Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-19
The Impending Water Famine.

The complaints In regard to a failure to get
the Potom water have come heretofore from
the high grounds OF the city, but It seems by
the communication elsewhere that the water
dearth has reached South Washington The
suggestion is made that the failure OF the sup
ply there is due to the large use of the water in
the Bureau OF Engraving and Printing and at
the government fish ponds. IL the aqueduct
water Is TO be used for manufacturing pur-
poses, fish ponds, big fountains, the watering
or the vast extent OF government grounds and
gardens. the street parking, the thousands of
shade trees, and for the needed profuse sprink-
ling OF the great area of the streets and ave-
nues OF Washington, 1t Is plain that the supply
next summer Is going TO be terribly Inadequate
for household needs IN all parts of the city.
IL is time the fact was recognized that the re-
Cuirements for water In Washington are ex-
ceptional as Indicated above; and this should
be borne In mind when It Is stated that the
number OF gallons per capita Is larger here than
IN other cities. The grand plan OF the capital
city, with its fountains. parks, shade trees,
strawberries, lawns. flowers, greenhouses, &C.,
contemplates free use OF water. The gov
eminent buildings are all planned with view
to profuse use Of water. In some Of them the
water Is used for manufacturing purposes and
In all Of them an uninterrupted flow Is permit
ted day and night all the year round. This
drain upon the water supply for government uses
Is Increasing yearly, as new department build
tDgs are being erected AT the same time. from
the rapid growth OF the city. and the large
number OF private residences sprInging up,
there IS great increase In the number OF
water-takers making further drain upon the
already Inadequate supply.
Manifestly IL Congress does not take some
action this session to increase the supply the
City will be In pretty bad way before the year
Is out. The bill now before Congress to employ
the police to stop the waste will fail to afford
any adequate remedy. The police force Is not
half large enough to perform its present duties
and It s absurd to think of requiring 1t in addi-
ton to act as water detectives. And II there
were enough policemen to spare for this work,
they would be able to effect nothing to the pur.
pose. They might be able to detect and correct
waste In public houses, hotels restaurants. &C.
Tut IL Is out OF the question that they should
enter private houses On daily or hourly round
OF inspection, or that In any way they would be
able to increase the water supply to any appre-
cable extent.
The adoption or meters has been suggested,
as a remedy, but the objections are that it is
doubtful II a really effective meter has yet
been invented and IL It had that the cost of
meters would be almost as much as that of
pipes for aoundantly increasing the supply
from the Potomac. Gen. Meigs, a most COM
petent authority On the matter has shown
that this increase OF supply can be obtained at
cost exceedingly small I'm proportion to the
results Congress Will do well to abandon off,
hand the impracticable scheme OF relying upon
the police to remedy the water deficiency, and
adopt the common sense plan OF enlarging TIE
supply.