The New York herald., 1876-02-28
WASTING WATER.

HOW WATER IS ALLOWED TO RUN IN THE
FERRY HoUsEs-sEvEN FERRIES WASTING A
QUARTER OF MILLION GALLONS DAILY
WHERE ARE THE WATER POLICE?
While it generally understood that the water sup
nlv az at present regulated is and has been for some
time totally inadequate to the needs Of the population
or the demand that may be made upon at any time, in
case of large fire. yet much might be done toward hus
banding the which is now brought into the diff
fcrent reservoirs Tho pressure too, might be thereby
increased If some check either by the OF meters
other means could DO placed upon the waste which Is
constantly going on In almost every building in the
city The Croton water officials have long been
aware that there is every day large quantity
of water allowed TO into the sewers and rivers, and
vet no very efforts made on their part TO
remedy the evil That the necessities of the city re-
ouire additional facilities for the bringing Of more
water TO the city for long period been recognized
fact To accomplish this has already been pointed
out by the HERALD, new aqucduct Will have to be
built as reservoir This would naturally De
a work Of time, but in the meanwhile much might DO
done towa increasing the service OF the present sup
ply If a more conservative policy were inaugurated
In fact the quantity now brought in by the
present conduit might be made, Win gooa and
udicous management, to serve all the requirements OF
the people until the new routes are completed, and
considerably increase the efficiency OF the Fire Depart
would perform their duties efficiently and to it that
stop is placed on the enormous LEAKAGE now occur
ring.
There is attached TO the Croton Water Department
body known rs the Water Police, whose duty 1t
Is to patrol the city and discover every building whcrea
wiiiu waste OF water is going and allowed TO con-
tinue II seems however, that these officials arc
but indTerently performing their duty, to say
negectng IL In case % Of the the & discovery
the head Of the department and it is within his prov-
ince enforce the law and so prevent continuance
Of the evil This, however appears the prac-
ttan hail
parties from unwillingncss to properly perform the
duties OF their ollce. Did the Water Police honestly
do their work they would End sufficiently large
ber Of cases where water Is allowed TO run away
to make material difference in the supply were this
leakage stopped. visit to the majority Of the bar
rooms, hotels, breweres, manufactures and other
large buildings would show state of affairs entirely
unwarranted by the needs and requirements Of the
businesses therein carried on But the
OUTRAGEOUS WASTE
which is hourly going on in the various ferry houses on
both sides OF the river is something startling. No pre-
tence is made 10 either hide prevent IT, and un
less the inspectors who are supposed TO visit these
places totally blind they could not fail to note the
enormous wastage that Is gong HERALD re-
porter visited thirteen OF these ferry houses yesterday
and IN seven out OF the thirteen found water running
from three-quar inch pipe in the waiting rooms
for drinking purposes which was allowed 10 How of
into the rivers None OF these pipes were provided with
faucets any visible by which the stream could
be checked. In fact no attempt Is even made
10 do SO, and night and day year in and year out,
the water is allowed to drain into the rivers. From
one of these pipes alone IL Is calculated at low esti-
mate 500 600 gallons OF water is annually
seven instances referred TO would give 1850 900 gal
Ions which has been given only to swell the volume Of
the rivers In addition to this 1t was found in almost
every ferry that the pipes supplying the tanks on
board the erryboats for In the boilers were allowed
TO run filing the tanks. This, II is said is done
TO prevent freezing As the volume OF water allowed
to run these pipes is three or four times the size
OF that let flow from the drinking hydrants tho
amount thus wasted be better imagined than cal
culated Then again. the same course is pursued in
the winter time almost every pier and dock along
both shores of the island.
Is 10 protect the pipes leading from the mains by box
ing and filling on the outside with onductors as s
done Russia and other cold countries in Europe so
that the frost cannot penetrate TO the water remaining
in the pipes There is, teo large waste going on IN
the stables occupied by the horse and stage lines
IL will be found that nnumerable taps are open
and the water constantly running therefrom into the
sewers These places should be compelled TO use self
acting spring faucets arranged that 1t would DO
impossible for the waste to bo continued. III these
leakages and those OF similar nature were done away
with they easily might be, the danger OF scarcity
OF would be greatly diminished, while the gen.
eral comfort and convenience would be vastly aug
mented by the increase oil pressure that would lmme-
diatoIy result.
The calculations Of expert engineers on the subject
OF water supply IA this city go 10 show that there
is an absolute and unnecessary waste OF fifty gall
Ions per capita per diem or total OF over 80 600
gallons daily and above every possible or imagna
bic necessity. In London, England the quantity
supplied to every nhabilant is reckoned at thiriy-two
gallons and then the supply Is considered ex-
travagant Here the rate averages ll5 gallons per in
habitanL In Boston the rate Is sixty two gallons.
What therefore becomes OF the extra quantity given
to New York? The question is easily answered. II Is
simply by waste that this quantity Is disposed Of Let
Croton Water Police do their duty and the result
will be greatly the beneht Of the citizens generally
a we'll as greater security against ire In one in
stance notably in the case OF the Erie ferries, at
Twenty third street and Chambers street. the late
Commissioner OF Public Works, General Fitz John
Porter, notified OF tho wastage going and he
promised 90 see 10 the matter This was many months
ago and sil no change has been made. Will the cro-
ton Water Department do It's dutyf