By 1902, the opening of the Sanitary and Ship Canal had allowed for the permanent reversal of the Chicago River. As water flowed out of the lake in the river, it was assumed that the overall water supply for Chicago was improved. However, by the early twentieth century, scientists understood more clearly that bacteria contaminated water and caused diseases like cholera and typhoid. In this report by Edwin Oakes Jordan, a professor of bacteriology at the University of Chicago, filtration is raised as a means to eliminate bacteria that could not be tasted or smelled. Jordan argued that Chicago’s place as a rail center made the need for a safe water supply even more essential.

Author: Edwin Oakes Jordan
Source: Chicago Historical Society (ICHi-37348)