Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-24

new mains: For this reason the estimates have
| oeen largely increased over those OF last wear
| While the fund was small It became necessary
| TO lay number OF mains at the cost OF such
| property owners as were willing to pay for
| thein-juSt as the smaller sewers are now laid
under the permit system. No appropriation
| was available, and nothing else could be done
| 1t Is hoped that hereafter it may not be neces-
! sary. The anomalous position of the water
| fund. TO which the United States contributes
| nothing, which pays for all damages to other
! Improvements necesstated by its own work
! and pays for all damages to its own work
neces>itatfd by other fmprOvements-a at the
| expense ofthe District of Columbia. without aid
| from the United States, has made it thing of
| Slow growth.
SUCCESS N REFRESHING WATER WASTE
vigorous effort has been made during the
| past year to repress the unnecessary waste of
Potomac water and thereby raise the level of
the distribution to the high grounds, which
, were being gradually deprived of it, rigid
house-to-hOuse inspection was undertaken and
| is still maintained at considerable cost The re-
| suit has been very gratifying and confirms the
conclusions of last years report The waste has
been repressed in great measure and the Poto-
MAC water now flows freely at elevations that
nave not been visited by it since She District of
Columbia 36-inch main was first laid meas
ureInet OF the flow from the distributing reser-
q
| June 10Th. lSS3. showed consumption in the
"A hours of %, 127, S6i gallons of water For the
"A hours beginning ate am. on June 26th 1888,
the consumption was 24.3l4. 115 gallons. The
partial suppression of waste has thus reduced
the daily consumption to about what II was
| FIVE years ago Except in consequence of some
temporary stoppage of the flow for repairs etc,
no complaints are now received from water
takers This happy state of affairs can only be
| maintane dby eternal vigilance and the expendi-
nj MOI no nrr hn
forced, the fines and penalties will pay the cost
OF inspection, and these required by law to
be deposited to the credit Of the water fund
The inspection OF dwelling houses is unpleasant
alike to inspectors and inspected. It is found
that the greater part Of the waste is due to care
lessness, rather than to criminal intention; but
the carelesSness is criminal in view of its con-
sequences.
THE WATER METER QUESTION.
Ii a meter could be devised which should be
sufficiently cheap, reliable enough for such a
purpose, and free from the incubus of a ROYALTY
to some patentee, it would be a pleasant substi-
tute for the peripatetic Inspector The object of
such meter would be to record the actual flow
of water into each premises day and night; not
With view to exactin@ payment in proportion
to the consumption of water. but for the purpose
OF securing an equitable distribution reason
able amount, say 100 gallons per CAPITA per
diem, would be assigned as the proper proper
ton for general Use. and tor this supply or any,
| thing less than this. the present rates. or their
equivalent. would be charged. For any increase
OF consumption beyond this limit, prohibitory
rates would be charged. so proportional that,
for small excess the price ola luxury would
be paid. and for any unreasonable waste. q
penalty would be eXacted. This limit would
depend upon the quantity of water available
ana would be fixed so as to permit the use OF
| all that could be supplied at the proper eleva-
tion When water is measured like gas, to be
paid for at fixed price per gallon, Irrespective
of quantity. hurtful parsmOny is encouraged
among the poorer classes. When nothing is to
be gained by saving. within the limit assigned
the necessary quantity of water will be con-
suIned but the prohibitOry rates beyond this
limit will prevent all waste One hundred gal
Ions per capita would probably give an aver
age OF 500 gallons to each premises. 10 500 900
gallons to all of the 81 600 water-takers of the
District of Columbia, leaving ii 200 600 gallons
OF the present daily supply. The public build
ings and reservations, street hydrants, fire. plugs
and fountains would draw largely upon this
but the net result of such a distribution would
be the visiting of unfamiliar attitudes by the
rising water and great comfort in the upper
stories 1t is believed that the necessary meter
has not yet been invented.
In the meanwhile. the work Of bringing an in
Creased supply to the high grounds is under
contract and Will postpone the necessity for the
use Oh meters 1t may be further postponed by
the construction of the Rock Creek reservoir as
for the District of Columbia.
THE ALTERNATIVE LINE OF SUPPLY.
1t is well recognized principle among en-
gineers, who have given attention to the subject
Of water supply, that no large city should be de-
pendent upon single aqueduct. An alterna-
tive line of supply is required to meet the con-
tingencies of damage or obstruction, which may
cut off the supply by a single line. Mr.. Isaac
Newton. in his recent report upon the New
York water supply. says: 1T cannot be urged
too strongly that city OF such great and con-
stantiy increasing magnitude as New York
should not rely upon one aqueduct only. No
other city OF equal Importance in christendom is
so dependent upon single engineering struc-
ture-" This opinion is endorsed by the emf
nent engineers who have been consulted with
| respect to the new line of supply projected for
New York. The principle applies with great
force to the capital city of the nation.
For Washington, an alternative line Of supply,
possessing peculiar advantages is afforded by
| the valley Of Rock Creek. A large reservoir
can be constructed in the lower part of this val
ley. which will store the rainfall OF about
fOrty-tiye square miles. the area drained by
Rock Creek, and will give to Washington from
this source alone. In the dryest years, daily
supply OF 260OOO0O gallons Of water-rather
more than the present consumptiOn-at an ele-
walton sufficient to secure the present pressure
In the mains. A much larger supply could be
drawn from this reservoir if delivered only to
the lower levels of the city. The Rock Creek
basin. is an admirable catchment area contain
ing no manufactures. or other dangerous sources
of water pollution which are common in the
gathering ground for the water supply of nearly
all larger cities. The close proximity OF this
reservoir to the city would Obyate the neces-
sity Tor long conduits of any descripton-the
great factor of cost in all systems of water
works. The water would be stored where it
could be delivered directly into the mains for
distribution throughout the city. The great
size and depth of the reservoir would admir-
ably adapt it to the office of subsiding basin
for clearing the water well as to that of stOr-
age reservoir. Suitable legislation, similar to
the ''Rivers pollution acts" of other countries.
would protect the water from any possible
| source OF pollution in the future The dam
would be Of masonry on a rock foundation,
about twelve hundred feet in length, and one
hundred and fifty feet extreme height at the
| middle part. Masonry dams of greater height
are now in use for similar purposes and still
greater ones are projected 1t would be wide
enough on top, say thirty-twO feet for a car
riage-way, with foOtwalk on either side, and
| would contain about 10000 cubic yards of ma
| sOnry. The reservoir would flow about thirteen
hundred acres of land. which is nearly all of it
worthless for any other purpose. being precipi-
| tous. rocky hillside, covered with thickets of
| laurel and small timber. With it, certain mill
| rights would have to be purchased.
| The dam can be constructed of concrete and