The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1882-11-25

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sumption IL greatest, from to 10 n. IN. Tho
water IS not allowed to now freely tom tho
standpipc.
The now IA controlled 30 IA to extond the
time 81 emityiDg the tank until 10 O'Clock u.
m. OF II o'clock m. After thiB tho pumps
struggle valnly to maintain sufficient head
OF water throughout tho remainder OF tho day.
The effects Of the pumps during this time Is
trlfiIng. Tho water flows from them To- the
consumers 50 rapidly that but little additional
elevation ia possible over that which Ia avail
able from the low service without pumping Mt
all. IL IL very much like pumping intO tho
open air. Yet tho pumps draw tho whole
available supply from the low service twelve
Inch main which supplies them. II VIII BIO
necessary 10 resort exclusively to tho lntor
mittcnt supply. Consumers must provide
Themselves with tanke or suitable receptacles
TO contain tho waters the stand pipe must DO
nlled several times each day aud discharged
under n full head Into tho maine, sonding tho
water, I'm this way, TO each consumer aud
dividing Il cqultably during the limited time
OF flow.
For this, as In tho case of tho low service, 1t
Will be necessary TO give public notice In
order that each premises may be provided
with tho necessary means OF prOntlng by IT.
Tho times Of turning on aud Of shutting or
The water can be uniform except In the case Of
fires occurring In dlstrict having low pres
sure. In such cases all tho pressure available
mustbo turned on in that district, Just as Is
done nj present. Whenever flro occurs,
under the present arrangement, tho pressure
is contracted as far ms possible in its vicinity
by opening or closing the stops which con-
troll It.
1t can hardly be said that water ls wanted ms
long ns enough Will flow to moot the demand.
There may DO conditions under which water
or air may be unfairly distributed to con-
sumers. Such IL the case here. With the OK
ception Of small contribution to the Wash
ington high service by six-inch main across
the P-street Bridge over Rock Creek, the entire
supply of Washington crosses Rock Creek
In the two forty.eight.inch mains which
constitute the arch OF tho Aqueduct Bridge.
just at the bridge ia the Aqucduct ofIlco in
which n seli-recording water gauge stands
which is connecteS with these mains and
registers the pressure under which the water
flows Into the city. The curve OF pressure, so
recorded, is almost a straight line throughout
the twonty.four hours, the pressure increas-
Ing only about two pounds during tho night.
SO, the quantity OF water which flows into tho
city at night Is but little less than that which
flows In during the day time. Whore It goes
before reaching the Potomac through tho
sewers is not accurately known, but may be
conjecturcd. 1t is probable that not less than
ton million gallons OF water now In ut a time
when little or no consumption should BIO rea-
sonably expected. Tho mains are not omptied
during tho day and consequently have not 10
be refllled during tho night The loss cannot
be accounted for through the leaking OF these
mains, because the leaking continuing both
day and night Is added to the consumption
| during tho day, and II the consumption ceased
at night the now into the city would be only
that due to tho leakage, whereas tho ilow Is
actually nearly uniform, day and night.
Besides, n serious leak soon mauifests itself.
The stif, retentive clay OF Washington throws
the water to the surface, unless II nnds an
outlet through the sewers. In the latter case
II Is detected there, or the continuous flow
washes away surrounding material and under
mines the pavement, making depression,
which indicates the locality OF tho leak. A
leak occurring last summer In ono of the large
mains, Just In front of the aquoduct oflcc,
forced tho water up, from a depth of twenty
feet, penetrating q bituminous street pave
ment and discharging tho water upon the
surface OF the street.
A Few Tanks Have Been Provided
by property-owners on the high grounds, to be
filled at night and the practice Ia common of
using bathtubs for this purpose. All OF those
would store up but n small amount OF water.
The pressure In the mains throughout the city
varies from three to thirty pounds per square
inch, rarely falling below six pounds. Under
this head the ordinary throe.quarter-inch
service Pipe Will discharge, If flowing freely
In the basement or lower floor, about ten
thousand gallons in twenty.four hours. Three
thousand such services could, undoubtedly,
DO made to discharge tho whole twenty.four
hours supply OF twenty-six million gallons.
There are 2O,175 services supplying water for
domestic purposes, besides the connections to
31S hydrants, and TO all of tho public
buildings, reservations and fountains. 1t
is easy 10 see that continuous fiow through
small proportion OF these Will account for
the disappearance OF water. 1t is probable
that the water is widely distributed II Is
evident from the uniformity OF the dow Into
the city that the consumption OF water varies
but little during the twonty-four hours, and
method of taking the water Is by lettug II run
OF course 1t runs to the lower levels and
Leaves the SUBMITS High and Dry.
The use OF meters would distribute tho
daily supply in proportion to the capacity OF
consumers TO pay for II.
The system OF intermittont supply will give
nearly equal quantities to each consumer.
Tho cost OF tho former would probably be
not less than twenty-five dollars TO each con-
sumner; the cost OF the latter, whatever he
choose to expend for storage tanks. Meters
arc unreliable, as yet, and their maintenance
In repair very expensive. The dinlculty to be
met is temporary one, and the tanks are
bettor adapted TO meet 1t. When the now
water supply reaches Washington the present
waste Will cease to be waste. The water OF
the Potomac is nearly all wasted now at the
Great Falls. 1t should flow through the sewers
OF Washington Just as the mountain streams
flow through the cutters OF Salt Lake City.
The Rock Creek Reservoir
shall have been constructed, following nat
viii probably be found inexpedient to divert
n fair proportion of the Potomac by continued
tunnel and canal into tho valley OF Rock
Greek, to ind It's way through tho Rock Crock
Reservoir to the city. 1t will be cheaper aud
pleasanter than any hygienlc enterprise pred
icated upon parsimony OF water.
with the Present Schedule OF Rents
for the use of water, the water fund is gradu-
ally accommodating small reserve. The
absence Of q sufficient one now embarrasses
| the laying OF new mains. Originally tho cost
| OF this was delayed by tho issue and sale OF
water bonds Tho tax upon property adIoin-
| Ing the line OF the new main was coiectable In
| hve annual installments, and, when collected
| with interest, was moro than sufficient ordi-
| narily, TO meet the expense which had been
| incurred In laying tho main, and, conse-
| quently, to redeem tho bonds. THIS tax Is
| now collectable In tour annual installments,
| with the option, as heretofore, OF paying all Of
the tax upon completion of the work, with u
| rebate. No bonds can DO issued, but all ro.-
| ceipts on account OF the water fund are now
| expendible under the several heads OF appro-
| priation for each year, and could be used for
| laying new mains. Tho interest and tho sink
| Ing fund on the outstanding water bonds
| require reserve of about $ii, 6l0.
Prudence suggests d further reserve for
| emergencies which may occur atany time In a
| system OF water supply. With this margin Sc
| cured, there is, rs yet, nothing loft for I'M
mediate expenditure In the laying OF now
mains. The fund has not yet accumulated
| such reserve to take the place OF the original
| provision for the issue OF bonds.
| II Is suggested that, as the expenditure is
| ordinarily amply secured by the tax which Is
| levied upon adjoining property, Congress be
asked to authorize the use of the general re.
celpts OF the District OF Columbia for this pur.
| pose, when necessary; the amount expended
10 DO repaid from the proceeds of the tax.
Extension OF the Sewerage System.
A limited appropriation for tho mninte.