The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-25
BROOKLYN WATER SUPPLY.
The Result Of Com IN issiOncr Writings
Observation-Disclosures Water Wasted


The Result Of Com issiOner Writings
Investigation-Wa Water Wasted
ssPurpOscly:''
Commissioner Whiting, OF the Board of City
Works, yesterday submitted report on the sub
ject as to whether the water supply was allowed to
run to waste in 1871, as was charged subsequently,
in order to make it appear that storage reser
voir was necessary The services of A. W. Craven
and Augustus kurth engineers, was engaged by
the Commissioner 10 assist in making such exam-
nation would assist in elicting the facts sought
The conclusion reached by these engineers is to
the effect that neither from the ponds.
nor the reservoir, by means OF a
pipes through the city, has there
any unnecessary or intentional waste; but
Writings conclusion is different. In the month
June and the first days of July the city was d,
prived OF the water from Hampstead Pond
amounting to 1000, OOC gallons daily, the water hav-
ing been drawn of to enable the contractor for the
construction OF the storage reservoir to build nume
Tor the conveyance OF the water into the conduit.
In the opinion OF the Commissioner the deficiency
in the supply OF water during the month OF June
was occasoned by the loss of the water from tho
been nhlly provided for by the Water Depart
ment from the Smith and Watts Pends,
from which source daily supply OF 100000
OF gallons could have been had. There does
not seem to be any justification for allowing
this waste of supply Tor forty-nve days during
an exceptionally season. From the LIST OF June
until the time = II Is claimed that the ordinary
sources of sur were equal to the demand July
22), the loss ON the reservoir was less than one
hundred million gallons. The report continues
For the same time Smith and Watts ponds could
have supplied 260O $1,000 gallons, while the
quantity pumped from them but Il, 000, 600.
i find by the reports that the consumption
OF water in 1871 exceeded that OF 1870 by 2 7-l0
per cent, while the average OF seven months
of 1872 exceeded that of 1871 by 1873 per cent.
find that the maximum consumption In June
and july 1871 was less than in June and July, 1870,
while in 1872 the maximum consumption i'm those
months exceeded that in the same months in 1871
by 100000 gallons daily. The yearly increase
in the consumption OF water since 1868 has been
follows VIZ. 1S69. 1000 900 gallons 1870, ZOO
gallons 1871, 100000 gallons; months Of
1872, at the rate OF $500 900 gallons. have sought
for a reasonable explanation or this enormous IN
crease, but do not find it In any known tact.
great increase in the number or connections with
the mains would have furnished the explanation,
but the increase is less in 1872 than In 1871. The
difficulty in arriving at a solution - increased by
the fact that during the months the gates at
Ridgewo0d we're closed to such an extent as to
deprive all consumers situated on elevations over
ninety Ieet above tide water OF any supply In
the day time, and to diminish the supply to those
below that elevation by a considerable percentage
An exceptionally hot season in June and July 1872
would have accounted in some measure Tor the in
but l.73 degrees higher than June OF 1871, and
that Of July, 1872 but 4.73 degrees higher than
July, 1871, difference quite insignificant. y IL
cannot be doubted that there was an unprece
dented waste during June and July, 1872, and
either the people or the department were respon
sblc Tor this. Mr.. Craven says, in his report upon
the subject, that the reasons for the storage
reservoir were too many too prominent and too
require the introduction Of false pretences and a
dangerous resort to corrupt measures