The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-08
TEE BR00KLYN WATER SUPPLY.
Proposed Increase OF Thirty Per Cent ON
WATER Rates.


| Proposed Increase OF Thirty Per Cent on
Water Rates.
The President OF the Board OF Water and SeweraQ,
Commissioners yesterday submitted statemen
looking TO plan for the reduction or the expenses
OF that department He proposes rigid exercise OF
economy In the administration OF the affairs or the
bureau and an adequate advance OF the water rates
The rates established ten years ago should be IN.
creased certain per centage In order 10 reach that
self-sustanng point which 10 Is the duty OF the
board TO make. The rates are predcated upon sup.
ply OF g. 1888 gallons for every dollar OF tax imposed
based also upon calculation as to the approx.
mate cost of The supply, aud as that cost has In
creased nearly twoold and the rates been left undis
turbed, II has proved q measure or necessity that
proportionate advance upon the present rates be
made "Under the present plan OF assessment
the communication or Commissioner Fowler SAYS.
'there will be no difficulty in adjusting the rates
and with the example OF water departments In
other cities the rates should be increased thirty per
cent on building rates and twenty per cent on va
cant lots that In these matters alone the Increase
would be something over $40, 000.r
A MUNICIPAL COMPARISON.
AS an Instance, the city OF Boston, whose works
have cost largely In excess Of ours are hardly SELF
sustaining, tAough with II higher tarr or charge
than ours, with the proposed Increase added and
consumption of water OF some three million per day
less than our own.
In the matter or extra rates for water I would
suggest radical reform, In part as foows-Bars
IS per annum when only ale and beer are sold; ali
the rest So $50 and $780, the rates to be governed
by location and estimated amount o; bus ness
Water closets 50 per annum each, rating any water
closet on the premises. Permanent wash hand.
basins, 81 each per year. Stationary washtubs ~
per tub per annum. Baths, % per annum each,
rating any bath. Street washers, So per year each
IL will be necessary to resurvey the whole OF the
piped district. The gain from this survey II pro-
pcrly carried out, VIII result IN great profit to the
department. As an instance In illustration the
report OF the Excise Commissioner for 1869 shows
1906 bars In the city of Brooklyn. Our books show
but 723. Granting that there 200 bars not I'm our
piped district Ia large estlmate 1t leaves 900 bars
not rated, and which should add to our receipts
from this source alone, nearly ten thousand dollars
The President OF the Board contnues:-To sum IN
taking the past year as basis, that we fall shoit
The sum Of $ll3,4el 20, in making our department
selfsusraning, we shall need to make the Increase
on all rates as have recommended and which Will
add to the income OF our department as follows:-
Thirty per cent on building rates. 800 600
Twenty per cent on vacant lots...,,,....... 1900
On Barsow estimate. Observation-Disclosures. 1000
Water closets taxing each closet So each.... 5000
street washers, 50 e0ch. 45sS
Baths, taxing each bath. Observation-Disclosures. 1000
Tax on stationary washtubs. .............., 5000
Stationary wash hand basins. ............... 5000
TOTAL Sl36,5SS
The ordinary expenses and interest account in the
year 1870, shows deficiency OF Sll3 46l In the water
revenue, not meeting the running expenses and In
terest water deDt combined. The report was re-
ceivcd and referred 10 the Finance Committee.