In 1913, Earle B. Phelps in the Division of Chemistry conducted a series of studies on water pollution and the biochemistry of sewage and industrial wastes which had far reaching importance for pure water.

The scope and purposes of the survey as a whole, which reference was made for a detailed description of the Ohio River, summarized its sources of pollution, and measurements of discharge and velocity, also for presentation and discussion of the results of bacteriological examinations and chemical analyses other than those dealing with observations on dissolved oxygen.