The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-19
rur c1ry,s wArEn-A SERIOUS MAT
TER.


n half million more. Our stree's iihper''''eS
demand money which we do not nave ior
,hom and now comes the Mayors message to
chow that we must at once increase our water
nlant by spending 1884, unless something
il done TO arrest our daily waste OF water ana
we know very well. from our experience Win
the City Hail. that an estimated outlay OF
ASA Sol on water works means a million be-
fore We are through.
With city already carrying heavier oeo'
than sho ought to carry, this IS not a very
pror Using outlook. Fortunately there Is
silv 0. lining to the cloud so far as water IS con-
cerned, if we will only take such prudehtiai
measures as are easily accessible.
Tho Mayors message shows us tha' our
pumps daily supply. and our reservoirs Hoiu
sufficient quantity of water for city OF zO0VJV
inhabitants. while we have less than l0o'OOo'
Yet. with this double supply OF water so
much ia wasted that we cannot keep enough
in the reservoirs to make the pressure suin-
Gent to force water to the second noois "a
many houses. and when the river Is nuuuy
the reservoirs are not allowed 70 keep tne
water long enough for it to even partially set
tie. and we have to drink and Dathe IN lhuuuy
water when We ought to have clear. Ihis Is
dine 70 n reckless. almost criminal, waste OF
water by the people. and this waste should be
stopped ut all hazards. The report of Mr.. Z.
r Rolling. superintendent of the water
xxorks for January l. 1891. shows that this
city used in the year 1890 gross quantity Oh
water equal to 1853 gallons per day for each IN
habitsnt.
This is absurd. The same report also fur
nishes us with some facts from which we are
able TO tell how this waste takes place Inc de-
part.lent sends inspectors around to examine
hydrants and closets. and the report OF these
for 1880 is to be found at page q. 1t shows
that there were 29i automatic closets lou"u
leaking during the year and g2l compressor
closets that 129 automatic closets were ioun"
70 have been lett running and 72i compress
sion closets The records show also that ~
per cent. of all the closets in the city are CON-
preston closets and so per cent are auto
matte. These statements show two facts
first that an enormous waste of water taxes
Mace in leaking and " left-runnlng closets
ana second, that the great bulk of the waste
| from these TWO eOulOeS % q" NO'i
| closets.
Knowing. then. the source of the loss, 1t
becomes US to apply corrective to 1t. What
is that corrective? There can be no doubt
about it, it is by requiring every water-taKer
to have water metre. 1t IS SAFE to say the
consumption OF water would be reduced Dy
one-half by the use of metres. Water-meters
| ~. o,,d -ritlnfgt
ton they have given the very highest satis-
faction. and have enormously reduced the guam
tity OF water consumed The superintendent
of the water-works of Atlanta. Ca, says IN one
of his recent reports
II cannot close this report without again
mentioning the very gratifying results that
have been obtained through the universal use
OF metres The waste has been stopped. the
pumpage mas been reduced 10 about one
third what 1t was prior to their introduction;
the consumption OF coal Is alsOabOut One-thlru
OF what 1t was. We are enabled TO give bremen
all the pressure wanted or required, we nave
been enabled to get the pumping machinery
in splendid condition, we are carrying uul-
form domestic pressure that IS giving satlsIac-
ton at the highest attitudes IN the city anu
afIOrdiug all the pressure required Tor the ny
draulic elevators, the rate or insurance las
been reduced and the insurance underwriters
! pleased WlLn the UNIFORM tlltAtAtl "a tAN
! works There are no complaints or grumDllhg
except the regular monthly grOwls trom thOst
| who have to pay for neglect or careIes-ness IL
the shane of big water bills Whatever merit
the water-works has Is due 10 the metre sYs
| tenn and the Board of Water Commissioners
| aided 10y HIS Honor the Mayor. who displayed
5 the nerve to require their universal lhtT0duc
ton and thereby saved the water-WorSs iron
becoming wreck.
This is the experience of every city that la
adopted the system. Consumption OF waite
in Providence, f. l.. a large manufacturing
city has fallen to 3l12 gallons per day to tn
inhabitant An Interesting article in IN
Engineering News for March s., 1892 =
, 232, throws much light on the subject. Tn
result that would be produced cannot b
@ doubted. The sole question IS one of OK
It pediency, and that turns on cost. The super
intendent of water estimates that the cost q
metres for houses costing $4,000 and less
r. would be from twelve TO fourteen dollar
g each The life of a metre is about ten year
&c He thinks that an annual charge against tn
" water taker of ten per cent. on the cost c
y the metre will pay interest on its cost an
G. leave q surplus in the way OF q sinking fun
70 sufficient 10 purchase a new metre when Oh
old one is worn out. He is also confident thi
d the saving in the water-takers bill wit
t, proper fixtures would be at least forty pc
!. cent. The water-taker's account therefor
ID under a metre system would stand thus. I'll
D. average cost of water to houses worth $50,
70 and less is now So cost of metre, Sl3. Fort
u per cent. Of bill being saved. annual cost ,
r. water with metre would be 81 Add te
80 per cent. on cost of metre-Sl.3). aud v
It's have 500 as the annual cost of water f,
or such houses with metre as against % withol
lie metre Actual tests have proved the
We figures to be far within bounds. Mr.. j.
an White. No. / east Clay street chairman Of Il
to Council Committee on Water, purchased
mt metre and attached it to his premises in Oct
Ii Der last His house and los worth abo
or 81 900. His water bill by the metre rates sin
es last October has been 81 cents per mont
N BY ordinance rates without metre his b
would have been sl.13 per month.
Mr. c. Z. Hill, foreman in the water depa
'"' ment. whose house and lot are worth abo
IS SEQ. purchased metre last July and