Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-01-24
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Water Question and the Water
Hill Proposed by the Commits

Bill proposed Dy the COmMlS>
Editor Star :-"Old Citizen" and &C. [. F.. ex-
water inspector" both say that "meters would
induce the people to use as little water as pos
Sible in order to lessen their taXeSr An article
In yesterdays issue signed "Water' is answer
sufflcient to such plea. AS to the argument
OF Or; Verdi, | say that too much water is
connected with the water department for over
six years as an inspector, greater portion of
that time In the capacity of chief of inspectors,
the reports OF daily inspections made In that
time, am sa1e In affirming that about one-half
the amount furnished was allowed to escape
unnecessarily IN hundreds of houses. Now, the
water SO alloWed 10 run away is water not paid
Ior OF dTaWn In ordinary domestic use, but
wasted, and which somebody has paid for bat
cannou ger, because A, or allows con-
ttnuous now or leak in some part or parts of the
fixtures connected with his dwelling. Why, sir,
only yesterday had business in store on the
Avenue WIeie the fixtures were in leaky con-
tine. remember when each house in this city
was personally visited by an agent of the water
aep.aitment, and wherever leak or running
water was found, notice was served to re-
palf the one or discontinue the other in ten
days or supply would be cut Off 1t worked
wen lor a time but as soon as the Office
scarce supply was heard, and so it has
been every year for the past seven years to
my personal knowledge. Put meter in each
house, and you make each housekeeper person.
ally interested in seeing that his fixtures are in
good order, and that no unnecessary waste is
allowed. Many night have found hydrants
private fountains and closets running full head.
even after their owners had peacefully retired
10 rest. There are points in this city where you
may stand on the street on quiet night and
hear the water running in the houses and Offices
OF some OF our careless citizens. Do you think
they would be so careless If all water passing
through their pipes was registered?
AS for the collection Of rents yearly in ad-
vance, refer " Old Citizen" to Webb'S Digest
therein tn no
water service. i don't think a better plan could
be devised than to collect rents for water, as
now regulated You cannot compel the land
lord to pay It; if you could you might have bills
made and collected monthly. The best plan |
know is for the transient tenant to contract
with his tobe landlord TO pay the rent for
water In advance and charge him the tenan0
pro rata month extra on his hOuSe-rent. In
this way the water department gets its dues,
the landlord RECEIVERS his advance, and the ten
ant only pays for the time he Is in the house.
l should like now to call attention to the bill
accompanying the report of the Hon. Commits
soners ard its provisions, as published in We'd
neSday'S STAR, in relation to charge for water
including meter, at the rate OF S. per annum
FOR each private residence supplied, and one
cent for each 100 gallons consumed over daily
consumption Of 900 gallons. That is to say
dwelling, would give 60 gallons per capita for
every - hours. Let us see now what figures
VIII show at this rate, as recommended by the
commissioners. Say there are $4,000 water
takers VINO consume daily 100000 gallons of
water: the bill of the Commissioners allow the
citizens 100000 gallons per diem, and propose
10 charge, at the rate OF one cent per 100 gal
Ions above the 800 gallons allowed to each
dwelling for 10,50H,C0O gallons, which, together
with the proposed rates, would yield revenue
OF S1e0,OO0, gain over the present income of
the department of SIS, 600. Even should my
figures be too high, hold that. in the first
place. GO gallons per capita is too small an
allowance, and the rate for the excess Of this
TO much. 1t was never intended that the rates
charged for water should become a source OF
revenue. See sec. 19S of the Revised Statutes
which provides that 'the water rates levied in
washington and Georgetown shall never be
source OF revenue other than as a means of
keeping up to said cities supply Of water, but
shall constitute fund exclusively for the main
lenance and repair OF the system OF water DIS
tributiOn"
remember it was developed during the Con-
greSsional examination of the late board OF
public works that $50, 600 were diverted by the
then treasurer OF the District Of Columbia from
the water department to the uses OF the board
or public works, and / have never heard of its
Celng refunded to the department where it
exclusively belongs. Now, then, instead of
charging such high rates as are proposed in
this bill put the meters in on the t0,c ground
instead OF the high service, as recommended by
the commissioners for the high service resi-
dents don't get any water to speak Of to regis
have made mention. to the laying OF an addi-
ti0nal main to connect Capitol Hill direct with
the receiving reservoir. II meters are to be
adopted, let them be introduced into our dwell
llnSS, and we be charged the same rates we
now pay, and for all water used in excess of five
hundred gallons per diem at the rate OF one cent
per one hundred gallons. Pee