The morning news., 1889-05-18
The Water Problem.

The proposition pending before the city
council TO increase the water rates for the
purpose Of getting an amount Of money
necessary to construct works to supply the
southern part OF the city with water, does
not apparently meet with general ap-
provaL The revenues from water now
largely exceed the cost Of maintaining the
water works. If the water rates bear IN
equally upon the people, then they ought
| to be so changed that there would be no
reasonable ground for complaint. 1t may
not be possible to so fix the rates that the
tax will be in proportion to the amount Of
water used, bat rates that will accomplish
that object caa be pretty closely approx
mated.
The proposition of DR.. Falligant, relative
to water works in the southern part of the
city, seems to be fair one, and il there i S
no legal objection to it there does not ap-
pear to be any reason why it should not be
adopted. 1t is to issue water works bonds,
and to pay the interest on them out of the
water revenues derived from the section of
the city supplied by the new works. Doubt
less the same rates that are in force at
present, if adopted for the southern section
of the city. would maintain the new works
and meet the interest on the bonds.
There is no reason why new works should
be very expensive Why could not the
small pump at the present works be- utilized
for the new works viii there be any need
of two pumps at tho present works when
works are established in the southern sec
tions If an accident happens to the pump
| at the present works the one in the new
works could supply the city until the
damage was repaired.
The suggestion that the new works be
placed on the Springfield plantation does not
appear to be good one. Why place tie
works so far away from where the water is
to be deliveredl 1t may be said that site
anywhere near the place of delivery woul i
cost a great deal Of money. The chances
are that site in good situation could be
obtained for very reasonable price. The
difference between the price of a site on the
| Springfield plantation and one between
| West Broad and Habersham streets, and
not farther south than Anderson street,
would not be very great. If the city owns
a site on the Springfield plantation it could
be sold. The proceeds would 60 long way
toward paying for more eligible site.
But even if large price were paid for a
site in the section in which the water is to
be delivered would it not be cheaper than
distant sitel 1t will cost much less to forcs
the water short distance than a long one.
II the works we're located on the Spring
field plantation the cost of supplying the
water from that point would be so much
greater than from a nearby point that it
would be economy to purchase ste as close
as possible to the section in which the water
is to be distributed.
The water supply question is ono that re-
quires careful study. If conclusions thai
are not based upon careful investigation
and the best ootainable information are
acted upon the probability is that costly
mistakes will be made.
There is enc thing that the council can
accept as certain, and that is that any con-
| siderable increase in the water rates will b.
met with strong protests Public senti-
ment, however. will sustain Wig )rous regu-
lations against willful waste of water. There
is no doubt that great deal of water is un-
necessarily wasted.