New-York tribune., 1872-04-12
TIE IMPENDING WA1ER F1NLNE.
RUIYOUs LEGISLATION THREATENED-THE CITY
TO BE LEFT WITH ONLY TWENTY DAYS

RUINOUs LEGISLATION THREATENED-TIlE CITY
TO RE LEFT WITH ONLY TWENTY DAYS
SUPPLY
The Assembly Committee on Cities recently
reported in favor of repeating the act OF 1871 which
dives the authorities OF this city power IN OF need
TO draw water from of tho lakes in Westchester
and Putnam Counties The repeal bill has already
passed the Senate and the action Of the Assembly Com
itee gives reason for fear that the measure may DC
rushed through and the city left without the right to use
the se large natural reservoirs in the face OF threaten
ing dry season and the extreme probability OF short
supply. That bill Of this character could Obtain
so much approval In both branches OF tho Leg
islature. against the protests Of the united press
OF the city, the petitions OF thousands of the most
influential citizens somewhat extraordinary, and leads
TO the inference that unknown power at work on
the other SIDE
THE TRIBUNE has already shown the insuffciency Of
the existing reservoirs the increased needs Of the
city In dry time and the Importance of raining the
right to draw from these lakes, by which than
one occasion the city has been saved from the dangers
of short supply. correspondent, who has given this
subject an intelligent examination, presents In the
course OF q long communication the following summary
of facts which in his opinion ought TO satisfy the public
and the Legislature that the impending repeal Of the
Water bill will place the city In a fearful condition OF
depchdece upon that most precarous source of supply
the Summer rainfall.
than the minimum flow Of a river in seasons OF drouth
for water supply except sufficient portion OF te sur
plus stored In OF 1oOd TO compensate Tor de-
iiclencies during the low stage. And the minimum
flow the CrotOn River In dry seasons scarcely exceeds
2 600 gallons daily it follows that storage must be
made TO supply greater demand equal to the dfcr-
ence between this demand and the minimum now Tor q
period principally dependent on the rainfall Accord.
ing to the report Of the Chief Engineer, the aqueduct
was called upon to deliver average Of S5OO0OO gal
Ions daily last year, which gives excess OF 5sOoooo
gallons In the daily demand over the minimum supply OF
the river in dry season, which must be compensated
Of the river exceeds the demand Now arises the qes.
ton, For how long a period does experience show
the How Sng days Sre there in %sS this
excess the average demand the natural supply
in of drouh which, to be regretted s def
ceDt in completeness for the Crcton watershed, and
has kept but six years at the most important place
OF observation within its limits but there have been three
separate periods within the past two years when was
necessary have to the water of the lakes dis
charging into the Crotch River as supplement to the
reservoirs to enable the aqueduct to maintain the sup
have been laid down by eminent authorities. based upon
recorded observations In other localities for many sucees
sye years, under conditions not differing materially
from those obtained here In Great Britain for instance,
in the hy countries OF the western coast 9 ln s ~ 5o
days; and one Of lao days has been known to fai In
For the purpose Of showing how utterly inadequate
the present Is for the Croton Aqueduct
according to the cys present demands compare t with
the storage requisite elsewhere Let $50 days or
excess daily demand above the least daily supply
ascertaned by gausng and computation be ASSUMED ~
IO4O 100000 gallons the required storage, whereas the
actual Ia less than O0-nOt onc-sixth OF that
needed. The deficiency OF the minimum supply, in
dry seasons, Of the Croton River being os.oooQoo
gallons daily to the average demand OF tho
CITY, 20 days would suffice under these condi-
tons to exhaust entire present storage
aud drain the reservoirs. Thus our storage compared
with that of other Cities Is 20 TO 1SO These figures
show how dangerous repeal of the act authorizing tho
use of lakes IN the Croton drainage area as natural
reseryora OF emergency would be- anu 10 wDat
extent the liability OF water famine would DC incurred
The repeal OF the act would, moreover, be beach o
the outlets Of various lakes at considerable expense
and mas constructed substantial weirs at heavy cost
for the purpose OF retaining the water at high evei
until the dry season. and then drawing II on
IN such quantities the exigencies OF the aqenct nc
the people ori nally interested In the outlets oI te
lakes have been extingi-hed by purchase But the par
would put the city In great measure IN state o. ue
pendcnce upon Of the most hcke and uncertain VI
dant resources provided by Providence within tneir
| easy reach q million OF people would be exposed 10
wafcr famine with its long train OF calamities, by act
j IAplslaiurn.