The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-05-15
THE WATER WE DRINK.
A REPORT I'ROY sUPERfNTEhDEST.
a roc,,,oto Chemical Examination for Ssni-
fsry Purposcs--The Condition OF
The Department.

Mr. Charles f. Boiling. superintendent OF
the Water Department. has submitted his
annual report FOR the past year to the Mayor.
In it he says
have the honor Of submitting my seventh
annual report OF the water works for the year
ending December 81. 1891. The annexed
fables show clearly the work done By the de-
partment. also give q record Of all pump and
supplv mains, From table No. ] you VIII
learn the appropriations aud disbursements
and will see that there was balance 10 tne
credit II the department OF SlOB.5h. ne re
ceipts for the year aggregate tl3l,sJf'ts, hu
increase over tho year previous OF s7'ffo.Ho.
The total expenditures for the year amount
10 eos .608. 49, he actual cost OF inainte-
nance repairs &c. amounts 10 az, 5fs'l5, AZ
increase over the year 1880. owing 10 the I'OS
that the pumping machinery AT the new
house was entirely OYefhauied anu pus IA
frs,-class condition, md 10 contain necessary
rerairs made 10 the retaining walls AT the
Five Nile lock Ii IL gratifying TO examine
the financial statement. as ~ SHOWS INC
water works 20 he valuable pOssession "a
our city. The excess Of the receipts over the
actual or necessary expenses Is w go.
And y should be remembered that al ths
other departments OF the city are tuthlsneU
water free Of charge also that al churches,
charitable institutions If oil kinds. and many
moor persons. receive water free. Alo" es'h"te
OF revenue given up for these purposes "oulv
be $4,000 And with this addition tho he1
revenue for water would be -l2Izit3o. ne
work Of raising the canal bank between lhe
unup-h house and the live-llie lock the cost
of which wa borne by the city and the Chesa-
penke and Ohio Railroad Company nas DoeI
completed and was done IN very thorough
manner. And the changing OF tho water
wheels AZ the New Dump-house anu genera
& oil pI ]. n q u
pulup.house was completed last August. Inc
new wheels are giving entire satisfaction hhu
the entire machinery al the New pump-hou'e
il in frst-class condition. The advantages OF
the changes made in raising the canal BANKS
and TearTangllg the machinery are Nahiioi~'
HAcE-wAYs.
The race-ways are in fair condition. There
have been very few leaks IA the past year.
Upon q recent inspection or the channel pc
tween the pump house and Nine Mile looks
find there arc several places where bars nave
been formed and 10 Is very important thai
some dredging should DO done duilnR the
present year. I also regard as necessary tnat
the head and wing walls at the rive MILO lock
should DO raised 30 - % conhne nOo1 wafer
70 the FOur-Mue level. This fecommenda.
ton made IN former reports. end the cost Oh
this imprOvoment would DO moderate. inc
channel bottom between the guard walls ~
Five Mile lock was 30 much secured oul lhet
there was danger Of undermining ths Eu"Iv
walls A wooden platform has been placed
between the walls and now removes M eai-
ger This platform Is made Of two-lnch
boards spiked 10 pine logs which extend from
wall to wall and underlying tine logs u
foundation of broken stone about three feet
deep The cost OF these repairs, inc.nding
double set of gates placed IN the oid LOCK,
amounted 10 $4,000.
,pvMr-wORRs
For d full report OF the pump-house, ]
would refer you 10 the annexed report oil MIR.
/ W Tomlnsou. superintendent Of pump
houses As / stated before the buildings and
machinery al the now house are now ~ frst-
class condition. ne former have recently
been repaired and The wood work painted:
The buildings machinery md dam al tho Ola
pump house need repairs badly and this
should be done al once u IL my duty 10
bring 10 your attention and request your care
full consideration Of the necessity Of proyid
mo increased pumping machinery. By refor-
ence TO table No. q you will sec that the aver
age daily pumpage by the new water power
pumps for the month OF December was &c.
528177 gallons. The total capacity of these
pumps with everything IA frst-class order Is
L. OOO 900 gallons per day. This 10 entirely
too close a margin. IL Is true we have ns an
auxiliary the steam pump with a capacity OF
5000 600 gallons per dav but 1t COSTS Blk
times as much 20 pump water by steam power.
In "a recent report made 70 the Committee on
Water ! urged the necessity OF Placing
meters upon every supply IN order 20 prevent
the waste which IS increasing each yea: Gnd
stated in the report that Was satisfied that
our present pumping capacity was sufficient
10 supply population OF 300 600 people pro
vided the excessive waste could be stopped
This would allow sixty-hve gallons per
capita por day at our prese"t rate
of pumping for population OF
200 600 people which is abundant cn thee
other hand unless meters were paced. THAT IL
was necessary al once TO provide increasing
pumping facilities and sapply mains esti-
mated TO cost 1884 .5Ol. Ibo Committee on
Water recommended the adoption Of the
meter system and submitted an ordinance
for that purpose, which the City Council de-
clnod 10 adopt In order TO supply num-
Der of our water takers. who are now suffering
on account of the quantity wasted. II Will be
necessary to make the appropriation named
above unless wo resort To meters. IL ~ hard
To convince many OF those who arc now often
deprived of water Oh their second stores that
tue mere laying of n large main IN mont OF
their premi - will not give them relief they
can't understand that we will have 10 DO more
than that. namely, lay large supply main TO
tho New reservoir IN order 10 supply their
wants and more than this that we viii have
to provide more pumps TO meet this demand.
! earnestly ask Your Honor : consideration Of
this matter, md 10 brig It 10 the attention Of
inc OllJ NvuhNit'
RESERVOIRS.
The reservoirs are in good condition, and
receive careful attention from the respective
keepers Mrs Al r. Baker. at Marshall reser-
voir and w. s. Roach at New reservoir Ia
addition to his duties at the reservoir ap-
pointed Mr. Roach IN charge Of the repairs
and raising the canal banks, which duty be
performed in q most faithful and capable
manner would recommend that two
fights Of granite stens be placed on the north
and south slopes of the New reservoir and
that the building and enclosure at Marshall
reservoir be painted.
WATER NfTFRs.
II IL gratifying 10 know the satisfaction the
few water meters We have in service are Civ
ing 10 both the city aud water taker We
have in use at present IFS meters, an increase
over last year of 30. Each meter set during
the wear was purchased and set at the request
and cost Of the water taker, and noue 50 far
have had cause 10 regret taking water 10y ne
ter measurement. IN case OF private families
the water bills have been from 40 per cent. 10
90 per cent less than by ordinance rates.
There have been fow complaints OF high
bills but invariably when the matter has
been looked into 1t has been revealed that II
was owing to either carelessness or wasting
fixtures
The more study give the meter question,