The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-09

Report To the ,ommon Council from su-
perinfendeut Ealing

AZ the meeting OF the Common Council
on Monday evening the Committee on
water. through its chairman, Mr.. J. w.
White, submitted a report OF Superin-
tendent Charles Il. Boiling. setting forth
the Importance OF increasing the pumping
capacity of the Water Department and
laying 4S-inch water main to the city,
The report contains the following points,
TO which Mr.. Boiling calls the attention
OF the Committee on Water:
1T Is my duty TO bring to the atten-
ton OF the Committee on Water the i'm
portance OF increasing our pumping ca
pacity The necessity for an early addi-
ton mas been most plainly expressed
In the past two months, when day after
day our entire machinery has been work.
ed TO Its fullest capacity TO meet the de-
mand for water. and had an important
part OF Il broken down at that time,
which would have required as long a
time as four days to restore 1t. there
would have been a scarcity Of water in
the city
THE river has been so low for the past
two months that we could only get from
the Old pump-house from two TO three
millions OF gallons per day. insufficient
for the filling OF Marshall reservoir, and
we had 10 draw from the New reser-
voir, thereby adding TO the demand upon
the new pumps, already overburdened,
and, therefore, had constantly TO run the
steam pump. which has averaged working
about fifteen days in each OF the past
two months. 1t can be readily under
stood that the best pumps fall short
after long use OF their original efficiency,
owing TO the wearing Of the various parts,
especially the valves, and ] find by ac-
-. dalf paA INT IN
the. reservoir that our new water-power
pumps are short Of their original capacity
about % per cent, making their present
delivery about nine million gallons per
day,
THE steam pump. with an original ca
paclty Of six millions, will now deliver
about five millions, 50, In summary, with
the river too low to run all our old pumps,
the total daily pumping capacity was six
teen million gallons.
From actual measurement OF the water
drawn from the reservoirs the daily con-
sumption has been as great as fifteen
millions, so that in the event Of any seri-
Gus accident our water supply would have
been endangered. 1 would recommend
that steps be taken at once 10 increase
our pumping capacity by constructing adj
ditional pumping machinery OF twenty
million gallons capacity. In deepening
and widening the canal from the Three
Mile LOCKS to Boshers Dam provision was
made To bring down more water-power
than at the time was needed, and | am
confident that this addition can be made
at the New pump-house with our present
excess OF power at that point.
1t will take from twelve 10 eighteen
months to construct such a plant md
lay pump main to the New reservoir,
so II will be seen that there is no time to
lose, considering the rapid increase of our
consumption.
In this connection we should consider
the necessity of laying a 48-inoh main
from the reservoir TO the city in order TO
Increase the pressure of water at various
high points in the city. Not day passes
that some one does not make complaint
on account of the water pressure being
so low, and many Of our citizens have
Just cause. l have recently reported fully
to the Council on this matter, and recon-
mended as a remedy the general intro
ductlOn Of meters, and submitted an ordi-
nance in connection with the report. so
far no action has been taken by the
Council and | desire to make known to
your committee our exact condition.
There is one thing very plain, some
thing must be done, or we may at an
early date be reduced TO the same
straits we were In 1881. | would also
state. that the constant working OF the
steam pump, averaging about fifteen days
per month will entail Increased cost OF
pumping, AS we will have TO eNpend about
$500 per month for the purchase OF coal.