Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-01-22
THE WATER-SUPPLY QUESTION.
Report of the District Commits.

siOners.
The District Commissioners yesterday trans
mitted to the Senate their answer to the Teso-
luton of that body calling upon them ito report
to the Senate what action by Congress, if any,
is necessary to secure to the residents OF Capitol
Hill and other elevated portions OF the city OF
Washington proper supply of water; what
appropriation OF money, III any, Is required for
thfs purpose, and to transmit to the Senate
such facts relating thereto as they may deem
important"
The Commissioners report as follows:
Numerous considerations enter into this
question of water supply, to most OF which
anything more than brief mention would in
volve a length OF report and degree OF elabora-
ton for which there is no time and probably no
occasion. The commissioners are not prepared
to state details, and so reported in their report
to Congress at the opening of the present Ses-
sion. Either OF two measures for improving
the water supply may be resorted to-frst, in
creaSing the amount brought to the city: Sec
ond. repreSsfve measures designed to control
the waste OF the supply already delivered
TO give more than crude estimates OF The
amount OF labor and tine involved in carving
into execution any plans for an increase OF sun.
ply that Congress might adopt would call for
extended examinations by competent en- gineers
i mere are Two methods OF increasing supply
nrSt, 10 lay an additional main from the dis
trloutlnS reservoir, and second, to extend the
conduit TO the high lands north Of the city, The
cost OF the main and proper distributing con-
necllonS would De say 81 ,4n0,000. The extension
OF the conduit and additional reservoir would
coSt much more, but would bring permanent
supply to the immediate vicinity OF the CITY,
me nrSt consideration presenting itself In
orc er Is the financial condition and ability of
tie water department itself, which, under the
present rate OF water rent, has yearly income
OF about $92. 000 derived from a scale of rents
which has remained unchanged from that orig
1nally established al the time Of the introduce
ZION or POTOMAC water. The legislative as
sembly authorized the levy OF a tax for distrib-
utlDg mains amounting to i cents per square
loot contained in each lot fronting upon the
street in which such mains are laid. payable In
I'VE yearly installmenis. The same property
can be taxed but once to pay for such mains.
OF this tax there is now an uncOllected balance
Of sl12, 2s4.s2.
The department is burdened with a bonded
Gebt of 1923 00O bearing per cent. interest. the
interest and sinking fund together involving a
yearly payment at this time OF S4i6lO. The
debt was created by authority of the legislative
main. Which has now been laid about six wears
Deducttng the amount OF interest and sinking
fund, there remains OF water rent receipts
about S49,s9o to pay all the expenses OF the
water department, including present payment
OF the greater part of the cost OF distributing
mains, and also all repairs, the cost of pumping
water in Washington and Georgetown, &c. The
water main taxes are largely delinquent. and
the revenues OF the department are Inadequate
to meet current demands. 1t is, therefore, man
ifestly not in condition TO enter into an eXpen-
sive outlay for an additional main, to do which
would involve large increase OF the bonded
debt OF the water department and addition to
commissioners have had in view
The main mot yet Onc-fifth paid fOr) laid but
SIN years since, mas capacity much larger than
the combined capacity OF both OF those in use
prior to that time. Yet within six years the
supply, then more than double, has again be-
come 1n2dequate-nOt by doubling OF the pop
ulation, for that has not happened. but in a
larger part by the lavish use and waste OF water.
Were an additional main to be laid. Ii is evident
from past experience that within five or six
years we would find ourselves In the same diff
Guilty. Another main would be required and il
lald, the Waterdebt would be increased a second
time, some years even, before the final payment
OF the debt now existing. In addition to these
Facts is the further serious one that the mains
now laid are becoming old and must within
limited time be replaced. involving an expense
as great as their original cost.
There has been no legislation In the past as
wise policy would have directed, to provide
a Iund 10 meet this recurring heavy outlay
Inc legislative assembly imposed upon the
water department many burdens without max
ing provision by change in the water rates
10 meet them. The Commissioners now find il
absolutely necessary 10 ask authority to do
what what was thus neglected. They are of
the opinion that the foregoing financial state
ment SHOWS that the time has arrived to adopt
rather repreSSiye system. and by controlling
waste remove the necessity OF increasing the
SUPPLY. They consider this a wiser policy than
10 enter upon an increase OF debt which WILL il
Is thought, rather encourage greater waste
ana corresponding increase per capita in the
future demand.
There are now pumped into the standpipe at
the head CT 10th street 1000 900 gallons of water
daily, or al the supply at present reaching the
pumps. About 800 houses are attached to the
pipe. AT present the 2,O00,e00 gallons does not
anoId sufficient supply. Thus between 200
ana 500 gallons SAY eight barrels) per capita is
daily consumed in that section, and the supply
Is inadequate to the demand. The best known
authorities upon the water supply estimate GO
gallons per capita as liberal and ample allow
ance In any city. AT this rate the Standpipe
would supply $4,000 people with water. Such
a nrN6 ro1trr f~,,
upon any theory OF health, comfort. or utility
The commissioners know of but one way to Dre-
vent TINS waste, and that is by measurement of
the wafer used. They propose to test this Sys-
TEN first upon the high service, and do not
doubt that then the standpipe viii be found to
amply supply the two districts OF the city for
NI1 , n IL was des19ned-the northwest section
ard Capitol Hill.
Ii is Contemplated to carry an additional SUD-
ply TO this pump, and, ii the need arises add
tional pumps can be erected without large ex
pendture. 1t Will thus be seen that the Com
n1Ssioners favor the idea OF checking the in
cfeaSlng tendency to waSte--a tendency that
experience shows to have been rapidly increaS-
ing and to husband the resources OF the water
department to enable it eventually and when
the actual need coraes to bring the conduit it
self TO the high ground In the vicinity of the
city, which is doubles the best plan for the
future increase OF supply, but one that with
It's connection will involve an outlay probably
VI Si,WomM. me commissioners propose to
nave The examination and estimate made, with
view TO inform Congress- at its next session
more 1ujly and exactly in respect TO the future
water supply.
Besides the connection On Capitol Hill with
me StaId pipe, the ground service OF that see
ton and south Washington can be increased BY
running Pinch main from the 30-inch main
on street along 18th street 10 reinforce the
fehhSyI ANA avenue main, and from nth street
nel0W pennsylvania avenue to Ohio avenue
ana thence down 14th street, along south
street 10 connect with the 20-inch main on that
street from which south Washington draws its
supply. now coming 10 it by circutouS route
inns VIII enable the department 10 cut OF par
taIiy the ZU-lnch main leading from the inrpr
sectlOn OF New Jersey avenue and north r
street, Which main is now relied upon for tho
South Washington supply. At the junction re
ieffed 10, on New Jersey avenue, 20-fnch main
leads up TO the high grounds of east Washing
Ton l0r It's supply. The 30-inch and 3;-inch
mains ullte upon New Jersey avenue and ey
tehu I'D single main along IL to street when
the two w-inch mains branch off as above
stated VII 80 'oo'0
1t Is proposed also to cut Off certain low
ground In the northwestern section now draw
Ing upon the Standpipc.
The estimated amounts required for the yari
Gus purposes Indicated are as follows:
lZ-lncI main tStandpipe To Capitol Hiln .s25 01O
l2-lncn main ito cut off low ground i'm
northwest SectiOn). ..... 10 IN
6-incn main ito cut Off low ground in
northwest section from standpipe) 5oo
.'uu o. oollipiete duu erected. $1,000
,ddi.i p,aIupo .......... 5000