Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-17
THE DISTRICT WATER SUPPLY.
Some Interesting Statements In the Report Of
Col. Geo. III. Elliot.

/ Stutfuente IN tut ncBoft VI
Col. Geo. III. Elliot.
INCREASE IN THE CONSUMPTION AND WASTE OF
POTOMAC wArER-rHr LARGE .xorSr rsrp
PER cAPirA-rHr METER sYsrrn SUGGESTED
FOR BUSINESS Houses
Col Geo. H. Elliot. the engineer in charge
OF the water supply of Washington. makes
some important recommendations in his an
nuai report to the chief Of engineers looking to
'he increase Of the supply and the improve
ment OF Its quality. He says: Last year
"hen the water in the river was at its
low stage, or between six inches and
one loot over the dam at Great Falls. which il
was Tor several months, found that could
nos keep the water in the distributing reservoir
up to its proper height of l46 feet shove
datum.
TUE SAME CONDITION THIS YEAR.
Il hnd the same this year, and that when the
water IN the distributing reservoir is lowered
ABOUT 20 feet during each OF the monthly
measurements of the CONSUMPTION aud waste
oil water IN the city il requires about -four davs
to get the water in the reservoir back again 10
us heisnt; The reason for this is that
the height Of the dam at Great
rails Is not sufficient at low stage Of the river
TO keep the conduit full at its head or 10 eua-
Die II TO deliver much water as is now con-
semed and wasted IN the city. and at the same
time TO keep up the head in the mains at the
distributing reservoir TO li6 feet above datum
which Ii necessary for the supply by gravity of
me hlsh northern portions of the city and of
Capitol Hill.
THE ONLY REMEDY.
THE only remedy for this-and ii Ia one
that should be made before any further stems
are taken for increasing the supply from the
distributing reservoir TO the city-is the rails
ing OF the dam at Great Falls nearly if not
quite two and one-half feet or to the aeight
OF 1907 feet above datum"
CONSUMPTION OF WATER IN TUE DISTRICT.
Col Elliot makes some interesting remarks
about the consumption of water in the District.
He says: Measurements OF the CONSUMPTION
and waste of water in the city have as a rule
been made annually In June. They were taken
outside the infiuent gate house a: .he distribu-
ing reservoir by noting on an ordinary staff
gauge the fall of water in the reservoir
during twenty-four hours, the supply from
Great Falls being suspended in the meantime
In August last L commenced to make these
measurements monthly on one of the last DAYS
OF the month and placed inside the effluent
gate house OF the same reservoir a floating
staff- guage graduated to hundreGths of a
loot by the use of which errors in
measuring the height of water caused by wind
waves, are avoided. There is about /. 40 900
gallons OF water in each vertical inch and the
observer lis sheltered from the weather during
the measurement.
in the table appended it will be observed
that the daily midwinter and MID summer con-
sumption and waste are about equal. and are
about 2.O0C.OOO gallons more than the average
for the year ending June 30. 1871.
~ his average Is 81, SIS. Gag gallons. or about
million gallons more than the measurement in
1880 which was taken soon after the 4s-iuch
main was completed and put in op grafton. The
average annual increase before the introduc-
non OF the io-inch main-from 1874 TO 1859
was about ca 600 gallons.
AMOUNT OF WATER PER CAPITA
THE year 1890 being a census wear, have
obtained from Capt Lusk of the District water
Office plat of the city. including Georgetown.
showing the actual areas, block by block. to
which Potomac water was supplied by the dis
tributon system of the District of Columbia
ION my sending this plat to the Hon. Mr.
Porter, superintendent Of the census he has
had carefully estimated the population within
this area. Ii Is $4,000. From this and the
average consumption and waste during the last
fiscal year L find the daily waste and consump-
ton per capita IN this area to have been 1856
gallonc.
Taking the total population of Washington
and Georgetown-202.9 7S-at the time of the
census of 1880. and dividing 1t into the total daily
amount OF water consumed and wasted in the
last fiscal year the daily average amount per
capita would be $50 gallons.
This yonid not be correct. since. assuming
the census estimate of the population within
the area supplied with Potomac water to be
correct. there are outside this area 1915 of
the population that are supplied from wells
or from sources other than the Potomac-but
1t is doubtless the usual and only mode that
| Is practicable to compilers of such statistics.
THE METER SYSTEM ADVISED.
''ln the United States the consumption and
waste of water in cities not often exceeds 100
gallons per capita, and as far as known there
Is not more than one such case in Europe.
This startling amount of $50 gallons
per capita for the entire population of
Washington and Georgetown NAV suggest
to the District government an extension OF the
present limited application of the meter sys-
TEN, not generally, but in moderate way
say to all breweries, factories, hotels.
livery stables and all similar cases where
there are extensive wastes and where
the proprietors. for business purposes,
use great amounts of water. making, it may in
sense be considered. a money profit on its
use. Should this be done / think it probable
that the present rates to private consumers
might be reduced without any reduction of
the Districts income from water. and il would
certainly tend TO postpone the need of raising
the dam at Great Falls for the purpose OF in
creaxing the supply from the Potomac to the
conduit, the early necessity of which / have
mentioned elsewhere in this report"
Col. Elliot adds, in this connection: This
rule-the one he adopts In the calculation of
his statistics-would give the average daily
consumption and waste per capita in Washing
ton and Georgetown III 1870 and 1850 lis aud
l8l gallons respectively"
IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED.
"Ihe aqueduct and the works connected
with il are generally in excellent condition"
continues Col Elliot, but 1T is my duty to
call especial attention to several improvements
that are urgently needed. Most OF them we're
mentioned in my last annual report but no |
attention was taken OF them By Congress |
He then proceeds to reiterate his former re- |
marks upon the necessity of improving the |
quality of the water. saying: Nov that the |
city is abundantly supplied everywhere with |
water, except IN a few points where It's proper |
distribution is interfered with by the small /
size Of the citys street mains and service pipes
and their reduction in capacity by internal |
corrosion, one of the most important
works TO be done in connection with
the acauedUct is to furnish the
city with better water, since the water of
the Potomac brought from Great Falls is, 1 |
am convinced, perfectly wholesome at all times,
it would be more correct to say, with clearer
water
To GET CLEARER WATER
Then follows table showing tina. In four
years the water, on the average. was clear l5s
days each year. slightly turbid rs days, turbid
j