara, on the Lake, where there is a military concentration camp, under an arrangement of this kind. The municipality is bearing half the expense and the Federal Government is bearing the other half, because it is such an important matter from the point of view of having the troops there supplied with good water.
Mr. Mignault. Is that water furnished to the municipality generally, or simply to the camp?
Dr. McCullough. At Niagara-on-the-Lake it is a municipal water supply. They simply pump it from the Niagara River and clarify it. It requires to be very heavily chlorinated, because it is badly polluted. Then, in addition to that, the military authorities have provided this year a portable violet-ray plant, whereby the water supplied for cooking and drinking purposes to the soldiers’ camp is purified.
Mr. Mignault. That is merely for the water supplied to the camp?
Dr. McCullough. Yes; but not that will be further improved by the town having a filtration plant, the cost of which will be borne jointly by the Federal Government and by the municipality.
Mr. Gardner. Do they take the water from above or below the Falls?
Dr. McCullough. Niagara-on-the-Lake is at the mouth of the river, away below the Falls; about 12 miles below the Falls.
Mr. Mignault. Some members of the commission had the advantage of seeing the filtration plant at the camp last week.
Dr. McCullough. That is the violet-ray plant. It does the work very well; but, of course, it is only a small affair.
Mr. Powell. There is filtration in connection with that?