Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-02-03
THE WATER FAMINE.
Talk With the Officials
WHAT coMMIssIoNER WEST SAYS.


In relation to the scarcity Of water In certain
sections of the city, Commissioner West stated to q
STAR reporter to-day that this matter is one which
gives him considerable concern. "Here we are," he
said, with short supply OF water, &c 600 gall
Ions every twenty-four hours, apprehensive that
our condition may become much worse before It
can be permanently better, and what do we know
OF the causes' The only reasons given are what
come from the engineers Office. The report OF En-
gineer Hoxie cannot be understood by very many
OF our citizens Any inquiry made In relation to
meet with his hearty assent, whether by CONGRESS
or otherwise. The matter is one of great fm-
portance to this District; it may be that these
have greater population in winter than in sum-
mer; but no mention is made OF this in Capt
from the report with the exe Ms 1ea ~
a small contribution to the Washington high
service by 6inch main across the Pstreet bridge
over Rock creek, the entire supply OF Washington
crosses Rock creek In the two 4S-inch mains which
constitute the arch Of the AQueduct bridge. Just
at this bridge is the Aqueduct Office, In which a
nected with these mains and registers the pressure
| under which the water flows Into tie city The
curve OF pressure SO recorded Is almost straight
line throughout the twenty-four hours, the pres
sure increasing only about two pounds during the
the city at night is but little less than that which
noWs Ia during the day time. Where it goes before
reaching the Potomac through sewers is not accu-
rately known, but may be cOn1ectured. II is prob
able that not less than 100000 gallons of water
how In at a time when little or no consumption
| shouldl06e reasonably expected. The mains are
| not en1ptied during the day, and consequently
have not to be ref1lled during the night The loss
cannot be accounted for through tie leaking of
| these mains, because the leaking, continuing both
| day and night, is added to the consumption during
! the day, and II the consumption ceased at night
the now into the city would be only that due to
leakage, whereas the flow is actually nearly uni
Tom inc mains the city
| falling below pounds. Under this head the ordi-
| nary three-quarters-inch service pipe will dis
charge II flowing freely, in the basement or lower
1oor about 1000 gallons In "a hours Three thous-
and such services could undoubtedly be made to
discharge the whole "a hours supply of 100000
gallons. There are 0475 services. supplying water
for domestic purposes, besides the connections to
3ls hydrants and to all public buildings, reserva-
| tinuous flow through a small proportion OF these
viii account for the disappearance OF water. 1t is
probable that the waste IS widely distributed 1t
varies but It'll during the twenty -four hours and
method OK taxing the water is by letting it run OF
course 1t runs to the lower levels and leaves the
SUBMITS s1rfaas high n LAM and dry tE: ,,,.,,..
causes Of scarcity. They may be understood
they may not Sc so clear the rd9 mS
part shall favor the adoption Of such resolution
oy CONGRESS as win satisfy the public as to the
used for more even distribution OF the Potomac
| water throughout the city,
| Meeting with ex-Comm1SsOner s. I. Phelps this
morning, TIE STAR reporter questioned him as to
whether 1t was true that the supply OF water had
been decreased since the erection of the stand
| pipe. He replied emphat1caly 4" No. This stand
pipe has been great bugbear in the discussion OF
| TINS water scarcity. The stand-pipe was erected
| at the time when there was almost total absence
OF water In the dwellings in the northwest section
OF the city, the objects being to pump this water
from the Pinch main to fill the stand-pipe during
the night time, when the consumption is least and
| 10 aHord supply In the morning hours to a very
| large class OF citizens on the heights It has
served the purposes admirably, but only intermit-
| tent!y. The supply is not at all what Is needed,
out 1t Is better than none at all"
| Q-"Then you do not think 1t Is an injury to the
| servfce?"
| A-"Not bit of It"
At the water registrars o111ce 1t Is understood
| mat very few complaints have reached there
| There are quite frequent verbal complaints but
! more are made In the collectors Office where the
water rents are received. The distribution is be-
ileVea TO be as perfect under the circumstances as
| 1t Is possible to make it.
At the office OF the District collector Mr. Cook
| states that one out OF every five make complaint
| about being obliged to pay for what they do not
receive, but in not many cases are these com
plants very bitter. Some say "they'l be id IL
this won't be the last time they'll pay IL the water
| don't get more abundant" As rule there are
more paying for the half year than for the whole
year.