The Evening critic., 1885-01-28
NEEDED CHANGES
Inspector RObinSOn'S Efforts to In
prove The Plumbing Regulations.
MORE POWER DESIRED.
He Wants Legislation to Give
Him Control over Buildings
Erected Before jan
uary 90, 1881.

Inspector Of Plumbing Robinson is en-
deavoring to have au important addition
made to the plumbing regulations. The
legislation desired by him will give him
control over the sewerage, house drainage
and ventilation of hotels and residences
erected before the plumbing regulations
were adopted. The plumbing regulations
do not give the inspector power to con-
demn plumbing or sewerage work In houses
that were built before January %, 1881,
which, he says, is II great mistake, because
the lives of the inmates OF many Of the ho-
tells and residences in the city are ondan-
gered by defective drainage and bad plumb.
ing,
Another important amendment which,
if carefully observed, will save much in
convenience and expense, is in reference
TO keeping water-pipes from freezing. This
is to be effected by stop and waste cocks
by which water can be cut of from house
at night and the pipes drained out.
A CRITIC reporter called at the office of
Inspector Robinson to-day and inquired to
what extent sanitary plumbing existed
here and bow our city compared with 9th
eIs in point Of house drainage aud improve
ments in plumbing.
"You would, perhaps, bo surprised to
hear me say that plumbing has been re-
duced almost to science in large cities"
he replied. "As to the sanitary condition
of the plumbing here, it will compare
favoIably with that Of any city in the
country. We have the finest system of
sewers Of any city in the world, and then
we have the first set of plumbing regula-
tions that was ever adopted, and all the
other large cities have since adopted
plumbing laws copied to some extent from
our system.
1--WE have sewers on nearly all of our
streets, and person desirous Of building u
house cannot get building permit unless
he has had his sewer plans approved by
me and shown permit to that effect"
"But suppose there is no sewer on the
street on which he intends to build ?" sug-
gested the reporter.
well, he is required to put the sewerage
in so that the house can be connected as
soon as the sewer main is laid in the street."
was the reply. There is not house
erected in the city that Is not in accord
ance with the plumbing regulations"
In answer to query of the reporters as
to the requirements about ventilation in
houses, he said REORGANIZATION is perfect,
and, said he, "the fresh air is admitted at
the curbstono on the street and conducted
through the house and above the roof In
cast iron pipes with lead joints. The
by this stack Of pipe, and the sewer-gas is
carried off to point above the roof where
| it can do no harm.
This is one Of the greatest achievements
| in modern plumbing said the official. "a
| few years ago there was no ventilation at
| all, and it was physical impossibilty for
the sewer-gas to escape, because it could
| not get down through the pipes and there
| was no provision made to carry it OF any
| other way, and 1t not only contaminated
| the atmosphere that pervsded the dwelling,
| but also the water used by the family"
He stated that the efficiency of the office
] has been greatly increased lately by the ap.
| pointment of an assistant Inspector and
| that the plumbing and sewerage work of
| every house is inspected during uhe course
| of its construction, and If the regulations
| have been violated, or the work or material
| of an inferior quality, it is not approved,
| and Is required 10 be taken out and the de-
feet remedied
| In regard to the character of the work.
manship he said the Washington plumbers
were as competent as any in the country.
| In reply to question as to the amount Of
| increase In the cost Of plumbing house un-
der the sanitary system, he said the cost
was greater, but in the end it was cheaper
on account of the saving in repairs aud
alterations by having the work well done
originally.