Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-10
THE CIrYsS WATER SUPPLY.
Why &c In Proposed % 1ncrease IL
Rents Charged TO Consumers.

Why ft Ia Proposed % fhcrsase the
Rents Charged TO CsnsaMsrs.
NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS AND REPAIRS THAT Will
AAEE DEMAND ON THE RKvKxuB or TIE wATER
DEPARTMENT - KxPRNDIrUREs NECESSARY 70 PCT
THE DESTRUCTION PIPES IN coon ORDER.
Col. Ludlow, the Engineer Commissioners q the
Dlstricf. in hts recent annual report intimated
That 1t would be necessary 10 increase the rents
charged to water consumers In order to meet the
demand for increased expenditures In the water
department. Capt. T. W. symons engineer In
charge OF the water water Department, in his
report to Col. Ludlow, says on this subject: .The
EXISTING schedule OF water rents Is not entirely
suited 70 the present uses OF water and not en-
tlreiy equitable, and much work has been done IN
compiling new schedule which shall more per.
iectly frlnl its purpose. This will be completed
as soon rs possible, and II approved BY the Com
missioners will go into effect for the next water
year.
from mne III Income derived b the water department.
ments and 1t must be increased and can see no
good reason why It should not be done at once
Ing, the principal one being the heavy expense
tnrown on the department by the construction OF
the works for the Improvement OF the water sup
aqueduct and construction Of new reservoir In
Or0er 10 of1ng about an equitable and proper dis
trGution Of water, more large supply mains must
A twenty.inch main is to be laid on 18th street.
nom i J. 70 street, to take better supply to the
This is intended sn lS Se aaa a1
extended TO the Champlain avenue shaft Of the
new tunnel and water supplied % the northwest
ioss y. , Q. the city through 1t with minimum
A ten-inch main has been laid nom New jersey
avenue ana street eastward along street TO "a
ply to the northeastern section. Larre mains
must be laid for the southeastern and southwest-
nesdeG Tse Sae city These are
must De separated from the Capitol I'M supply,
on account of the great difference OF level The
construction OF
THE NEW CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY
building will also throw an additional expense
upon the water department as It viii be necessary
10 change the location OF several important mains
me Development OF the city into the country out
SIDE OF the Boundary necessitates the extension OF
1ne supply and service mains into these regions
Inc pumping station on Z street. between 10th
and nth streets northwest, is very faulty ioca-
ted Is on leased property, the lease OF which ex-
practicable, as it viii not be desirable to renew
this lease, and another pumping station must be
CONSTRUCTED The Georgetown high service pumping
OF these pumping stations sinele pump IS iOca-
se upon tne proper performances Of which large
seet Ions OF the city are dependent. These pumps
are Dotn OLD and .W0rn and not Of the highest ex.
cellence, and liable to break down at am time.
ESTIMATES have been made, and it Is desired to
put In
A DUPLICATE PUMPING ENGINE
at each station, in order that such treat interests
may not hang by such a slender thread. When
the new aqueduct extension is completed II Will
y2plnlon be best both thspresent
pumping stations and build one near the Rock creek
saMedu Ct shaft large station at this point
practically in the center Of the hiVh frcUnds TO
hes same s sHs sSoe o TSe
aav v ages OF concentrating all the high service
R %na% ~ eI plant at one point evident
water would reach pumping station 50 situated
pumping station Is located where it can only get
and very Important reason Tor locating q pumn.
ing station at or near the Rock creek shaft Is that
1s se 70 grsar case OF
water. The new pumping engines asked for to be
temporarily placed at the existing stations would
be equally useful and applicable at the proposed
central station on Rock creek
NEW SERVICE MAINS
are being askad for In every direction and laree
amount Of money must be expended therefor in
order that the water distribution may keen pace
with the growth OF the city.
In laying these service mains the practice OF Law.
Ing main In the middle OF the street for the
service of both sides be wholly discontinued, and
the sidewalk This viii be more expeny S u tssn
the present system In the first cost but win cost
less In the end and be much more convenient and
under the sheet asphalt Pavements, ii it
i + possible b, to 0nt ayoa cuts
is sc anoher as goa as
why water pipes should not be put under the
sheet pavement, and that is that In case Of l6aI
discovered at all It is my belief that vefy large
proportion OF the water wasted In this city is lost
from leaks in the mains and service pipes
UNDER rHasE STREET FAvExHNrs,
the water from which leaks cannot rise to the sur
face and develop ITSELF but finds its way tnso tho
nearest sewer. recent expertedce on street
northwest between 10Th and 18th streeta mus.
trates this. A large break occurred In the street.
the asphalt pavement dropping down into hole.
was abeut six feet In diameter and six feet deem
Investigation showed that the service pipe was
rotten and broken, and the water had been run
into sewer near at hand Ultimately enough
earth was taken away to cause the
Many Of the old mains laid BY the board Of pubic
works are very thin and poor iron and are fmpro.
perry caulIed- A great many Of the contract SER
ton metal Of the basest sort, which is now in q
rotten condition and devoid OF the necessary
The erect Of such material and such work must
necessarily be to cause multitude OF little leaks
which amount to an immense quantity IN the aS-
gregate.
In my opinion the great waste Of water which
very largely due to the imperfect condition OF the
put into operation and the head Of water isrpeiy
Increased throughout the city It is believed that
many other leaks win be developed and Old ones
aggravated. The water department may surely
count upon being at a very considerable ultimate
expense putting its distribution system In
good order. All these things combined Win the
receipts by s1S7.33 and the year before by $l9,-
1T, "A, and as the receipts OF the water depart