National Republican., 1876-11-27
OUR WATER SUPPLY.
Registrar Lubey's Annual Report
Valuable. InfOrmation-EstInia OF
RxneuRHg

Registrar Lubey's Annual Report
Valuable Information-EstIn oi
Expenses.
Col. Timothy Lubey, water registrar, hai
submitted his annual report to the Distric
Commissioners, from which the following ex
tracts are made:
The total length of water. mains laid by th'
department from organization, July, 1883, Il
November Is, 1876, is 675, ,3141S lineal feet, o.
1874, ,75+ s. $50 miles. By an act of the Legis
lature there were laid, under the direction o
the chief engineer of the Washington aqueduc
for the District of Columbia: OF 36-inch main
q, ,99s feet; of S0-inch main, ,75O feet; of 20
inch main, 4, 100 feet; making a total of %,
s4S, or 81 ,44S-5, $50 miles.
The length of main laid by the Washington
aqueduct is 93, $50 feel, or 17.3 ,976- S0 miles
The late corporation of Georgetown laid in
thai city 55,GG0 feet, or 10.2, 200 $3.50 miles
This gives total length of supply and dis
tributing mains now in use within the District
of Columbia to be S51 ,S92E lineal feet, OF
161 .S1215 $3.50 miles. The length of maini
laid since November /, 1874, to November 1
1875, is 238 ,913H feet, or 451 $685., ,2SC
miles.
From November Is, 1875, to November IS
1876, there were laid of sinch cast-iron pipe
6,521 feet, of 6-ineh pipe 50,2S2 feet, and ol
inch pipe 542 feet, making total Of 81 1,34t
feet, or 10.4, ,55+5 $50 miles.
THE LENGTH OF wATER-NAINs
In this District is IA miles, which does not in
clude Is miles under charge of the aqueduct
Office.
There are 7SS fireplugs in the District. During
the year there have been erected 81 new ones.
There are now in use 294 public hydrants; 5
have been erected during the year.
Two hundred and seventy one new services
run on Pennsylvania avenue, between First
a3d Fifteenth streets. Two hundred and
thirty nine new services run at various places
by contractors.
One thousand four hundred and sixty-one
taps have been made during the year; of this
number 239 were made for contractors, and
1S7 made on Pennsylvania avenue, between
First and Fifteenth streets northwest.
There have been repaired so horse fountains;
2 horse fountains have been erected.
TweDty-seven thousand two hundred water
rent and tax notices delivered; $3.50 houses
examined for waste; 720 outlsts flushed; S96
houses turned off for non-payment; 500 turned
OF; $40 still off.
SUPPLY OF WATER.
The engineer of the Washington aqueduct
estimates the quantity of Potomac water used
in the District of Columbia every twenty four
hours at twenty-five million gallons. Ap-
proximatiDg the population of both cities,
Washington and Georgetown, at 146, 900
would give one hundred and sixty-fve gal
Ions TO each inhabitant thereof-tRo million
gallons day (twenty-fou hours) more than
in 1875; eight million more than in 1873; thir-
teen million more than in 1870, and seventeen
million more than in 1864. This increase
can in part be accounted for by the large num-
Der of water-takers, both in new and old
houses, as also in the waste of water, both in
p;iYate and public buildings: The total nun
5sr Of water takers to date are 14,07S; total
number Of water takers from November l,
1875, to November Is, 1876, 1 Al; increase Of
water-takers during the past year, 90. It is
safe to assume that in the different Govern
ment buildings, reservations, fountains, &C.,
nine million gallons are used every twenty
four hours.
Total capacity of 10, so and S6-inch mains
combined is 0,454, $50 gallons every twenty.
four hours, so that in public buildings and
reservations we consume daily three fourths
Of the whole supply brought to the city by
the IL and S0-inch mains, and nearly one
fourth of the supply brought by the II, 80
and 36-inch mains combined.
THE WASTE.
Speaking of the waste he Classics it as fol-
lows:
1. The extravagant use in the several Ds-
partmen's Of the Government, or more properly
speaking, the buildings owned or occupied by
the Government. 2. The exSravagant use by
citizens. 5. The waste by the different classes
OF closets and urinals constructed to allow a
continuous flow. 4. Leaks in the mains and
services. 5. Leaks in fixtures in residences,
caused either by accident or defective plumb
ing.
To prevent this great loss of water very
stringent rules have been adopted and enforced
by the registrar, and, although having been
in operation hut a short time, he is much graft
fed and encouraged at the success achieved.
A thorough census of the water takers of
the city shows that ! ITO squares have been
examined, and II 1854 houses inspected. He
renews his recommendation for the placing of
water meters in all premises other than pri-
vate residences and q moderate rental per
gallon be charged the consumer.
THE TAX.
The amount of water tax due and to be-
come due, with Interest to date, is $ll5 600 .03.
The amount of water tax claimed to be ex-
empt under existing laws is SIC, ,556.55.
He calls attention TO the low salaries paid
the employees, and asks that their compensa-
tion be increased.
ESTIMATE OF EXPENSES
of the water department from December L,
1876, to June so, 1877, is SIS 800; from July
l, 1877, to June so, 1873, is SOC, $50. The esti-
mated receipts from December !, 1876, to June
so, 1877, is So, ECO; from July l, 1877, to June
from December !, 1876, to June so, 1877, is
g.. 500; from July !, 1877, to June 80, 1878,
$4,000.
TEE AMOUNT OF RECEIPTS
from November 15, 1875, to November Is,
1876, is $97 ,613.34; amount deposited, S97,-
55l .O1; amount collected by the collector of
taxes for water tax arrears advertised, 3d.
95G.ll. The amount expended for clerical
force, labor, material, tools, repairs, station
cry, advertising AID freight, 500 39S 90; in
Georgetown. at the high-seryice pump, SS,-
5S5.24.
GEORGETOWN.
The system of supply in this city differs
from that of Washington SO far as relates to
distribution. All that part Of the city below
the level of 100 feet is supplied direct from
the 12 and 80 inch mains in Bridge street, aud
all that portion of the city 100 feet above tide
is supplied from the high-seryice reservoir,
corner of High and Road streets, the same
being fed from 1Oinch main from the force
pump, located on Fourth, near High street.
This pump is supplied by a 12-inch main con-
nected with the large mains in Bridge street.
There is pumped, (12 hours,) S75, $40 gallons.
THE WATER RENTS.
The last session Of Congress passed law in
reference to the collection of water rents in
Georgetown, pursuant to which this depart
ment assessed G54 houses for water rent,
amounting to s5,60S.1 .12, of which 81 ,902.67 has
been collected, leaving a balance of S70l.45
due on the vacant and cut off houses. The
Ill.
is G65. The water-mains in this city were
originally laid under an ordinance of the late
corporation, approved May 8, 1859, providing
for q water tax.
OBITUARY.