The daily gazette., 1883-01-01
WATER DEPARTMENT.
CHIEF ENGINEER MrNTIRE's
ANNUAL REPORT.
IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS.
Matters Of weighty Import Concerning
the Water Rights and the Purity Of the
Water.

Col. II. b. MeIntire, Chief Engineer o
the Water Department, retires from thI
office to-day and is succeeded by David II
Coyle. The annual report of the Chic
Engineer 10 Council was completed yester
day. II is for the year ending Decembel
81, and is carefully prepared and very IN
teresting, containing many valuable recon
mendations and suggestions.
In opening, the report states that tn,
operations Of the department have been con
fined almost exclusively TO the ordinary de
mands-the extension VI water pipes and
necessary repairs.
EXTENSION oFwATER PIPE.
During the year total of 1880 feet Of
water pipe was laid-5,gD5 feet to the distri.
button from the high service reservoir and
| 1918 feet from the distribution from the low
service reservoir. in this connection the
Chief Engineer finds fault with the unwise
system of laying small pipes when anexten-
sion of water pipes is ordered. The only
excuse Is that of economy, and this is not
true economy, as the difference IN cost
between laying large and small pipes Is only
In the cost Of the pipes and lead. He re-
news his recommendation made In his annual
report of 1878, that In the future no pipes
smaller than six inches In diameter be laid
in any portion Of the city. lie further re-
| commends that the Council makes the ap-
proprations for the department large
en- ough TO permit large pipes to be laid.
MACHINERY.
The Worthington Duplex pump is In good
order and has been taxed to its utmost capa-
city during the year To supply the city with
water. The maximum duty of this pump
has been reached and uaess another pump
Is erected at once, (assurlng that the con-
Gumnfinn nf tciIl fnpraaea In, hs
proportion as in proceeding years) the water
supply of the city viii certainly be short,
aud probably for days entirely fail. The
journal Turbine wheel and pumps, and the
boilers at city mill are In good condition
The Bull Cornish pump is useless and should
be sold.
Cool Spring reservoir is in good condition
From the springs west and beneath the
reservoir the record shows that 81 100 gal
Ions per day and 20, ,S41 800 gallons during
the year, ran away. The machinery at Cool
Spring station lie in excellent condition, and
with care will require, but little additional
expense for years.
WATER CONSUMPTION.
The total number Of gallons of water
supplied during the year was | l.705, l 16, ,73S,
being an increase over 1881 Of 194, 720,5l4
gallons. There Is an alarming waste of
water, at least one half Of that supplied
being wasted. Probably the only way to
check this evil Is to gradully Introduce
water meters. The introduction of meters
into dwellings would mt increase the water
rents, but would reduce them "a q marked |
degree. A test Of this was made on August |
LIST, when Crown meter was placed In |
position at the house OF Alfred Gawthrop,
NO, llOl West street, which Is charged for |
one hydrant, one bath, two water closets,
Nro VAou nd IL. 4
SIS. There was free use of the water and |
the result showed, that charging at the |
ordinary meter rates of 10 cents per 900, |
woull equal In annual water rent of 81 .S5 |
less than now charged. The introduction /
of water meters would stop this waste of |
water us people who waste it would be 1
to pay for it. The introduction |
of water meters into all manufacturing |
and large buildings is recon- |
mended and the statement is made that a 1
great saving would result.
THE WATER RIGHTS.
The Chief Engineer considers the ques-
tion of water rights the most important one |
in the department. He details the proceed
ings of the Board of Judges or Arbitrators
on south long race. On April the Board
met TO consider the application of the
owners of water rights In the south long
for readjustment of the division of the
water. The city did not join in the applica-
tion. The decision Of April "a, which is adj
verse to the city, is detailed and the Chief
Engineer says By the award of August
"a, 1857, under which we have been taking
our water for 25 years, we can under ordi-
nary circumstances obtain 900 cubic feet
of water per minute, or IL 1888 ,020 per day
Of "a hours. Under the decision of April
"A, 1882, we can obtain but 100
cubic feet of water per minute, or
5, ,5O9,24S gallons in "a hours, being less
than one half the quantity We are now re-
ceiving. No attempt has been made to en-
force the decision of April "A, yet it is pos
sble to put it into immediate operation. If
the City Council will only understand that
with the proper and necessary machinery
actually required, we have but one half
enough water, and that this decision takes
from the city one half of that which 1t now
has, they can probably understand the con
dition of the department. Is
would earnestly recommend that City
Council obtain authority from the General
Assembly at the earliest possible moment to
acquire by purchase or otherwise control
of all the water In south long race.
FINANCES